Traded In

Chapter 20

I slammed the door shut slumping onto my bed. I grabbed a pillow then hugged it tightly hoping it would absorb all of my pain. Maybe lighten me up.

Why was he being like this. Why is he playing with me? I give him my all but he doesn't even spare a second for me.

"Leilani." He pushed the door open. Shoving his hands into his pockets, looking down at me, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing I'm just......Exhausted." I hesitated, staring down at my pillow.

"You just woke up."

"Well maybe I spent my whole night giving my all to someone that doesn't give a damn about me!" I blurted out in anger. A slight raise in my voice.

He sighed, pinching the centre between his eyebrows, "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Well you can't be all over someone one moment then the next you're completely ignoring them." I glared at him. "You can't use me like that."

He paused for a moment. Staring at me with a searching look, a thoughtful look.

"Well I apologise for making you feel used." He gestured to nothing. "But I need you to know that work is my top priority and always will be. I can't have anything before it."

"Get out." I spat and he did nothing but arch an eyebrow.

"Kaele, I-"

"-Christoph leave me alone and go feed your apologises to someone else." He looked at me with a countenance of zero emotion. He didn't seem to care and he expects me to love him.....right.

His mansion was finally empty. No workers or guards and most importantly No Lucciano.

I sat in my room, journaling however I felt. It lightened me. Freed me if I should say. I wrote about my pain, anger and thoughts. How do I really feel about him? How does he feel about me and how's Ada? I needed to collectively group my messed up thoughts and emotions it didn't really work.

I dropped my pen at the sound of loud screams coming from down stairs. I went over to check and the closer I got the louder and more audible the voice was. It was a lady continuously calling out to Christoph. Could it have been Ada?

"Christoph!" I stopped at the top of the stairs. When a bullet flew right past me and I rigorously crushed down onto the stairs bruising my knees. A ringing sound continuously ringing in my ears from the sudden fire, She strode over in my direction , running up the stairs, I took a few steps back. Unsure of her movements or thoughts. She then grabbed me by my hand, pulling me down the stairs with her. I ended up being dragged down while my body violently collided with the steps. I cried out in pain trying to break free from her tight grip.

A gun in one hand and with her other she pulled me with her throwing me on the hard, cold marble floor. "Where the fuck is that murderer?" The Italian brunette glared down at me. "...." before I could say anything she kicked me in my stomach, "I said where is your stupid lover?!"

Lover?

I curled up into myself. Tears gushing out of my eyes involuntarily as I struggled to keep myself together.

She muttered a million curses under her breath in Italian, then pulled me by my hair.

With that I managed to push myself up to my feet, trying my best to fight back. I was able to disarm her, her gun flying across the room when she punched me in the face and I fell to the ground, I tried crawling away when she clawed her long fingernails into the hoodie I wore ripping the right sleeve off as I tried to pull away.

I kicked her to the ground, then she immediately crawled over me, her eyes resting on my exposed arm. Shocked. I punched her in the face and before she could attack she was pulled off me. I pulled the sleeve up my arm covering it. Right then and there I felt the sharpest jolt of a pain all over my body as I groaned curling up into myself.

"What the hell is wrong with you Claudia?" One of the brothers shouted as Vinny and Christoph helped me up. "You killed my him Enzo, and you think I'd let you be?" She screamed trying to break free from Demetrio and Russ' hold. I breathed heavily glaring at her. "You fucking kill my Jacopo because he betrayed you while you're here fucking the en-"

"......."

Vinny put a bullet through her. I was too pained to be shocked but that wretch deserved it. I leaned onto Christoph, tightly holding up the ripped sleeve. My vision began to blur as the pain became unbearable, "Christoph..." I let out and he carried me to my room.

He lay me on the bed, in immense pain. After a few minutes they had a doctor ready to check on me.

The doctor was soon done. The pain was still there though he said I'd feel better in a while. Christoph came and sat down in front of me.

Why was she shocked when she saw my arm. The mark on my arm. She was going to say something.... For years I've kept it hidden from anyone and everyone. At my father's behest. I don't even know what it means.

A mark seemingly branded onto my skin. 

I have no recollection of it, all I know is that I've had it for the longest time. 

It makes me wonder what would happen if Christoph saw it?