Page 60 of Solace
“Please, I can explain everything,” I pleaded with him as tears run down my cheeks. I gazed over my right shoulder to him.
“It was today my brain stepped into gear and well, I did my homework. You know there is one thing in this world I can’t stand and that’s liars. I hate liars and even more so when they are so close, to the point I’m unsure how to react as this person has been laying underneath me,” he growled. “Inside I have this burning rage, ready for revenge drain the person of their blood, slowly and painfully,” he said as he walked around the sofa and stood before me staring harshly down on me. “In here,” he said as he grabbed the folder he brought in the room with him, he opened it and pulled out some papers. “I have something, something that,” he scrunched up his nose. “Well, depends on what you think. I could be wrong and be on the wrong road, but I know I’m right especially with that photo and these pictures.”
He placed the first picture on my lap, my eyes shot wide open to see a picture of my mamma, my beautiful mamma. The picture showed her smiling, a smile I see in the mirror every day, her hair and make-up perfect, her high cheek bones, she looked radiant. My chest tightened, and I couldn’t breathe, my beautiful mamma How I miss her every single second.
He placed another picture on my lap my mamma’s car crash, the car on its roof with no doubt her dead inside.
I try hard to hide back my emotions, but all I can see in her dead inside. Tears welled in my eyes as droplets escaped running down my cheek.
“I think you have something to share with me, Daniella,” he said my real name harshly.
My entire life flashed before me.
“The square?” I questioned.
“It gave it all away. I remember what happened there. I attended the funeral, Dellucci’s wife, and I believe her driver died too, correct me if I’m wrong.” He nudged closer to me as I stare at the picture of the crash. I clenched my eyes closed as I picture her smiling with me and how we loved to spend time together.
I lifted my head to make strong eye contact with him. I used my hand to wipe the tears away.
“Please, please don’t hurt me, I had to lie, I can explain everything. I had to once I discovered where I was, I never meant to lie, but I knew how much you and my papa are at war. If I told you the truth, you’d have used me, like you admitted, that’s why you had your men searching for me to bring my papa down. I saw you at mamma’s funeral,” I replied, aware Antonio had me. I had no-way of escaping this mess. He knew who I was and who I belonged too.
I inhaled a deep breath and closed my eyes for a second before turning my attention to the picture. I took a long breath…my mamma.
Fearing the repercussions and whether Antonio would end my life.
What confused me was I was still alive he hadn’t already put a barrel to my head. He had made no attempt to harm me.
Heartbroken, I wiped the tears away from my face and glanced at Antonio. He sat down, his eyes drilling me with his right foot on his left knee. He furrowed his brows, dropping his foot from his knees and sprung forward placing his elbows on his knees and glared directly at me.
“If I had told you that night you caught me…you would have killed me,” I told him matter-of-factly. He cocked his head to the side.
“No, I wouldn’t have killed you, I would have tortured you to get to your papa. That was my plan, get the girl to lure your papa and Ricco in, only little did I know the girl was already under my fucking roof, so I am going to give you a chance to explain, as otherwise…” He reached into his back and pulled out a gun and placed it on the arm of the chair.
I examined the gun and gulped forcing a large lump down my throat.
“All this time you were in my fucking bed, I was fucking you,” he yelled in outrage.
The words shot my heart. I knew I wouldn’t get out of this likely if at all.
“You lied to me, Danielle,” he emphasised. “You gave me a false name, no wonder we could not find anything on you. You filled my head with bullshit, made me have these shitty feelings for you and then, like a ten inch knife through my heart, you slept with me. You laid in my fucking bed, no girl has ever done that.” He snared.
“I’m sorry, I never meant for it to get this far. I was going to tell you tonight, only you…”
“Don’t feed me bullshit, Daniella,” he yelled making me jump.
Horrified by his tone. “I swear to you…”
“Don’t.” He placed his hand up. “Steal my intelligence, I deal with pathetic people who lie constantly to save their fucking necks, do you seriously think you’re any different?” he said with venom. “You have thirty seconds to explain before the bullet in that gun wears your name.”
“Okay… my papa wants me to marry Ricco, the man who shot you. I could not stand the thought of him even touching or being in the same room, so I took the opportunity to run when I could as fast as me feet would carry me. The next thing I knew I was in your man’s car. I have spent my days avoiding all antics and the deals my papa was making. Since my mamma died my life has been a nightmare and had days, I wished to take my life, I even attempted it,” I told him quickly before I came up for air.
His stare was powerful and stern.
“I was sick and tired of seeing the things I saw. I was haunted my nightmares all the time. Since mamma’s death my life in that house had turned into a living nightmare. I couldn’t do anything, leave the house, nothing. I was a prisoner.”
“So, what were you hoping to achieve, by being here in my fucking house?” he asked aggressive.
Looking at him. “I don’t know, it all happened so fast. I never intended to be your lover, your princess,” I replied as every part of my body ached. I stared at the gun, unsure when he planned to put a bullet in me. “I swear to you, I never planned this. When I saw you in the basement, I freaked out. I had to try and come up with a story to save my life.” I reached for his hand as he yanked it away.