ARIA’s POV
As Ben and Charles burst into the room, their guns trained on Carter, the tension skyrocketed. Carter’s smile never wavered, but his eyes flickered with a hint of surprise. Matteo, still on his knees, didn’t look up. Ben and Charles moved swiftly, their weapons still aimed at Carter, as they flanked Matteo, shielding him from harm.
“Aria, come here,” Ben called out, his voice firm and commanding. “We’ve got this under control.”
I hesitated, my eyes darting between Carter’s calm demeanor and the guns pointed at him. Something didn’t feel right. Carter’s smile seemed to grow wider, as if he wasn’t scared of what they might do.
“Aria, could you tell your dogs to let us go”. He said.
I looked at Carter and looked at me. His eyes silently begging me tell them to let us go.
“You just can’t go with her. We won’t let you. Say something to her, Matteo”. Ben yelled, and I saw Matteo staring at me. His eyes were empty and broken. He looked miserable.
“You had this all planned out. Cause the fuck were we called and told Barone had an accident?”. Ben asked. His anger rose as he spoke, but Matteo kept shut with his eyes still on me.
“Dad? Dad? What do you mean? Where is he-”
“It was obviously bullshit. They wanted us out of the house”. Ben said.
“Is he hurt?”. I asked.
“He’s fine”. Charles replied as he lowered his gun and lit his cigar. He smoked it as he made his way to a seat.
“Don, what now?”. Charles asked as the smoke came out of his mouth in a swirl.
“Let her go”. I heard Matteo say as he looked at me. His eyes were red, and his body was trembling slightly, but his facial expression remained firm.
I grabbed Carter’s arm and took him with me, and I saw Ben lower his gun from my side eye. He never once looked at Matteo. We walked out of the mansion and out of the compound, and just outside, we found a car waiting for us.
As I settled into the passenger seat, Carter’s hand reached out and grasped mine, his grip tight and reassuring. The car sped away, leaving the chaos and confusion behind. But my mind lingered, stuck on the image of Matteo’s broken form, his eyes pleading with me to stay.
I felt a lump form in my throat, and before I knew it, tears began to stream down my face. The sobs came unexpectedly, wracking my body with an intensity that left me gasping for air. Carter’s grip on my hand tightened, but he said nothing, simply letting me cry it out.
I couldn’t explain why I was crying. Was it the fear, the adrenaline, or the lingering emotions I still had for Matteo? The man had hurt me, terrorized me, and yet… and yet, a part of me still felt drawn to him. Still felt a pang of guilt for leaving him behind.
As the car sped through the streets, I let my tears flow. I mourned the loss of what could have been, the shattered dreams, the broken promises. I wept for the girl I used to be, the one who had fallen for Matteo’s charms, who had believed in his lies.
Carter’s hand remained steadfast, a constant presence as I worked through my emotions. He didn’t try to comfort me with words or platitudes; he simply let me feel, let me process the turmoil that had been building inside me.
Eventually, the sobs subsided, leaving me exhausted and drained. I pulled my hand free, wiping my tears away with the back of my hand. Carter handed me a tissue, his eyes filled with a quiet understanding.
“Where are we going?” I asked finally, my voice barely above a whisper.
“A safe place,” he replied, his smile soft and reassuring, but still it made my skin crawl. “Somewhere you can start over, Aria.”
I nodded, feeling a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, this was the fresh start I needed. A chance to leave the past behind and forge a new path, one free from the shadows of Matteo’s darkness.
As we drove away from the chaos, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of uncertainty. The car sped through the streets, leaving the city behind, and before I knew it, we were on the outskirts of town, surrounded by dense woods. The trees seemed to close in around us, casting long, ominous shadows on the ground. I felt a shiver run down my spine as the GPS announced that we were entering an unknown route.
“Carter, where are we going?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
He glanced at me, his smile enigmatic.
“Somewhere safe, Aria. Don’t worry.”
But worry was all I could do. The woods seemed to stretch on forever, the darkness growing thicker with every passing minute. I had no idea where we were or where we were headed. The only sound was the hum of the engine and the soft rustle of leaves beneath the tires.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, we emerged onto a lonely road. The pavement stretched out before us, empty and desolate. I felt a sense of relief wash over me, thinking that we were back in civilization. But as we drove on, the silence between us grew thicker, and I realized that I was still completely at Carter’s mercy.
“Carter, please tell me where we are,” I asked again, trying to keep my frustration in check.
He looked at me, his eyes glinting with amusement. “All in good time, Aria. Just enjoy the ride.”
I huffed, feeling a surge of annoyance. But before I could press him further, the car turned onto a private driveway, and we were faced with a sprawling mansion. The building loomed before us, its windows glinting in the fading light. But what caught my attention was the army of men in black, stationed at the entrance, their guns at the ready.
My heart skipped a beat as Carter brought the car to a stop. “Welcome to our destination, Aria,” he said, his smile growing wider.
I felt a shiver run down my spine as I gazed at the mansion, a sense of trepidation washing over me. What was this place? And why was it so heavily guarded? I turned to Carter, my eyes searching for answers, but he just winked at me and stepped out of the car.
Immediately, some men rushed towards me. One gagged me, and the others tied me up. Panic set in as I struggled against the men’s grip, but they held me firm. The gag was tight, making it hard to breathe, and my hands were bound behind my back with rough rope. I looked around frantically, trying to find Carter, but he was nowhere to be seen. The men dragged me towards the mansion, their grip on me, hard. I stumbled, my feet struggling to keep up with their pace.
As we approached the entrance, the guards stepped aside, their eyes fixed on me with a cold, calculating gaze. The men holding me pushed me forward, and I stumbled into the mansion. The door slammed shut behind me, and I was trapped. I was in a grand hallway, with marble floors and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. But the beauty of the mansion was lost on me, as I was consumed by fear.
I was dragged deeper into the mansion, the men’s grip on me never faltering. We passed through room after room until we reached a door that was heavily reinforced with steel. The men pushed me through the door, and I found myself in a small, dimly lit room. The door slammed shut behind me, and I was left alone, bound and gagged, with no idea what laid ahead.
Then, I saw a man in the shadows. He stepped into the light, and I saw how dangerous he looked. His eyes seemed to bore into my soul, and his smile was sinister. He was tall, with broad shoulders and a chiseled jawline. His hair was dark, and his eyes were a piercing blue. He looked like a man who was used to getting what he wanted, no matter the cost.
“Aria,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “Welcome to my home”
“Who are you?”. I asked, taking a good look at the man before me.
“I expected a woman with more flesh. I guess he has his preferences”. He laughed, and he sounded like a mad man. “Anthonio Rossi. Matteo’s worst nightmare!”. He laughed manically.