By Darkness I Burn [EN]

Chapter 9

Isabella – 19 years old

"Isabella!" Amo called as I got out of the car, running so I wouldn't have to look his face.

Who did he think he was to say my night was over? Who did he think he was to judge who could and couldn't lay hands on me? Mainly, who did he think he was to decide to punish my security guard and keep him away from me. This was not a decision for anyone but me and my parents to make.

Hypocritical.

That's what he was.

And we were in this whole situation for his hypocrisy, but it seems that when he was the one who deviated from the said right path, everything was fine, even if heads literally needed to be beheaded for that.

"Isabella!" He called again and I heard the car door slam.

I just continued on my way to the mansion's entrance. I didn't stay to hear what his excuses or arguments were, I didn't care. He could blow himself up. I wasn't going to argue with Amo in front of all these people. Simply no. People might expect that of me given who my parents were, but that wasn't me. I was not a carbon copy of my parents. I was my own person.

I entered our mansion in the Hamptons and went straight upstairs to my room. I heard the click-click-click of Hana's heels, but even she wouldn't stop me now. I was furious.

I was furious with Amo.

I was furious with Nevio.

And mostly, I was furious with me. Dumb enough to put me through this situation. This just wasn't me, so what was going on?

I slammed my bedroom door shut, locking it right away. My phone vibrated in my hand and I was about to throw it across the room when I saw it was a message from Gianluca.

"I've already talked to your father and everything is fine."

"As long as I don't let my hands travel around again, of course. 😂"

"But really, it's okay. Don't worry about me."

I sighed a little more relieved. It was my fault that Gianluca had almost been punished. My fault and my utter stupidity in wanting to hit someone who shouldn't even be on my mind.

But it was also the fault of those stupid Mafia rules, which treated women like saints who were supposed to keep themselves unsullied until a man, wholly not unsullied, could take them for his own to do as they pleased. A woman couldn't choose what was best for herself, but a man could definitely choose what was best for himself and for us.

A knock sounded at my door and I pretended not to heard, but of course the person on the other side wouldn't be happy, as the knocking got louder and soon Amo's voice was heard:

"Open the door, Isabella. Or I'll knock it out, I swear to God."

I rehearsed what it would be like to punch her pretty face before I finally opened the door. Amo swept through like a hurricane, closing it behind.

"What do you want?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"You're lucky I didn't let that get to Matteo." He threatened and, for a moment, I could allow myself to smile.

First, because Dad already knew what happened. Second, because, knowing what happened, the only one to be put in his place would be Amo, and Dad who would play that role.

"Well, I wanted to see who would need luck in that case, Amo." I crossed my arms, looking him up and down. "Tell my father. Better yet, tell my mom. Tell them you decided you could dictate what I did and how I did it."