We were Born to Die

Chapter 06

I slowly regained

consciousness, the first thing I noticed was the faint rustle of metal nearby.

My vision was blurred, making it difficult to discern my surroundings, but I

could make out figures clad in blue masks and clothes hovering around me. Panic

surged through me as I realized I wasn’t in familiar territory. One of them, a

stern—looking man, caught my gaze and declared, “She is waking up.” His voice

sounded distant, like it echoed through a fog. But before I could protest or

even comprehend the situation fully, he barked orders to administer anesthesia.

I felt a sharp sting in my arm as they injected it, sending a wave of

discomfort rippling through my body. I tried to speak, to question them, but my

mouth felt dry, and no words escape my lips before darkness enveloped me once

more.

Time seemed to

stretch on endlessly in that void, until the sound of machinery stirred me from

my slumber. With a jolt, I opened my eyes to a room bathed in soft light, the

air crisp and refreshing. Yet, the surroundings were alien to me—nowhere

resembling my cozy bedroom or any part of my family’s estate. The room exuded

an air of luxury, adorned with tasteful paintings that adorned the pristine

white walls, none of them portraits.

As I attempted

rise, a searing pain shot down my leg, causing me to wince involuntarily. Tears

threatened to spill from my eyes, but I bit down on my lip, refusing to give in

to weakness. With sheer determination, I managed to steady myself, leaning on

nearby furniture for support. Each step felt like an uphill battle, every

movement a testament to my resilience in the face of adversity. Despite the

agony pulsating through my body, I pressed on, limping towards the door with

unwavering resolve. With trembling hands, I turned the handle, only to be met

by the imposing figures of two guards stationed outside. They regarded me with

stoic indifference, their presence a silent warning against any attempt to

escape or defy their authority.

As I begin to

walk, the guards fell into step behind me, their presence looming like silent

shadows. I steal a glance back at them, but their faces remain as stoic as

ever, betraying nothing of what lies beneath. With a heavy heart and a façade

of calm, I let my instinct guide me through the maze of corridors, each step a

battle against the pain that threatens to consume me from within. The number of

doors blur as I pass, my mind preoccupied with the task at hand. I walk with

purpose, ignoring the ache in my leg, until I reached the end of the hall. The

guards come to a halt as I approach the door, their silent obedience a reminder

of the world I’ve been thrust to.

Turning the cold

metal door knob, I push open the door and step inside, bracing myself for what

awaits me. “There you are,” his voice washes over me like a velvet whisper

drawing my attention to the man seated.

He is dangerously

handsome, dressed in a sleek black suit that molds to his form like a second

skin. His hair, a shade of blue-black like the feathers of a raven, is

impeccably styled, framing his face in a way that accentuates his features. But

it’s his eyes that captivate me the most, a mesmerizing blend of hazel with

hint of gray, like storm clouds gathering on the horizon. I tear my gaze away

from him, unable to resist the pull of his lips, full and inviting, a

temptation I dare not to succumb to. “Why am I here?” I manage to muster the

courage to speak, my voice barely above a whisper.

He smiles, a

knowing smirk that sends a shiver down my spine. “Why do you think you are

here?” he replies, his words laced with amusement.

I struggle to find

an answer, my mind clouded by uncertainty. “I don’t know. If this is about the

party-” I begin, but he cuts me off with a single step forward.

His movements are

fluid, each stride calculated and deliberate, like a predator closing in on its

prey. He is a king in his own right, commanding attention without uttering a

word. Before I could react, he is standing before me, close enough for me to

feel the warmth radiating from his body. His scent envelops me, a heady mix of

citrus and dark musk that threatens to unravel my resolve.

He reaches out to

touch my cheek, but I turn away, refusing to let him see the effect he has on

me. His grin widens, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Do you think I would go

through all this trouble just for any girl, Cara Mia?” he taunts, his voice

sending a chill down my spine. I clench my fist, struggling to maintain my

composure in the face of his arrogance.

“Then what is it?”

I asked, my voice steady despite the pain in my leg. His grin only fueled my

frustration, igniting a fiery desire to wipe that smug expression off his face.

But I held myself back, barely containing the urge to lash out.

“Well,” he

drawled, taking a step back as if to taunt me further, “You can help me with

something.” His words hung in the air like a dark cloud, thick with

implications. I narrowed my eyes, refusing to give him satisfaction of seeing

me falter. “And care to tell me what that is and why would I help my kidnapper

with that?” I shot back, relishing the power I felt in challenging him.

He sauntered over

to the sofa, “Well, just some little errands only you are capable of.” He

replied casually, as if he were asking me to run an errand for him. My blood

boiled at his arrogance. Then, his next words sent a chill down my spine. “I

have all the information on you and your family.” Panic clawed its way up my

throat, threatening to suffocate me as my mouth went dry. I swallowed hard,

fighting to maintain my cool despite the turmoil ranging within me.

“And how am I to

believe you?” a pathetic retorted, though the tremor in my voice betrayed my

fear.

He chuckled

darkly, reaching for a glass on the table beside him, “Your cell phone is still

missing, Cara Mia.” He stated matter-of-factly, a sinister grin twisting his

lips. My heart sank as realization dawned upon me. He had my phone. He had all

the information he needed.

“Do you think I

will help you with these petty tricks?” I sneered, refusing to let him see how

shaken I truly was. But his next words shattered whatever semblance of

composure I had left. “Do you think that this all started with just a mere

party?” his grin widened, sending a surge of rage coursing through my veins.

Without a second

thought, I closed the distance between is, ignoring the searing pain shooting

through my leg. I grabbed him by the collar as the glass fell from his hand and

shattered into small pieces, my hand trembling with a mixture of anger and

fear. With all my strength I could muster, I delivered a punch to his face, the

impact reverberating through my hand like lightening. As he staggered backward,

clutching his jaw in pain, I felt a surge of satisfaction amidst the agony.

His gaze pierced

through me, his eyes shadowed with an intensity that sent shivers down my

spine. Something stirred deep within me, a strange mixture of fear and an

inexplicable flutter in my stomach. Before I could react, he seized my arms

with one hand and gipped my throat with other, hauling me against the wall with

a force that made my injured leg throb with pain. I winced as warm trickle of

blood trailed down, but my focus remained fixed on him, his stare laden with a

hatred that seemed to consume him entirely.

“Don’t you ever

dare to lay a hand on me again,” he growled, his voice low and menacing,

sending a chill through me. “Or you’ll regret it, Cara Mia.”

His words hung in

the air, each syllable laced with a promise of retribution. His grip tightened

around my throat, making it difficult to breath as panic seized me. “And as for

how you’ll help me for the sake of your dear brothers,” he continued, his voice

sinister whisper against my ear, “let me make it clear.”

I struggled

against his hold, my heart racing with fear and anger, but his strength was

overpowering. With a final glare filled with malice, he released me, and I

collapsed to the ground, my knees buckling beneath me. I couldn’t tell if it

was the threat or the pain in my leg that weakened me, but as I looked up at

him, pure hatred burned within me. He returned to his seat, the picture of calm

indifference, as if nothing had transpired. “I’ve been planning this for long

time,” he said, his tone casual as he reached for his wine. “Waiting for the

perfect moment to take our game at next level.”

As he uttered

those words, my heart plummeted into the depths of dread. The playful façade he

had worn just a moment ago dissolved, revealing the true nature of the man

before me—formidable, commanding and undeniably dangerous. With each sip of his

wine, his presence loomed larger, casting a shadow over everything. “You’ll

work for me now on,” he declared, his voice carrying weight of authority that

sent shivers down my spine. The air thickened with tension as his words settled

in, leaving me feeling trapped and vulnerable.

I couldn’t help

but resist, my instincts urging me to defy him, to protect what little remained

of his autonomy. “You can’t hurt them,” I retorted, my voice wavering slightly

despite my attempts to sound resolute. “They have guards to protect them, and

it is hard for you to do them any harm.”

But his response

was chillingly confident, stripping away any illusions of safety I clung to. “I

have my people there too,” he revealed, his words hanging heavily in the air.

“And most important and main one of them is-” Before he could finish, the door

swung open, revealing Daniella, a name I once associated with laughter and

warmth, now twisting into a sinister revelation. My breath caught in my throat

as I beheld her, the woman who had woven her way into my brother’s affections,

only to betray us all in service to this man.

“Hello, Bella.”

Daniella greeted me with a smirk, her presence a stark reminder of the betrayal

that had ensnared us all. And beside her stood another man, his striking

features mirroring the intimidating allure of the one seated before me.

“Rick she is

bleeding.” The guy beside Daniella remarked as he took a seat next to my

kidnapper. I couldn’t help but notice the way Daniella offered me her hand, as

if trying to extend an olive branch. But my anger and resentment burned too

hotly within me. I glanced at her hand with nothing but hatred and fire in my

eyes. In that moment, all I could manage was to spit at her hand in defiance.

“Traitor,” I

hissed, the words dripping with venom.

But instead of

recoiling, Daniella merely smiled and wiped the saliva from her hand with the

help of the man beside her. She then sauntered over to him, settling herself on

his lap, as if betrayal meant nothing to her. “She was not like this as I

remember her.” Daniella remarked casually, casting a glance in Rick’s

direction.

The man whose lap

she now occupied chuckled softly and brushed a kissed her shoulder. “I don’t

blame her,” he said, his voice laced with amusement. “You did play dirty with

them.”

The realization of

Daniella’s betrayal stung like a fresh wound. “You think I’ll be with you after

what you’ve done?” I managed to choke out, despite the pain that pulsed through

every inch of my body. I struggled to rise, my muscles protesting with every

movement, but refused to let them seek me weak.

“You tricked us,

Daniella.” I continued, my voice steady despite the agony. “We trusted you, fed

you, and this is how you repay us? For him?” I shot a pointed glance at Rick,

my kidnapper, who remained stoic and unmoved.

“Enrico, Enrico

DiCaprio,” he interjected, his voice dripping with malice.

“I did it all for

him and I’d do it again if I had to,” Daniella declared boldly, her words

cutting through me like a knife. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks.

Daniella had betrayed us all for the sake of someone else, someone who meant

more to her than loyalty and friendship. My heart ached at the thought of my

brother Alessandro, discovering her treachery. He would be devastated,

shattered by the revelation that someone we had trusted had turned against us.

I glared at Enrico

and Daniella, feeling the anger boil inside me like a fierce storm ready to

unleash its fury. “You think you know me, but the truth is that you don’t.”

Daniella’s words echoed in my mind, fueling my rage further.

Enrico chimed in,

his laughter slicing through the tension like a mocking symphony. “I guess she

does now.” He said, his tone laced with arrogance as he and the other guy

chuckled, oblivious to the storm ragging within me.

I clench my fist,

nails digging into my palms, longing to unleash the fury coursing through me.

How dare they mock my pain? How dare they find amusement in my suffering? I

want nothing more than to tear their throats out, to make them pay for their

callousness, but I know I’m at disadvantage.

“I was a helpless

child,” Daniella’s voice broke through the turmoil in my mind, drawing my

attention back to her. “Rotting on the roads and no one cared. But then I met

Carmine DiCaprio one night with his two sons, Enrico and Salvatore. He took

pity and took me home, fed me and gave me more than I could ever have.”

“That’s a lie,” I

interjected, my voice trembling with suppressed fury. “We knew you belonged to

a prestigious family, and that you--” My words faltered, my mind grasping for

explanation, a justification for my sudden silence.

Enrico’s smirk

taunted me, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “So, I guess this is

resolved.” He declared, his gaze piercing through me.

“Alessandro will—”

before I could, he issued his chilling ultimatum, his words dripping with

menace. “You won’t tell anyone about Daniella, or my men will kill your

brothers before you get any chance to tell them.” His casual demeanor only

fueled my hatred, igniting a fire within me that threaten to consume everything

in its path.

“You won’t touch

anyone.” I spat, my voice dripping with venom as I met his gaze head—on.

Enrico’s grin

widened, his arrogance infuriatingly palpable. “So we have a deal.” He asked,

as if sealing our fates with a single agreement.

I gritted my

teeth, torn between my burning desire for vengeance and the desperate need to

protect my family. “I agree,” I relented, my voice heavy with registration.

“But I have my conditions.” I held his gaze, every fiber of my being pulsating

with determination. I may have conceded to his terms, but I would not surrender

my principles, my integrity, not without a fight.