God of Pain

23.Tara

I paced back and forth in my room, the anger bubbling up inside me. The moment Lucian walked in, I couldn't hold it back anymore. "Why, Lucian? Why did you kill him?"

Lucian's expression darkened, his usual calm demeanor replaced by a cold fury. "You know why, Tara."

"But he was our father!" I shouted, the words burning in my throat. "I took another parent away from you!"

"He wasn't a father to me," Lucian snapped, stepping closer. "Not after what he did to you."

My heart ached, the guilt weighing heavy. "But it was my fault, Lucian. If I hadn't told you—"

"Stop it," he interrupted, his voice sharp. "You are my family, Tara. Anyone who hurts you is not."

I shook my head, tears blurring my vision. "But he was our blood."

Lucian's jaw tightened. "He dug his own grave the moment he laid a hand on you. Blood or not, he was dead to me the second he hurt you."

The anger gave way to sorrow, and I collapsed onto the bed, burying my face in my hands. "I'm so angry at Alec for telling you about the incident."

Lucian sat beside me, his hand gently rubbing my back. "Don't hate the rat, Tara. For once, he did something right."

I looked up at him, my eyes searching his. "You approve of what he did?"

Lucian nodded, his gaze softening. "Yes, because it led to me protecting you. And I will always protect you, no matter the cost."

I leaned into him, the tears flowing freely now. "But I don't know how to move on from this. I feel so lost."

Lucian pulled me into a tight embrace, his strength grounding me. "We'll get through this together. You're not alone, Tara. You'll never be alone as long as I'm here."

I clung to him, the storm of emotions slowly calming. Despite everything, despite the bloodshed and the pain, Lucian was my anchor, my protector. And in that moment, I knew we would find a way through the darkness together.

....................................................................................................

Every morning for the past week, I walked into class to find a fresh bouquet of flowers on my desk. It started with roses, then tulips, and today, a mix of lilies and daisies. Next to the flowers, always, were a selection of pastries—macarons, eclairs, and today, a box of my favorite chocolate croissants.

Alec stood a few feet away, his expression a mix of hope and regret. He wore a big pout, his eyes wide and pleading like a puppy's. It was almost comical, seeing the tough mafia prince reduced to this.

I picked up the flowers and inhaled their fragrance, glancing at Alec from the corner of my eye. His pout deepened, and I couldn't help the small smile tugging at my lips. But I quickly schooled my features, turning my attention to the pastries.

As I bit into a croissant, savoring the sweet, flaky goodness, Cecily sauntered over. She took one look at Alec, then back at me, her eyebrows shooting up. "Oh my god, Tara! If I didn't know better, I'd say you've got a stalker. A very well-fed, pastry-bearing stalker."

I stifled a laugh, shaking my head. "He's not a stalker, Cecily. Just... persistent."

Cecily grinned, leaning in to whisper, "Persistent is an understatement. I think he might actually cry if you don't forgive him soon. Look at those eyes! I can't tell if he's begging for forgiveness or auditioning for a sad puppy commercial."

I glanced back at Alec, who was now clutching his heart dramatically, his pout growing impossibly larger. It was so over-the-top that I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

Cecily nudged me with her elbow. "Come on, Tara. Throw the poor guy a bone. Or, you know, a croissant."

I rolled my eyes, but the smile was already breaking through. Standing up, I walked over to Alec, holding out a croissant. His eyes lit up, and he took it, looking at me with so much hope it was almost painful.

"Alright, Alec," I said, crossing my arms. "You've made your point. I forgive you. But don't ever go behind my back like that again."

Alec's pout transformed into a wide grin, and he wrapped me in a hug, lifting me off my feet. "Thank you, Tara! I promise, I'll never do it again. I'll be the best non-rat boyfriend ever!"

Cecily clapped her hands, laughing. "And thus, the great pastry peace treaty is sealed. Now, let's get to class before the next drama unfolds."

As we headed to our seats, Alec's hand found mine, squeezing gently. Despite everything, I felt a warmth spreading through me. Maybe, just maybe, things were looking up.

..................................................................................................

The video arrived unexpectedly, a message pinging on my phone. My heart sank as I opened it, a shaky recording filling the screen. My mother was in the frame, tears streaming down her face, a gun trembling in her hand. She had bruises and cuts, and the sight made my blood run cold.

Behind her, a well-built young man sat in a chair, his face obscured. He was begging, pleading for her to choose him. The voice was familiar, tugging at the edges of my memory, but I couldn't place it. The panic in his tone sent a chill down my spine.

"No, no, no," I whispered, my fingers tightening around my phone. Who would send this to me? Why was this happening?

"I cho—ose Tara, Please spare her, please I beg you Marco" My mom's pained voice echoes.

Then, the gunshot echoed through the video, making me flinch. The video focused on the dead lifeless eyes of my mother. The tied man started thrashing, desperate to escape, his cries growing louder and more frantic while yelling "Emma" over and over. The screen went black, but the sounds continued, drilling into my mind.

I dropped the phone, my thoughts spiraling. Who would do this? Why would they target my mother? The images replayed in my mind, my mother's terrified face haunting me.

I couldn't shake the feeling of dread, the sense that something terrible was closing in. I needed answers, but I didn't know where to start. Who was sending these videos to me? And what did they want?

My heart raced, fear and anger swirling within me. I had to find my mother. I had to protect her. But first, I needed to figure out who was behind this.

Grabbing my phone, I texted Alec, my fingers trembling. "We need to talk. Now."