STOLEN || 18+ (Monsters #3)

.8. Everywhere

Oranges

I peel oranges neatly.

The sections come apart cleanly, perfectly, in my hands.

When Emily peels an orange, she tears holes in it. Juice squirts in all directions.

"Kate," she says, "I don't know how you do it!"

Emily is my best friend.

I hope she never learns how to peel oranges.

- unknown

. . .

Leyla

Campbell Mansion

The first fight I ever caused was between Ryder, my high school boyfriend, and a man who touched my hand.

It had been nothing but quick punches.

This was nothing like that.

I watched as Giovanni threw Dan on the dining table, the plates bashing against Dan's body. Fabiano took his suit jacket off, rolling up his sleeves, revealing inked forearms.

Giovanni looked at her and then at Leona and my father. "Get out."

I was about to walk out to but Fabiano's voice stopped me.

"Not you, Leyla."

I watched as my family left, Gabriella after a little begging through my eyes.

I turned to look at them. Giovanni had lost his suit jacket, too. His sleeves were rolled up like his brother's.

Dan tried to get off the table. Fabiano punched him in the face.

A knife appeared in Giovanni's hand. "Where did he touch you, Leyla?"

Everywhere.

They didn't know about it.

"Thigh," I whispered.

Giovanni dug the knife in Dan's thigh. Fabiano held Dan down, chuckling as he screamed. I shivered at both sounds. This was the first one I heard Fabiano chuckle - it sounded sinister.

God, they both were too terrifying.

Giovanni pulled out his bloodied knife, his rings glittering and slammed the knife into Dan's other thigh. Dan cried out again.

A knife appeared in Fabiano's hand. He snatched Dan's hand and, as I stared with wide eyes, chop his fingers off one of one. Blood dripped down his inked forearm.

"Where else, principessa?" Fabiano asked after he was done with both of Dan's hands. Dan was sobbing now, screaming in pain.

"I-I don't know what the little whore told you. She fucking loved every moment in my bed!" He screamed and both of the Valentinos froze.

"Everywhere," I answered Fabiano, wrapping my arms around myself, tears slipping out of my eyes. "Everywhere."

Their eyes had hardened, majestic bodies filled with tension.

"Go to your room," Fabiano said to me. "Be a good girl and stay there till the morning."

I didn't need to be told twice. I ran out of the dining room, instantly followed by Dan's screams.

. . .

The sun rose and I was yet to have even a minute of sleep. I had spent the night listening to Dan's screams. They had died out a few hours ago but the silence which followed seemed to scream louder because there was no doubt in what Fabiano and Giovanni had done.

They had killed him.

I tried hard to find a place to within myself which felt sympathy for him but failed. He didn't deserve my sympathy.

Then I heard it. A strong knock on my door.

I cleared my throat, pulling my knees closer to my chest. I was sitting on a bay window, surrounded by books and cushions. "Come in."

Giovanni entered, followed by his brother. Their eyes fell on me, then on the books surrounding me, and then took in the whole room. My room was pretty. It was dark with everything in a mixture of dark brown and black with just a few white things to even it out. There were three bookshelves, covering the majority of my room, and then there were pictures of ancient art - Persian, tomb paintings from the valley of the kings, some ancient Indian art, and many more.

They looked mesmerised by the room, eyes caressing every inch of it.

I got off the bay window. "Is he...is he..." I couldn't say the word but they nodded. I noticed that they had changed clothes. Still, they were in suits.

I let out a breath. He was dead.

"Come here." Fabiano motioned me closer with his two fingers. I, knowing better than to not listen to him, walked closer till I was standing right in front of them.

Giovanni took my braid in his hand, wrapped it around his hand, and tugged me closer, wrapping his other arm around me.

He tipped my head up using my braid. "You have two hours. We are taking you home."

Words I had been dreading. I knew I was theirs, and I knew they'd claim me sooner or later, but this...this made me shake with fear.

"Where?" I whispered.

"Rome."

. . .

"I'm sorry. What?"

"It's a poetry thing," I was good at lying. "I have to go. I'm so sorry. Gabby will keep you company."

Gabby, who was just told of the whole situation by me, looked like she was going to murder someone. "Yes, it's a fucking stupid poetry thing father got her into because the bastard needs to die."

I flinched at her words, looking around my room as I packed, expecting him to pop out of nowhere. "Walls have ears, Gab." Mom always said that.

"Point them out so that I can stab them."

Our little sister was sleeping and I had no intention of saying goodbye to her. I was selfish for this. All I had done was kiss her forehead as she slept.

"When will you be back?" Samya asked. "I have to go back home in a week. I presume it'd take a lot more for you to come back." Samya was our maternal uncle's daughter. Their family lived in Canada.

"Yes," I said. Maybe it'd take forever. Maybe I'd die in the first week.

She nodded, pouting. "Alright. We'll meet on Diwali. Promise me that."

"I promise."

. . .

I dressed myself in a dark green turtleneck, brown pants, and a brown leather coat that came down to my knees. I tied my hair up in a bun and decided to not do my makeup, knowing I'd ruin it by crying. Maybe they'd realise how ugly I looked without eyeliner and decide to not take me.

I walked out of my room. My luggage was already taken, I just had my handbag with me.

Gabriella wasn't home. Father had sent her out with Samya to make sure Sam didn't find out anything.

Leona waited for me at the end is the staircase.

Even looking at her cold eyes made me want to sob. "Guess you are finally getting rid of me." I didn't mean it to come out, but it did.

She watched me with cool eyes. "I tried everything in my power to avoid this from happening.

"It wasn't enough."

"It wasn't," she agreed softly. "Talk to your stepsister if they allow it. They are friends with her, they may have some...mercy on you if you get her on your side."

I sighed. "Escape if you get a chance."

She gave me a bitter smile. "I've accepted my fate, Leyla. Men have always been cruel to me. There's no escaping a monster."

. . .