Sinner's Paradise|| 18+

A new nightmare.

                                           Liliana's POV

Of course, there weren't any bullets in the gun it was empty, and Luciano Santos had done it on purpose. The hollow click of the trigger echoed in the air, followed by a tense silence that was soon shattered by the growls of the three German shepherds now standing before me. Their eyes were locked on mine, muscles coiled, ready to strike if I dared to move. I felt the cold metal of the gate at my back as I slid down to the ground, trying to make myself as small as possible. My heart raced as the dogs bared their teeth, their growls vibrating through my chest, each sound a reminder of how close I was to danger.

Terrified, I shut my eyes, resigning myself to whatever fate awaited me. But then, just as suddenly as it had started, the snarling stopped. A sharp whistle had cut through the tension, and when I slowly opened my eyes, I saw Luciano calmly patting his dogs. His gaze met mine, cold and indifferent, as if he were assessing a piece of property rather than a human being. He studied me for a brief moment before turning to his right-hand man and saying, "Juan, take her to her room and let Geo get her ready."

His words hung in the air, filling me with dread. "Get her ready?" The phrase rattled in my mind, sparking a new wave of fear. What did he mean by that? Without thinking, I scrambled to my feet, anger and desperation fueling my actions. "Get it over with right now!" I shouted, my voice trembling with defiance. "I'd rather you shoot me right here, right now, than suffer any longer and keep seeing your disgusting face." I was shaking, the fear giving way to fury as I screamed, "Do it! Shoot me!"

Luciano's expression darkened, and in an instant, he was on me. His hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of my hair, yanking my head back with brutal force. "Listen," he hissed, his voice low and dangerous, "I've been patient so far, but now you're testing me." His grip tightened, and he leaned in closer, his breath hot against my face. "I was nice enough to offer you marriage, but now that's off the table."

He released my hair with a shove, turning to Juan with a cold, dismissive glance. "Take her to the club," he ordered, his voice flat and emotionless. "She can join the others and work there. I'll come to see how it goes after my meeting."

The words sent a chill through me. I had no idea what he meant, what I would be forced to do at the club, but the tone in his voice left no room for doubt it wouldn't be good. My scalp throbbed where Luciano had yanked my hair, but there was no time to dwell on the pain. Juan was already at my side, his grip like iron around my arm as he led me to the waiting car. My mind raced, fear and uncertainty gnawing at me as I was forced into the back seat, the door slamming shut with a finality that made my heart sink.

I sat in the front seat, utterly defeated, as the car engine rumbled to life. The gates of the estate slowly creaked open, and the car rolled forward. As the gates began to close behind us, I caught a final glimpse of him through the rearview mirror Luciano Santos, standing tall with his three German shepherds at his side. His cold eyes stared back at me, and I felt a surge of hatred so intense it almost took my breath away. I wished nothing but pain upon him, the same pain he had inflicted on my family. He would pay for what he did to them this, I promised myself.

As the car wound through the busy streets of Havana, the city's vibrant life buzzed around me, but all I could think about was the uncertainty of what awaited me. The sun cast a warm glow on the colorful buildings, people bustled about, laughing and talking, completely unaware of the turmoil inside me. If only I knew what this beautiful city held for me. I glanced to my side, my gaze shifting to Juan, Luciano's right-hand man. His expression was unreadable, a stone-faced mask that offered no comfort. I summoned the courage to speak, my voice trembling slightly as I asked, "What will I be doing there?"