Wicked Games (Bishop Mafia Series 1)

Chapter 22

Elena's hair was a mess and there was a skip in her breath when she saw him. Dean's eyes frowned. Her skin didn't have the peachy glow he was used to. His angry gaze swept over her from head to toe. Her eyes were blotchy and nose red. She had been crying. Dean's shoulders slumped a little. She was still the most beautiful woman he would ever see. Her tears ran down her cheeks, one after the other. Her lips quivered. It was not supposed to be this way. They were supposed to get married and move forward into a new life in Italy. Yet, here he was chasing his bride. And there she was, crying her heart out. Was it that bad that she was marrying him? Dean wavered for a moment but Leo shouted at the blondie and that jolted him.

From where Dean stood, everything unfolded, in the next minute, slow-motion style. The Augustines stood in complete shock, looking to and fro from Dean to Elena and to Mel and back at Dean. Mel was tugging at Elena's arms, yelling at her to get away from the Italian a*shole.

And she ran.

Elena ran from the kitchen door and into the open plantations in the vineyard. A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. A furious thunder roared above her. The winds grew harsh. Strong gusts swept dirt and dead leaves at her, forcing her to shield her eyes with her palms above them. Almost tripping over herself, Elena breathed hard. But she didn't stop running. Her feet pushed against the moist earth, the path led her further away from the warmth of Katarina's house.

She ran in the hope that she will be able to get rid of Dean once and for all.

She ran because her life depended on it.

She ran, to flee from a wedding that she was being forced into a marriage with a man who didn't love or care for her.

Elena ran. Her heart had splint into two, the day she saw Dean kiss Leila. She denied the very attraction she had for him since she was ten. But Dean didn't care about her. His only joy in life was to torment the life out of her. He pulled her hair, chased her around is mother's garden and tie her pigtails to the chair legs in the dining room. Now, it was more than a childhood bully. He was forcing her to a marriage just for the sake of the damn millions.

A loud cry escaped her lips. Hurt, her heart couldn't help but remember his touches. His mouth on hers. His voice. She had seen love, lust and sadness in his eyes all at the same time. What was the truth? The one she had been denying to herself. Elena had never forgotten Dean all those years they had been apart. He was the first boy who terrified and yet affected her in a way she couldn't comprehend. As a teenager, she had spent several sleepless nights thinking about him. It was a cruel fate. The attraction she had for the older Dean had only made matters worse.

The back of her palms rubbed against her cheeks. Large raindrops fell on her like bullets piercing through her skin. Could the Heavens be anymore heartless? Did no one understand how her heart was tearing up inside? Her tears wouldn't stop.

"Stop, just stop!" Elena shouted to herself.

She wanted her heart to stop feeling for Dean. Wanted it to hate him, wholeheartedly. Even being away from him, her heart and mind resounded with nothing but thoughts of only him. She couldn't answer to herself. Was she really head over heels in love with him? All she needed was time to sort out the troubles within herself.

A curve was coming up ahead, rushing towards her. She ran faster. Not knowing how much further she was away from the house or where exactly she was heading, Elena sped on. As she neared the curve, her tired legs made a sharp turn. She found herself tripping on the muddy trail and that was the moment she realized, he was behind her...

With rage and determination, he chased after Elena. His fingers gripped around the knife's handle tightly. There was no way he would fail now. To plunge the sharp blade deep into her back and hear her scream before death consumed her whole. Everything that had happened was her fault. She should have been dead a long time ago. With Dean and his dogs guarding her, getting near even a single hair strand on her brunette head was impossible. But Lady Luck was smiling down on Gold Skull.

Feeling confident of himself, he chased after her in the brutal downpour. The Almighty was on her side. His vision blurred several times from the swarming attack of the large rain droplets. He was steadfast, still. Unfalteringly he resolved to finish her off this day. He wanted to see her blood spill on the earth. He gave chase.

Once his kill was done, Michel Triglia would send him off to somewhere safe not to mention the prize bounty that was waiting for him. To hell with the Bishops. The Triglias were the next big thing. They had already won the million dollar deal in Greece, which Dean and Leo had staked highly upon. The tides had changed. With Dean being distracted with Elena's nonsensical tantrums, it was a perfect time to go in for the kill. With Elena gone, Dean would be reduced to nothingness.

The corners of Gold Skull's mouth lifted upwards when he saw her slip at the sharp curve on the dirt path. Just what he needed. Like a tiger he crouched and leaped forward. Like a hidden dragon, he landed on top of her. They both fell to the ground. Elena face down and he on top of her.

Elena felt a heavy animal pounce on her, knocking the breath out of her lungs. Gasping helplessly, she fell on the wet earth. The mud splashed onto her face. Still, she managed to whirl her body around swiftly. Despite being momentarily blinded by the mud covering her eyes, her arms thrashed about wildly. The skies washed the dirt from her eyes but some of the mud had thickened and was still caked around her face.

"Get of me!" She screamed, digging her nails into his face.

Gold skull felt her claws tearing his skin. He had often heard Dean snigger to Leo about how feisty his kitten-wife-to-be was. And she surprised him. Her head and arms thrashed about wildly, wanting nothing more than to be free. He grabbed her left wrist. She kicked her legs about, trying to gain leverage so that she could throw him off her body. His hand around her captured wrist, gave it a quick twist.

Pain shot through her arm as he twisted her left wrist.

"Let go of me, Dean!" Her cries echoed in the vineyard.

Instead of letting her go, he turned her around. Grabbing a fistful of her hair, he banged her face to the wet ground.

Elena felt the mud seep into her mouth and her eyes closed shut as he banged her face a second time onto the earth. Whatever was left of her heart, crashed to smithereens. How could Dean do this to her? Had she really been right all this while? Dean had never loved her. It was all about The Peridot, and never Elena. He did not love her.

She was momentarily paralyzed. Shocked.

The spy knew. He had killed many to know how each one reacted when the grim reaper came for them. Now was the time. Michel would be so pleased with him. The spy raised his hand high. The sharp steel blade pointed down at her back. The sharp steel would tear through her skin and plunge into her flesh.

One plunge. One stab.