Luciano

Truly

Luciano

I knew she was listening. I was angry. I told her to stay in her room. I knew this would happen if she came out to see my guest. She would hear awful things.

"So, let's start this plan. I am excited to finally repay my dear old friend, Adriano, for everything he took from me," my grandfather said. My two guests quickly got up and walked to the door.

"Wait," I said but it was too late. They opened the door and saw her.

"What a precious young lady, I bet you can fetch a good price for her, especially if she is still," I interrupted my grandfather.

"STOP!" I shouted. My grandfather and great-grandfather looked at me suspiciously. "You will scare the poor thing. She shouldn't worry about her night with her new master. Not just yet. I might want to have some fun with her first." Camila's face looked hurt and shocked.

"Whatever you wish but remember virgins do offer more profit," my grandfather said.

"Of course," I smiled.

"Well, we shall leave. We see you have everything under control," they said. A single tear fell down her face. They left and I quickly turned to look at Camila.

"I hate you," she shouted and then turned to run to her room. She had leaned against the wall.

"Move, let me come in," I said.

"No, liar. I hate you," her words were worse than bullet wounds and knife cuts. I banged on the door. "Leave. LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Camila, move. I will push the door in and I don't want to hurt you," I said.

"Bastard," she whispered but I still heard her. "You already hurt me." I heard her move away from the door so I pushed it open.

"Camila!" I shouted. She was already in tears. "Damn it, listen to me."

"No! Why should I?" she sobbed.

"Camila, listen to me, you have to understand the situation I am in. I am not the kind of man you think I am. I am not a good person,"

"STOP!" she shouted.

"I know that I don't deserve you, but I l-,"

"NO!"

"I love you," I said boldly. "I want you to say it back. I want you to stay here with me."

"Luciano," she put her hands on her face and bent down. I couldn't bear to see her this hurt and broken. I did this to her.

"Lift your head up," I said softly. She was sobbing more now. She made fists and hit her thighs in frustration. "LIFT YOUR FACE." I wanted her to look at me. I wanted her to see I was serious and on the verge of tears myself. "Camila, I love you. Tell me how? How from the moment I saw you on the staircase that day? I fell for you. I was consumed by you and lost without you. I think about you every moment of my day. I long to see you. To hold you. To say, I love you."

"Luciano, please," I walked over to her and held her tight.

"I just want to wipe your tears and make this all go away," I told her.

"You don't want to sell me,"

"Camila, of course not," I said sincerely. " I would never let anything bad happen to you. I love you and I can't change that. Even if I could, I wouldn't. You have made me see something in me, I didn't think was truly there."

"I love you, Luciano," her soft voice broke but I heard her clearly. "I love you."

I kissed her forehead and apologized.

"I am sorry for all of this, I never meant for any of this to happen," I told her.

"But you knew what you were doing. You were planning on hurting my father," she looked at me intently.

"Camila, yes but I didn't know him. I mean I still don't know what kind of man he is truly, so tell me," she sighed.

"My father is kind. Yes, he can be ruthless and a monster but only to his enemies. My mother was the one that spoke about you the most. She showed me so many pictures. My mother said, my father, didn't speak of you that much because it hurt. He truly thought you were his. He probably preferred to have you than me."

"Why do you say that?"

"Hello, you are a man. I can't give him what you can. He even named you his heir. Even though he didn't know if he would ever see you again. He decided that," Camila explained. She seemed hurt. "I didn't want to be the heir. I could never do what he does. I always hoped you would come back so I wouldn't have to take over if you never appeared. When he said you were coming, I was so happy." Camila began to cry again. I wiped away her tears. "I was so happy for him. He really seemed happy."

"Camila,"

"He loves you,"

"It is not his love I need or crave," I told her as I brushed my thumb over her bottom lip.

"What are we going to do?" she asked.

"With my grandfather and great grandfather?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"Yes," she nodded.

"I guess I will have to tell your father everything and hope he understands me as you have," I told her. I sighed and I know she could tell my mood changed. She cheerfully looked at me.

"Tell me more about yourself?" she asked.

"Like what?"

"Anything and everything, start at the beginning," she said. I began to tell her about my childhood and how I learned to play the piano. I told her about my training and I told her the dark parts as well. I wanted her to know everything. I wanted her to see me. I don't really think anyone has ever truly seen me. They definitely didn't know me. We fell asleep in each other's arms. I knew tomorrow would be a day of reckoning. I hoped everything would turn out okay but in my life it never did but for HER sake. I hoped and hoped.