His collateral

Chapter four: Nowhere to flee

Pov: Ivy

“Sorry," I apologize; I just happened to bump into her.

This was like the tenth person I bumped into since I left the boutique, running into a street and somewhere I knew nothing about. The sky was already dark, and everyone seemed to be on their way home; my chest tightened at the thought of walking in a lonely street with nowhere to stay.

Everyone seemed to be minding their business, and the dress I was putting on wasn't helping. But I didn't look back and my legs moved on their own faster than I thought.

Suddenly the bustling street gave way to silence, I halted

No, no, not a lonely street.

My breath is uneven; I have just turned down a narrow, desolate street. My heart pounded with the echo of my footsteps springing off the empty walls.

My hands gripped my sides as the adrenaline began to fade, leaving a knot of doubt in my stomach. A murmur of regret coiled in my mind.

Would I have stayed? Why did I run like I had where to run to? Nope, it's better dying in the street than being sold for the s*x trade. But was he going to sell me? He never said he was going to sell me nor acted……

Acted that way? He coldly ordered my parent's death and you think he won't

sell me off. I need to snap out of it.

“Hey Nun” I turned my head to see four men walking behind me.

Probably I was too busy with my thoughts to even notice anyone following me. I picked up my pace, clutching my gown more tightly, my heart pounding.

“You forgot the way to your convent? We can help you find another convent……. more convenient,” the one with a brown and a fully tattooed body said, his voice dripped with mockery.

The others laughed, their voices rough and jeering, “hey, don't be too fast," he said, now blocking my way. The others circled behind me, one of them whistling softly.

Was I finally going to die this way? Silly, men don't kill that way. They would have their way first. I would have just looked for something and ended my own life immediately after I stepped out of that boutique.

I could feel the bead of sweat running down my back; I stepped back, and my breaths came fast and shallow, barely feeling my lungs.

“Don't worry, sister. We are always happy ……. to guide lost souls.” Their laughter grew louder, sharper, and suffocating.

“I am fine on my own”, I said barely above a whisper but enough for them to hear. I held my gown tighter while keeping my chin up.

I might be trembling but I wouldn't let them see me break. If there is one thing I have learned from having an abusive father it's this: I always know I would get hurt. If they intend to hurt you, pleading will only feed their ego; the only thing that matters is finding a way to escape.

You either fight or flee. And I have always known which I'm better at. But right now it seems impossible.

One of them stepped closer, he seemed to be the leader. Closing up the space between us, he leaned closer, lowering his voice. “All tough now. What's the matter, princess? You think you can walk away from us?” He said The smirk on his face widening.

“Yeah, what's the rush? We are trying to be friendly,” one of them said from behind. I could feel them covering the space between us.

I need to do something, just one nice move and I will be running my way off. The only one blocking my way was him, the one in front who looked like their leader.

Just as hands tried touching my chin, I reacted without thinking.

“s**t” he gasped, his face contorted in pain, stumbling back with his hand holding his crotch.

Take that bastard at least I bought myself some time to escape

In a second, I was bolted down the street, my heart racing in my chest. Every step felt like it could be my last, but I couldn't stop.

That is until a sharp pain shot through my scalp.

“Ouch" I gasped, feeling the pain radiate through my scalp

One of the others had grabbed a fistful of my hair. My legs stumbled, but I didn't stop fighting. My hands flew up, trying to claw at his grip, my pulse hammering in my ear. I twisted in his hold, but it only made him tighten his fingers.

“Let go!” I screamed, panic rising, but he just laughed, the sound dark and cruel.

He turned me towards the two other approaching men. The first man was still in the same spot, his eyes filled with pain and rage.

“Where do you think you are running to slut?" One of them approached and screamed

His fist flowed towards my stomach, but the blow landed squarely against my rib; my hand flew to my rib, and the pain was sharp as though my bone had been set on fire.

The force slammed into me throwing my balance off. My leg gave way before I could stop myself, and I hit the ground hard.

My head spun, and memories I dreaded came rushing back with brutal clarity.

“You will learn some manners girl" Dad enraged face appeared, his voice thunderous “You will never speak to me in that manner again"

His boot hit my side repeatedly. I could hear the echo in my ears, tears streaming down my cheeks. I could hear Mum beg. I crumpled to the ground, helpless and broken, he didn't stop hitting I heard the sound of a bone snapping but I guessed he didn't hear that his booth went on and on

“You will learn to keep that mouth shut, you are just a woman, a f*****g slut” he cursed under his breath. I don't know what happened next, but I could remember the doctor saying I had two broken ribs. The next day, when I regained consciousness in the hospital, Mum's eyes were filled with pain.

Tears blurred my vision as the present snapped back into focus. The men were laughing, their voices cruel.

“What do we have here? tough b***h huh, looks like you aren't that tough, puttana (w***e).” I recognized that voice; it was the one I happened to kick early.

“How nice will it be to f**k you up more,” he said, yanking my head up to face him. I could hear the others laugh.

I couldn't breathe; every inhale seemed painful and like a struggle.

A car headlight flashed down the street, cutting through the shadows and pointing directly at us. The light hit us like a wall, sharp and overwhelming causing me to squint. The man holding my hair raised his hands covering his eyes. Everything came to a halt, our focus on the light.

The car came to a halt a few inches away from us, the headlight now gone. The door swung up with a sharp clack.

And there he was, his dark hair glimmering in the dim street light, his face looking calm, his jaw clenched, his white sleeves always folded. His presence hit the air like a storm rolling in - quiet, heavy, and somehow impossible to ignore.

He was here for me; nope, he's here for his money, fool.

“Shameful four men on a woman, fighe di merda ( fuckin pu***s) ”. He placed his hands in his pocket, pulling out a cigarette, and his lighter clicked.

His gaze shifted to me, his jaw clenched more like the view of me in that position got him boiling.

The one gripping my hair slowly released his grip, as if unsure what to do next. He stood up walking towards Leonardo.

“Lei è la nostra bastarda negli affari( She is our business bastard), Why don't you turn your f*****g car around and mind your business? She is ……”

The words were barely out of his mouth when Leonardo moved, blurring motion as he closed the distance between them. The sound of bone meeting a jaw cut through the air.

The guy stumbled back, a grunt escaping him as he tried to regain balance. The other guys flinched, their eyes flinching with uncertainty.

They surrounded him, intending to fight, tension about to break loose.

He didn't flinch; his eyes focused on his cigar; he pulled it away from his mouth, blowing the smoke up, and throwing the remains to the guy he had just hit.

His eyes, dark and unyielding, scanned the group, daring anyone to make the next move; one of them pulled out a knife, holding it ready to strike.

"Scelta sbagliata, ragazzino ( Bad choice, Kid),” he said, his voice low and calm. The knife gleamed under the faint streetlight as the man darted forward.

But Leonardo was faster, dodging with practiced ease, His hands shot out, gripping the man’s wrist like a steel vice, twisting until the knife clattered to the ground with a metallic echo.

The other men surged forward, but before they could reach him, they were interrupted by two car headlights lighting up the street, blinding us and bringing all activities to a halt. The cars came to a halt; doors swung open. Shadows emerged - men in black, moving like a storm, surrounding us, and silence stepped in.

The four men hesitated, one took a shaky step back, his confidence evaporating. One of the men in black rushed towards Leonardo

“We are sorry for being late, ll capo,” he said, bowing his head.

The leader of the four men paused, his eyes widening on seeing the man standing beside Leonardo; he seemed to recognize him and he hit the floor in seconds.

"Mi scusi, capo ( I am sorry Boss) ,I had no idea I had no idea it was you” the leader croaked, desperation bleeding into his voice “ Please it was a misunderstanding"

He seemed to have recognized him or knew him but had no idea of who Leonardo was earlier but I could sense the realization in his voice.

Leonardo stayed motionless, his face unreadable in the shadows. He walked his way towards Me. I could hear my heartbeat like I was the man on his knees begging.

“Which of them touched you?” his voice was calm, but there was no mistaking of the storm that brewed beneath.

I hesitated, my throat tightening, but his dark, piercing gaze didn't waver. When I wasn't giving a response, he turned back to the group, his presence dominating the space like a lion in a den of prey.

“Well?” He asked, his tone slicing through the silence like a blade.

“Which one of you thought it was a good idea to lay your hands on her?”

The men shifted uneasily, eyes darting towards each other, until their leader spoke up “I am responsible for their actions Don, punish me instead"

Leonardo's lips twitched, almost forming a smirk, but his eyes betrayed nothing. He wasn't buying that s**t. His eyes darted towards me again.

“Ivy,” he said, his voice impatient. “Which of them?"

My eyes moved towards the one who hit my stomach more like my rib; he was shaking, and I could see his chest rise and fall from my distance. Leonardo followed my eyes in an instant. He took a single step towards him, his frame towering over the man who now seemed smaller than ever. He picked the knife from earlier from the floor.

He is not going to kill him, right? My heart reached for the man. I wouldn't have let him out I would have kept my eyes in a place.

In an instant, Leonardo grabbed the man's hand, pulling it towards him. The man's eyes widened in horror, but it was too late. Leonardo’s knife sliced through the air, and with a chilling sound, the man's fingers were sliced off at the knuckles.

“Ahhhh”, the man cried out his face contorted in pain as he collapsed to the ground, gripping his stub.

The other men were shocked ; their faces were a mixture of disbelief and fear. My own heart pounded with a strange mix of disgust and fascination.

“Next time," Leonardo's voice came again calm and dangerous. He threw the knife close to him. “Think before you put your hands on what’s mine”.

My chest tightened what did he mean by that?

He moved towards me before I could react, his hands were on me. I gasped as he pulled me up, his grip like steel. Pain flared through my side – I think it's a rib – but there was no time to think. The anger in his eyes told me I was going to pay.

I tried to push him away, but he was immovable, and the sharp pain in my ribs made it impossible to breathe properly, “What are you going to do, huh?” my voice trembling. “Why don't you pick up the knife and slice my throat".

His gaze only darkened, but I could see the faint flicker of something, anger ? Maybe regret or? It was gone before I could process it.

He dragged me towards the car ignoring my blabbing. Is he going to hurt me? Kill me? The thought curled in my chest like ice.

In as much as I want to die I still feared dying. Leonardo stopped in his tracks, his grip tightening. “You have made your mistake, Ivy. Now you learn what happens when you forget your place,” he said. “I will give you exactly what you wanted".

I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the shiver that ran through me. I didn't know what he meant by that, but I had feelings I wasn't going to like that.