Chapter 2 Submission
Selena's pov:
My quiet escape to Korvizia had officially been cancelled. All thanks to the man that decided to show up when I least expected.
I had spent six months, mapping my way out of Vitalonia, working hard to know when to jump and where to land. Trying hard to escape the past that haunted me like a wounded animal in the dark.
Reigio, my brother had helped me secure a flight to Korvizia, now I'm trying to lay low with the Valencias but only ended up with blood on my hands.
It took me a while to finally come to my senses. Blood stained all over the wooden floor and my gown and my palms. Aunt Maria was dead, her pulse was gone.
It was even harder to accept that she was killed right in front of me.
By that devil, Luca.
Who could have thought that an old flame would eventually come back to haunt me. After an unforgettable hot night. The memories of it had me purging and slightly gripped with fear.
“Selena!!” Uncle Andrew’s voice pierced through my raging thoughts as he rushed into the house and dragged himself across the room towards me.
After Luca had cruelly gunned Aunt Maria, I called Uncle Andrew and it turns out, he wasn't really hiding after all. When he heard that his wife was dead, his side of the phone went dead for a moment.
Hearing that Luca had ordered my delivery to his warehouse in three days, made him unusually stable. But I could still sense the panic in his voice.
A group of premedics followed behind him. I quickly stood up to step aside and allow them examine Aunt Maria's body.
Andrew's voice was barely above mine when he whispered, “where did he go?”
One look in his eyes and I could see fear visible in them. Beads of sweat formed on both sides of his face and forehead. I had never seen him so scared and so worried before.
“What?"
“Luca” he breathed out like he was trying to make me remember who it was. This time, his hands settled on my shoulders, they were cold.
Very cold.
I shook my head, “I don't know uncle. He just vanished as soon as he was done.”
Uncle Andrew's hands went to his hair as he spoke, something in his body movement and tone had changed. I didn't know what it was but I was sure that it had a lot to do with Aunt Maria's death.
“I need to see him,” he said. Eyes now on the premedics that were inspecting his wife's body.
“Yes, certainly. He must go to jail for what he did” I lashed out, a part of me boiled in anger.
“No no” he quivered, shaking his head like I had said a veil thing. “He will kill the kids, Elena. Gli devo la vita” he mumbled in Italian.
If I was more scared for my own life, the thought of Luca killing the kids did more than just shake me. It threw me off the edge.
“Uncle Andrew—”
“You must marry him to save us….the kids” he begged, “I admit that I made a mistake and I'm willing to live up to it but please, this is the only way" he wrapped his palms around mine.
Somehow, I was mad that he would make me a bait for his mistakes. I loved the kids, Martina and Ras, I adored them with my life and I'd do anything to save them.
But this, going back to Luca Marciano after I had spent the last three years running from him. It was just me returning back to my vomit.
“Think about it mia figlia and let your response be our saving grace” his cold grip on my hand ceased as he walked back to the premedics, his voice now aligning with theirs.
The sight of Aunt Maria's dead body was beginning to create nightmares in my head so I ran upstairs to check on the kids.
When I made a soft knock on the door and didn't get a response, I gently pushed the handle open to see them peacefully tucked in their beds asleep.
Seeing them fully absorbed in the world of their own with no care of anything made my knees weak. Soon they would wake up to the reality of their mother gone, leaving them to the cold arms of their father.
I took a seat by Martina's bedside, as I stroked her hair gently. Her soft snores flowed freely like they had no reason to feign their existence.
“Your mum never got to say her last goodbye but she loved you both so much," I muttered faintly.
My eyes slowly swelled up with hot tears, I didn't need anyone to tell me again that I had to reconsider my decision.
Giving myself up meant admitting to that monster that I haven't been able to get over him. Three years ago and his touch is still unforgettable.
A small bed and a huge sexy, tattooed body laying next to me after a damned night in his arms. My core vibrated at the thought of him.
Then the whisper of his name. Luca Marciano.
The heat between my legs raised the awareness that I had gotten sore by just the mention of his stupid name. Was I not mad to even think that I would never be held bound to him?
Or was it the thoughts I had fed myself all these years, one that assured me that he was just a distant memory?
But just watching him emerge from the shadows in his black, fine printed shirt with those tailored pants, had me wishing he had his hands all over me again.
Having him to rule over me again. Tearing down my body and ruining me in the most sinful ways and have me crave something so dark, yet so passionate.
Oh fuck! Selena, you're drooling.
I shaked the dirty thoughts out of my head and dusted myself like I was trying to send them all away.
If I really wanted to save the kids, I'd make sure to keep my distance from that heartless beast. I couldn't risk standing in front of him, my walls including my morals would definitely come crashing down.
I stood up, bent over and graced Martina and Ras’s foreheads with a kiss. This was my last goodbye to them and it hurt that I might never see them again.
As I made my way to the door, Uncle Andrew beat me right to it, his face now sweaty and his eyes red. Signs that he had been crying.
A lot.
He sniffed as he walked towards me, “have you decided, cara mia?” He asked, the tone in his voice was deeply remorseful.
I let out a few muffled breaths that I didn't realize I was holding and took his hands in mine and nodded.
“Yes zio, I'm in.” I announced to his relief. He briefly closed his eyes like he was holding back the tears from dropping.
“But” I stopped him, “I'm doing this only for the kids, not because you were too selfish to save your wife but because Martina and Ras don't deserve this."
Uncle Andrew's lips formed a weak smile before he pulled me into an embrace. One that screamed fear but relief along with it. His palms rested softly on my back.
Then he said, “I will call Luca first thing tomorrow morning to let him know you're coming.”
