Bound to Break

Chapter 15

My face dropped, as did the lipstick in my hand. Elmo and his brunette instantly froze, butt naked and sweaty on his bed.

Shock imbedded into my every cell, numbing my body enough to make me stumble back. I was stupid for believing I could look to Stephano for comfort because the enjoyment in his eyes said everything.

"What the fuck is wrong you?!" I spat. "You think this is funny?!"

Tears stung behind my eyes and he took my by the shoulders. "This is why you should have taken me instead of him."

"Are you insane! I didn't have a choice in any of this!!" My back pressed against the wall. My lungs tightened in on me and before my fiancé and his whore could see me I speed walked away.

The first tear burned my cheek. The rest flowed like an endless spring of water, each one making my heart grow heavier. As I hurried downstairs and through a hallway, my shoulder painfully smacked against something hard. For a moment my eyes locked with Luciano's, but I broke it and ran away.

I'd went halfway through a random hallway before realising I didn't even know where I was going. So I sat on the ground.

Stephano did this on purpose. He couldn't have me, and it pissed his ego off so much he lead me to this.

When I saw them on the bed, something inside me clicked into place - I'd finally seen for myself a representation of this marriage. Me being a fool and losing myself in conversation while my fiancé fucked another woman. I was so fucking stupid.

This is how it would be - this was my reality. I'd only just seen a glimpse of it, the worse was yet to come. Bringing my knees to my chest I cried into his clothes. They didn't mean anything to me - neither did he but knowing that I was entering a loveless marriage broke me completely.

I thought I'd be able to survive this agreement because I didn't feel for Elmo, but it still found a way to dig into my flesh with no remorse.

My eyes were swollen now. A headache had long bloomed beneath my eyes and my chest was tight, my breaths filling the silence.

Slow, relaxed footsteps approached but I ignored them. Until they stopped in front of me. Just perfect. Luciano was here to laugh in my face, to rub it in that I was a prisoner to a contract he was lucky enough to get out of.

I bet he was happy he wasn't the one dealing with me, because all I was, was trouble. A mirror, not shattered completely but tainted by unremovable marks and scratches. No longer shiny. Imperfect.

I lifted my face from my knees, looking at the rose held out in front of me. Long fingers held it regardless of the thorns. "Take it."

It was an order. I wasn't going to listen, I always obeyed the men in my life and frankly, I wasn't going to add Luciano Capone onto my list of commanders. He was already stepping back to walk away, but before he could I took the rose.

Instantly I pulled it to my nose. It smelled fresh, and vibrant like the flower meadows I'd walk through as a child. And I couldn't help but wonder, why?

I had to look at him. He stood tall in front of me, a bored expression on his face like he was doing charity work. It was when another mascara filled tear slid down my face, had I watched his eyes darken.