*Lucia*
I had another plan for Natasha. I wasn’t going to play the nice girl and forgive her. Never. She has hurt me too much for me to let it go. The drive back to the club was silent. I leaned into my seat and closed my eyes. My body felt sore all over. Opening my eyes felt like a chore.
Bruno understood and didn’t try to strike up a conversation with me. He didn’t say anything aside from apologizing from time to time. I couldn’t help thinking about what could have happened if he hadn’t come to save me. Once again, I owe him my life. I turned and opened my eyes for a few seconds to stare at him.
He was still very much angry.
I adjusted and closed my eyes, not sure who exactly he was angry at. Was Natasha because of what she did to me, or was it himself? I couldn’t help but wonder.
He pulled up beside the building. The sun was beginning to set. Its golden rays were cast on the side of the building. Bruno stepped out of the car and walked around to open the door. He carried me out in a bridal style. There were many men armed outside. Though they didn’t dare to look at us as we walked past them, I couldn’t help but bury my head in Bruno’s chest, my hands wrapped firmly around his neck.
He took me straight to the room where I had woken up the first time he had saved me. I have been inside this room a few times since I started working here, and we have been out here, too. He laid me down gently. I muttered thank you to him to see him nod.
I wanted to take off my shoes, so I attempted to sit, but he was quick to pull me back, “what are you doing? You need rest,” he said. Though his voice was firm, they were laced with concern, and this warmed my stomach.
“I want to take off my shoes,” I said, moving my eyes from him to my shoes for a brief moment. Without another word, he bent down and undid the lace on the sneakers I wore. “I’ll get the doctor,” he says but doesn’t leave.
He walked to the bed beside me and called Rave. “The doctor will be here soon,” he said, staring at me. I wanted to pull a blanket over my face. I was looking so dirty, and he kept staring as if I was the most beautiful painting in the world. I was all dirty and messed up.
“I’m so sorry, Lucia. This is all my fault,” he says. “I never knew Natasha could be this evil,” he said, gritting his teeth. “I didn’t think she would have the people to hurt you. That was the last thing I thought when she asked you to go with her,” he says. “I’m sorry,” his voice was warm as he apologized. I feel it in my stomach, in my toes. I inhaled sharply. I was about to tell him that it didn’t matter much when we heard a knock on the door. Bruno replied immediately.
The doorknob twisted, and the door opened. Rave stepped in with the doctor behind him. He looked at me with so much care. Although our relationship was like how it used to be before I ran away, he still cared for me.
The doctor walked hurriedly to me. While the doctor attended to me, my eyes were on Bruno, who was standing at the side discussing with Rave. I take a deep breath, trying to listen to their conversation. I didn’t hear everything they said. But I knew they were speaking about Natasha.
The doctor left after a while. Nothing serious was wrong with me; all I needed was rest and more rest. He prescribed some medicines for me before leaving. Rave left with him while Bruno stayed back.
For the next few days, I lay on the bed. Bruno refused to let me do anything else aside from eating and going to the restroom. He moved most of his things from his office to the room. He stayed with me all through. We discussed and laughed most of the time. I never knew I could still get that side of life.
I didn’t think I was ever going to smile. I never thought I would love another man after what Jason did to me. But looking at it now, I was glad Jason sold me off. I was glad Bruno bought me. I didn’t know what attracted him to me, but I was glad it never faded.
He kept showing me a new side of him each day. He may look cold and distant, but he is the most warm person I know. Beneath his hard exterior was an ordinary man. And I want this man. I wanted to have this man by my side for the rest of my days.
I was finally better and could walk around now.
I asked for Natasha immediately. Because of her stupidity and jealousy, I had to stay in bed for a week. “I didn’t cut off her neck yet and kept her alive just as you wanted,” Bruno said as he led me to the underground dungeon. “It took me all I had to not run a dagger across her chest each time I saw her,” he says, and I knew he meant it. He wasn’t one to joke and was scared of no one.
“You went to her?” I asked, unable to hide the curiosity in my voice.
“I did. I visited her each day, bringing her many lovely gifts.” I didn’t know why, but I had a feeling that this wasn’t just any gift.
“I see,” I said, shrugging my shoulders as I walked behind him, trying hard to keep pace with him. Seeing that I was struggling, he slowed down. “What do you want to do with her?” He asked. I was now walking beside him.
“I don’t know yet, but I know I don’t want her dead,” I say, trying hard not to look around the hallway, which was lit by simply yellow light. “What else could be better than death?” He asked as if keeping her alive didn’t make any sense to him.
I felt the need to educate him. “Sometimes death can be a gift. It is like freedom from all pain and suffering. I don’t want to give her that gift. Why should I?” I said, anger sipping into my skin.
I finally caught sight of two men standing in front of an iron gate. They were armed. I kept walking with Bruno. He was silent for a while. “What do you plan to do with her?” He asked after a while. We stood in front of the gate, waiting for one of the men to open it. There was a metallic rattle and a series of clinks as the big chain around the gate was loose.
“To put her in as much pain as I can. That’s what she deserves.” I said.
He smirked as if he couldn’t wait to see what I could do.
We stepped inside. The air was thick and musty. The dungeon was darker than the hallway. Rusty iron bars adorned the ceilings. My eyes moved around, and though it was dark, I could make out a few bones. I wasn’t scared, though. I kept reminding myself that those guys must have messed with Bruno.
We finally got to where Natasha was. She was curled up inside her ceiling. She seemed to be asleep. Bruno’s hands moved to the bars in front of it; it creaked. He held it for a while before shaking it violently. Natasha jumped awake.
Bruno stopped but didn’t take his hands off the bars. He snapped his finger, and the light suddenly came on. They weren’t very bright but were enough to lighten the entire ceiling.
Natasha had bruises all over her body. She got up slowly. Her face was swollen, and her eyes were almost dead. She looked like a living dead. This must have been the gift Bruno took to her every day. I felt somehow satisfied, not with her bruises, but with the reason behind Bruno’s every action.
Though her eyes lacked warmth and life, I noticed anger flashed through them immediately after her eyes landed on me. She wanted to speak, but I guess she was too weak to do so. “You can do whatever you want with her,” Bruno said. Her eyes moved to him. She looked somehow sad. My heart threatened to feel sorry for her, but my mind immediately reverted to all she had done to me. I touched my hair.
She had cut them short. And she had kicked me and beaten me up with a club, so why should I feel sorry for her when she didn’t feel the slightest for me?
I was very sure that if our position was reversed, she would be the happiest person on the planet.
“Open the door,” I said to Bruno. My voice was low, and my eyes shot daggers at her. He opened it, and I walked in. She held my gaze, and I didn’t mind. I stopped in front of her and bent down to meet her gaze. What I wanted to do to her was simple. I picked up a broken glass at the side.
“Wh… a.. t are you.. u do.. ng,” she was unable to form a coherent word. “I don’t think your eyes are for decoration,” I said. I raised my hands to her face. I wanted to cut her. I want to ruin her face just as she has ruined my hair. My hands stopped a few inches away from her face. I dropped my hands to the side but held onto her face. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. She suddenly looked scared and timid.
Maybe we are two different people, after all.
The bottle fell from my hands, and I pushed her face away from my hold. I stood up, my back facing her. I took in a deep breath. Different thoughts ran through my veins. She was already in pain. Maybe this pain was enough. I had noticed that she was missing three fingers on both hands. I didn’t want to imagine how much pain she must have gone through.
She deserved it.
My eyes moved to Bruno. I wasn’t going to judge him. I have decided to accept him just the way he is. No matter how ruthless he may seem.
“I hope this pain is enough to remind you of what you did for the rest of your life,” I said and walked out.
Bruno locked the door behind us as we walked out.
“I knew you wouldn’t be able to hurt her,” he said when we were in his office. I took a deep breath. He pulled me closer to him, hugging me from behind. “You are too soft. You can’t even hurt a fly, let alone a human,” he said. His mouth moved to my ear, and he nibbled on it.
My breathing hiked. “Leave all the bad job to me. Let me be the bad guy and protect you,” he whispered into my ear. I nodded, pushing my body into him. He had so much effect on me. I didn’t hear what he said next. His hands were wrapped firmly around my waist, and slowly, he turned me to face him.
“What if I don’t want to be soft?” I asked him.
“Then I’ll teach you to be strong,” he said. He bent down and captured my lips, sucking it for a brief moment before pulling away. “What if I become so strong that I kill someone?” I asked.
He bent back again and kissed me longer this time, “I’ll help you hide body,”
He kissed me again, but this time, he didn’t pull away. I melted into his mouth, kissing him with the same intensity. His mouth is on mine. Hot and wet, I don’t know what is happening.
He lifted me, placing my legs on both sides of his body. I could feel his hardness pressing into me. I moaned into the kiss as we moved to the sofa on the side. He didn’t stop kissing me, and I didn’t want him to stop.