His Wicked Temptation

Chapter Twenty-Three

︎✈︎

éperdument amoureux
(m.) madly in love

EMILIANO

My whole body was screaming in pain from the punishment I inflicted on it. Blood flooded through my flesh, my head spun, and my entire body yearned to give in, to collapse onto the cold ground.

I threw another punch at the boxing bag, grimacing at the painful sensation in my knuckles.

It had been seven hours.

Seven hours since I discovered that Rosabelle de Luca was gone. She had left Russia on her father's private jet. She had left me.

The moment I found out about it, I hurled my phone across the room, shattering it into pieces. I shot my men in the limbs in anger, unfairly blaming them, and I smashed mirrors all over my house, destroying my possessions.

It didn't take me long to turn my place into a hellhole.

Damn Rosabelle.

How could she leave me?

How could she abandon me like that?

How could she depart right after I revealed my true self to her?

Was I that repulsive?

Was I that vile?

Was I that untrustworthy?

Damn Rosabelle.

How could she leave me?

I threw another punch at the boxing bag, and another, and another, have been doing that for five agonizing hours.

Without her, I could barely see anything. That woman had suddenly come into my life and become my everything.

She unleashed me like no one else had. And then she tamed me like no one else could.

For years, after my parents' death, I had spent my time chasing after women, sex, vengeance, and bloodshed.

Then Rosabelle gave me a purpose in life.

It was her.

She brought light into my life.

It was her.

She ignited me on fire, and then she pacified me. She plundered me, and then she provided me salvation.

So, I could never comprehend how she could leave me after all we had been through. Betrayal usually fueled my desire for revenge, but her betrayal hurt me. It fucking tore me apart.

Yet again, my pretty girl thought I would leave her alone because of this. She thought I would forget her existence and carry on. She was mistaken.

As long as the blood that flows in my veins doesn't dry up, I will keep fighting to get her back. I will kill for her just as readily as I will kill to have her.

There is no other option for me.

And I was leaving tomorrow. But before that, I needed to do something.

✈︎

My sister-in-law's angry shout helped calm Aleksandr down a bit.

I looked her way with an annoyed frown, and the male before me gazed at her while trying to soothe his daughter who sobbed softly due to our brotherly quarrel.

I had just confided in him about what was happening in my life, from Rosabelle de Luca to her background. I knew he would be angry, so angry that he might try to attack me in front of his young daughter.