𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚

Chapter 14

Written 01-21-21

TW ⚠️ Gore and Violence⚠️

I open my eyes only to see the ceiling of my bedroom at the Villa. The time says it's 3 pm. I look at my arms and realize I'm wearing striped blue pajamas. Slowly, I sit myself up and look around my bedroom in confusion. The last thing I remember was being at the party. Suddenly I remember. The explosions, the screaming, the man with the tattoo.

Very quickly, my head starts to piece together what happened. Or at least, what I think happened. The Genovese family had sent one of their men to plant a bomb during the party. But how had they known that Cristiano and I were even in Chicago? Oh my god! Cristiano! Where was he? Was he ok?

Just as I'm about to hyperventilate, Beatrice walks in. I waste no time in figuring out what happened.

"Beatrice, where is Cristiano?!" I ask her frantically jumping out of the bed.

"Giada, please calm down." She says clearly concerned.

"No! Where is he? Why are we back in Italy? What happened?!" I say practically screaming, the tears in my eyes start to stream down my face.

"Sit down and I will explain." Beatrice says sternly. I take a deep breath and sit back down. She pulls out a handkerchief, and hands it to me. I wipe the tears off of my cheeks, and she begins to explain.

"The Genovese had someone plant a bomb in the building where you and Cristiano were attending a party. You were seriously injured and were flown back to Italy. A doctor treated you at home. You've been unconscious for a day."

I was a bit in shock. The fact that I was still alive seemed like it was a miracle. I was a bit upset by the fact that I was just shipped back to Italy like a package, but I was glad to be back.

"Is Cristiano ok?" I try to say without emotion.

"He was slightly injured, but it's nothing he's not used to." She says with a expression of pity. I let out a sigh of relief, before asking my next question.

"Did they find the man who did it? The man who planted the bomb." I ask in a angry tone.

"I believe the captured him. You shouldn't worry about that Giada, Cristiano has everything taken care of."

Tears start to well in my eyes again. If Cristiano had everything taken care of, why was I almost killed? And I couldn't help but feel stupid for not recognizing the mans tattoo meant sooner. I might of even been able to stop him. Waves of guilt start to flow over me, and tears stream down my face. I feel so tired, they must have given me a sedative or something.

"I need sleep Beatrice. You can go now."

She nods, and gives me a reassuring touch on my shoulder before leaving. I lay back down, as tears continue to run down my face. As I drift off into sleep, I wonder if Cristiano felt this way the first time he had almost been killed. This kind of thing had probably happened to him multiple times. And with that thought in my head I fall asleep.

A few hours later

I wake up, and my eyes drift over to the clock to look at the time. It's almost midnight. Slowly I get out of bed, and my stomach rumbles. I realize I probably haven't had anything to eat since the party. I slowly creep out of the bedroom and shut the door behind me. I tiptoe through the hallway and down the stairs, and head to the kitchen. All of the sudden I hear blood curdling screaming. It's coming from far away, and it's faint, but I can hear it. I follow the screeches, and it leads me to a door.

I hadn't seen the door before, it was in a part of the house I hadn't been to yet. I slowly open the door, to see a staircase going straight down. The screams start to get louder, it sounds like they're  coming from a man. I warily creep down the stairs, and when I reach the bottom the sight in front of me horrifies me. It's the man with the tattoo. His hands are chained to the ceiling, and he's covered in blood. He has cuts and slashes all throughout his body, and he's screaming bloody murder.

In front of him is Cristiano, wearing a white tank top that's splattered with blood, and he's holding a knife. Some of Cristiano's men are standing around him, and they're all covered in blood. At this point the man they're torturing is begging for them to stop, and deep down I am too. They all just laugh at him, and Cristiano bring his knife up to the mans face.

"I suppose since you've spilled all that you know about the Genovese, you've betrayed them?" Cristiano asks him wickedly. The man nods, and winces in pain.

"Then I guess you won't be needing that tattoo on your face, will you?" He says, grabbing the mans face, and pressing his knife against the mans tattoo. The man starts to squirm and scream, as Cristiano's men come and hold him still. Cristiano starts to slowly cut into the mans skin, carefully cutting off the mans tattoo.

Put my hand over my mouth to keep myself from gagging, and one of Cristiano's men, Sergio, notices me.

"Don" Sergio says to Cristiano, and nods his head towards me. Cristiano turns around and sees me. His grip around the knife gets tighter, and his smirk turns into an angry glare.

"Go upstairs, right now." He says angrily, but strangely calm. I waste no time in scurrying back upstairs, and all the way to the bedroom. When I shut the door I break down in tears. I couldn't believe myself. I was stupid for going down there. I hadn't even realized Cristiano was home. Probably because he was busy cutting a man to pieces. Even though that man had tried to kill me, seeing him being tortured like that made me feel horrible. I was weak. I didn't belong in this family, and everyone knew it. God knows what Cristiano was going to do to me when he gets up here. The fact that he hadn't beaten me yet seemed like a miracle.

I go and sit on the edge of the bed, and wait for Cristiano to come upstairs. The door opens and Cristiano walks in. He's covered in blood, the smell is awful. He walks straight into the bathroom, and slams the door shut. I hear the shower running and I sigh in relief. Maybe he I wouldn't have to deal with his wrath after all. I lay down, but I don't sleep. I'm still terrified of what he might do. After a few minutes the I hear the shower turn off, and the bathroom door opens.

I quickly sit up. Cristiano has a towel wrapped around his waist. He runs a hand through his wet curls, and stares at me. I stare back at him. Is he going to hurt me?

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