A Burning Flame

by Daniella Kunz

  When Daveon leaves to arrange another job, I get ready to go get some groceries for us. I feel light and happy despite not having figured out exactly how to break off my engagement to Enzo. With Daveon here with me, I feel as if it doesn’t matter what happens. I will be safe.

  As I finish up my shopping I ask my guards to take me back home. Along the ride, I notice we aren’t heading in the direction of my apartment. “Um, where are we going?” I sit up asking my guards in the front seat.

  “Your father requested to see you. He asked us to bring you over there immediately.”

  Settling back into the seat, I ponder over what my father would want and what would be so urgent he needs me to come right away. Maybe he knows about Daveon... Nerves grown in my stomach like weed. I debate whether or not to send a text to Daveon, but I decide against it. No need to worry him over what could be nothing. Pulling up to my father’s home I climb out, making my way to his office. I don’t hear anything as I lift my hand to knock lightly on the door. “Come in.”

  Stepping inside, I move to stand before my father. He tips his head at me in acknowledgment. “Gianna. I appreciate you coming so quickly.”

  “May I ask what this is for?” I ask, wanting to get whatever it is out in the open. He opens his mouth to speak before a voice behind me cuts him off, beating him to it.

  “I requested to check in on my dearest fiancee.” The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as chills shoot down my spine. Whirling around, I come face to face again with Enzo. My stomach drops.

  I thought Daveon was supposed to get notice when he left.

  “Ahh, darling, you look surprised to see me?” He says as his signature menacing smirk twists on his lips. “Nevermind that, I come bearing gifts.” He takes a step towards me and my instincts draw me back. His grin widens further at my obvious retreat, pleasing him. Closing the distance between us he reaches down grasping my hand. I try to jerk it away, but he holds tight squeezing it uncomfortably hard in his grip. Reaching into his pocket he draws out a diamond ring, sliding it onto my finger. He stares down at it admiring the look of it on my finger. “Soon, darling, we will be married.”

  I bite back the retort on my tongue, not wanting to anger my father and increase my guards or worse have them decide to give me to Enzo early. His eyes roam over me, gazing down my body slowly, making me feel violated even though he doesn’t touch me. He looks up to my father, silent behind me during the exchange. “May I ask permission to kiss my fiancee? I think it's only fitting, she is of age after all. No harm in a simple act of affection.”

  My nose pulls up in disgust at imaging his lips over mine. My father would never allow him to.-

  “I supposed it wouldn’t cause any harm, but I expect it to be chaste.”

  My eyes widen at my father's words and I turn my head to look at him. His eyes are turned down, not wanting to watch the display. What? No! I feel a hard grip in my hair before my face is jerked back around to face Enzo. Triumph shining in his eyes, he pushes me into him. I feel the roughness as he smashes his lips into mine, moving against my mouth. My stomach lurches as nausea rises up my throat. Unable to stop my reaction, I lift my hand up and back before slapping it across his face.

  He jumps back startled by the action, before he takes a step towards me. Reaching up he wipes away the blood that has appeared over his lip where my ring has cut it. “GIANNA!” My father bellows behind me. Momentarily distracted by my father’s booming voice, I didn’t notice Enzo’s advancement. Reaching back out he grasps my hair hard, yanking down as I am forced to drop to my knees, crying out at the pain searing my scalp. “Enzo, that is enough!” My father commands. He turns his menacing gaze to my father as he shakes with rage.

  “This bitch dared to lay her hands on me. She needs to learn her place.” He spits out.

  “She will be punished, of that I can assure you.” My father says, trying to placate him.

  He shakes his head. “She will be punished now. Whether it be by your hand or mine, she will not be allowed to show me disrespect. Make the choice. Will you do it or I?” I hear the resigned sigh escape my father’s lips. "You are her fiance, so I supposed it should be you. An eye for an eye is all you are allowed to do.”

  I don’t miss the glint of excitement as it shines in his eyes before he yanks me back up. I bite my lip to keep the yelp from becoming vocal, not wanting to give him any more pleasure than he is already getting from this. Once I am back on my feet, he lets go of my hair as he raises his hand back. I see the muscles flex in his chest and arm before he throws it forward. I tense, trying to brace myself for the impact as his hand connects with the side of my face with an audible crack. I am thrown sideways from the impact and force as I stumble into the ground. My vision blurs as stars dance around the room. I blink, trying to clear the water that wells in my eyes from the stinging pain.

  I see the shape of a figure moving to stand in front of me before crouching down. Grabbing my jaw in his hands, he forced my face up to look at him. “Don’t ever lay your hands on me again. I promise I will not be so kind next time.” He spits out at me. Shoving my face from him he lets go, and I don’t miss the slight bulge in his pants as he stands.

  Sick fuck is turned on by this.

  “Lorenzo, unfortunately, I have to head back. We have been dealing with a rather unfortunate chain of events back home. I wish to move the wedding date up. I will be back in a month and will be taking her then.”

  My world spins faster at his words as my heart sinks. “And Gianna.” He says, gaining my attention again. “I advise you not to remove that ring, there will be consequences for doing so, and if you think I won’t know, you are a fool.” His eyes get a gleeful gleam to them. “I had it specially made, you see. It monitors your heart rate. If you were ever to take it off the heart rate would stop, notifying me. So be a good girl and listen for once.”

  My gut twists as I look down at the small circle of metal, decorated with diamonds to hide its true nature, what it really is. A statement of ownership. A way to finally mark me as his. I don’t notice when he leaves the room as I continue to stare at the ring. Tears still pool in my eyes as I hear my father walk around his desk to me.

  Reaching down he grabs hold of my arm to help lift me up. “Gianna I’m.-”

  “Don’t.” I say shaking him off me. Without another word, I turn walking out of his office as my hope shatters inside me once again.

  14

  GIANNA

  When I arrive home I drop the bags of groceries on the counter and immediately head into the bathroom, needing to see what I look like as I feel like my face was hit with a bat and not a mere hand. It took the better half of the car ride home to clear the stars from my vision as my head continued to spin. I flip on the light, looking up into the mirror and gasp. My lip is split, and blood is dried on my chin. My face is a mixture of scarlet red and white as I can make out the imprint of his hand still outlined across my cheek up to my eye. Just below my eye is the darkened circle where my skin is starting to bloom in a deep shade of purple and yellow.

  I continue to stare at my reflection for quite some time as if I expect to watch it evolve into something worse as the time ticks by. My phone pings beside me, drawing my attention from the mirror. Looking down at it, I see a text from Daveon.

  Daveon

  Where are you?

  Gianna

  Home, why?

  Daveon

  Ok, good don’t go anywhere, I got word Enzo left Chicago this morning and I didn't see it until now. I don’t want you going out at all. Stay home, I'm on my way.

  My stomach feels sick as I look at his texts again. Too late. Turning around, I pull out my makeup. Setting it on the counter I begin to cake it on, not wanting Daveon to notice it.

  I wince at the pain when my fingers lightly circle over my flesh. When I am done, I inspect my work in the mirror. If I lower the lights, I don’t think he will be able to notice anything. I just can’t let him touch my face or
kiss me. Sighing, I place my hands on the counter letting my head drop, noticing the ring on my finger as I do. Shit, how am I supposed to hide this? Enzo said it monitors my heartbeat. How am I supposed to keep that under control. Anytime Daveon is within close proximity, I feel my heart pick up, let alone if he is to kiss me or put his hands on me. Then what? Will Enzo notice and come?

  I hear the sound of the front door opening and my body freezes in place. Shit! I don’t have time to figure something out. Looking around the bathroom, my eyes land on a box of band-aids in the corner. That will have to do for now. Spinning the ring so the diamond faces down towards my palm, I wrap a band-aid around it. It looks a little silly but he might not give it any attention.

  Drawing a deep breath through my nose I walk from the bathroom. As I make my way down the hall, I hear Daveon shuffling through the bags of groceries I had still left out on the counter, forgotten. With an apple in his hand he lifts it up, taking a bite out of the shiny red flesh. “I’m surprised you left the groceries out. When did you get back?”

  “Oh, ugh, earlier I just got busy and forgot about them.”

  He gives me a confused nod as he goes back to his apple. Moving past him I dim the lights slightly, which causes him to look at me again. “I have a headache.” I say, shrugging my shoulders. Not wanting him to keep looking at me, I busy myself putting everything away. Trying my best to keep my bandaged finger hidden from sight.

  I can feel Daveon's eyes boring into me as I do, knowing he is probably sensing something off with me already. “So, how was your day?” I say, trying to distract him.

  “Since when do you ask about my day?” He asks, suspicion in his voice.

  “Since I just did, do you have to be an ass about it?”

  He chuckles at my sassiness. “It was okay. I was really busy until I noticed my phone was on silent and I had a bunch of missed calls from Marina. She was trying to warn me Enzo was leaving Chicago. To be honest, I panicked a little knowing he could already be here.”

  “Who is Marina?” I ask.

  “It’s Nico’s sister.”

  My hand stalls on top of the fridge door as I turn to face him. “Wait, Nico has a sister?”

  “Yeah, technically she is his half si.-” He pauses as his eyes shift to my hand on top of the fridge. “What happened to your finger?” He asks, getting up to come to me. I turn back into the fridge grabbing things from the bags to keep it out of sight.

  Fuck so much for that. “Oh, just cut myself this afternoon cutting an apple. No big deal.”

  “Here let me see it. Do you need stitches?”

  “No really, it's fine. It’s barely anything.” I try to keep my voice even as my anxiety rises.

  “Gianna, you could be bleeding to death having punctured an artery, and you would tell me you’re fine. Now get up and let me look at it.”

  When I don’t comply or respond, he reaches down grabbing my waist. He hoists me up, spinning around he sets me down on the counter in front of him. Now face to face with him, I try to control my breathing. Without fail, he looks down, noticing my split lip. Reaching out he places his thumb gently over the cut causing me to wince at even the soft graze. His eyes harden as he looks back up to meet my eyes.

  “Gianna, what the fuck happened?” When I don’t respond his eyes find my finger again, and his nostrils flare. I try to pull my hand back but he is faster than me as he snatches it up in his grasp. Pinching the bandage between his fingers he tugs on it, ripping it from my finger to reveal the ring. I feel as the loud growl reverberates through his body in my hand. His eyes cut up to my face before he reached behind him, turning the light up all the way.

  My eyes squint at the intense light shining down on us. He sucks in a ragged breath as his body shakes in front of me. “Do you care to explain to me why you have another man’s ring on your finger and why your fucking lip is split?” His voice takes on an unnatural darkness. The danger in his tone is evident and I want to shrink away from him.

  “I, my father.” I start and stop not sure what to say. Grabbing my hand he holds it up between us.

  “Enzo?” I nod, not able to find my words. Grasping the small circle of metal he moves to pull it from my finger. Panicking, I jerk my hand out of his hold.

  “NO! You can’t take it off.” He watches me silently as I feel the danger looming between us.

  “What did you just say?” His voice is so low it's almost inaudible, and goosebumps raise across my flesh at his tone.

  "You can't take it off, it monitors my heartbeat. As soon as it's off, he will know, and he will be here within hours. I don't want this thing on any more than you. I wanted to throw it in his face as soon as he presented it Daveon." I can feel the excess moisture in my eyes.

  "I don't give a damn what it does, I want it off your finger now, Gianna!" He roars out. He reaches for my hand once again as I pull back.

  "Do you have a plan, Daveon?"

  He narrows his eyes on me. "What?"

  "Do you have a plan because if not this ring has to stay to buy us more time. The moment it's off, he will come for me."

  "Let him."

  I shake my head, "No. We need to figure out a way without throwing all of the Familias into war. He already moved the date up for the wedding. He will be back in a month for me. We need to figure out something by then. Not focus on this meaningless piece of metal!"

  Grasping a glass off the counter from behind me, he hurls it at the wall in the living room beyond us. I flinch as I hear it shatter against the wall. He paces the kitchen as he tries to calm himself. Taking a deep breath to stabilize himself he comes back to me.

  "What happened to your lip?" Looking closer he inspects my face as his forehead creases down. Picking up a towel off the counter he wets it in the sink. He places the cold, wet rag over my skin and I wince drawing back. His eyes narrow before he speaks trying to calm his voice. "I need to see it, Gianna." Nodding slowly, I move closer to him closing my eyes. He turns the water back on getting it warm before ringing it out. Placing it back to my cheek he slowly moves it around as he wipes away the make-up. "I need you to tell me what happened."

  My voice is small and quiet for once in my life. "I don't think that's a good idea."

  "If you don't, I can tell you that nothing will stop me from finding him right now. I will take that fucking ring, put it on his own finger. Then use it as a way to gauge how close he comes to dying. Each time I come back I’ll torture him until I’m finally allowed the pleasure of watching the life drain from his worthless eyes by my hands."

  Looking at him I see his mask of control has slipped revealing the true man beneath. There is no hint of an empty threat in them and I’m not sure he won’t still do it after he hears what happened. "After he forced the ring on my finger, he kissed me. I slapped his face wanting him off of me and he freaked out. Demanded retribution for me embarrassing him. He threw everything he had into his backhand."

  He doesn't speak as he watches me. Placing the pad of his thumb over the purple bruise below my eye. “Fuck, I’m sorry Gianna.” He drops his head, closing his eyes. Confusion pulls my brows together.

  “Why would you be sorry? You didn’t do this Daveon.” I say trying to ease this undeserving guilt he carries.

  When he looks up, guilt and anger battle for control. “Because I didn’t protect you! Because I allowed this to happen. I was careless and he was allowed to get to you!” His voice is strained and tormented as he takes on the responsibility for what happened.

  Placing my hand on his face, I draw him to me. “You can’t always be the hero, Hercules. Some things are out of your control and you don’t need to take the blame for them. I’m fine, just a little bruised.” I try to give him my best attempt at a smile without wincing. Leaning toward me he gently brushes his lips across mine. The touch is so light I barely feel but a whisper of them as they graze mine.

  Needing more than ever to feel more of him, I wrap my legs around his waist, pulling myself flush
against his body. Carefully pushing my lips to his, I move them, encouraging him forward. Ignoring the aches and pain that come with each movement. Brushing his hands under my shirt at my waist, his fingers dig into my flesh. Satisfaction rumbles from his chest. I’m suddenly reminded of the searing pain as he pushes into me roughly. Out of reaction, I jerk back, sucking in a breath.

  Upon seeing my reaction, he shoves away from me, grabbing his gun off the counter as he heads to the door. Slipping off the counter, I run to stop him. Latching onto his arm, I try to put my weight into pulling him back as tears begin to fall. "Please don't leave. I need you to stay here. I don’t want you to leave me." His head whips around to face me, eyes taken over by rage before he sees my face, red and bruised as tears roll down my cheek. As we stare at each other, I begin to watch the anger wash away with each tear that rolls down my face.

  Sighing heavily, he removes his hand from the door as he wraps his arms around me, enveloping me like a shield from the world. He reaches down grabbing hold of me as he lifts me up, cradling me in his arms. Moving us over to the couch he sits down holding me into him. Laying my head against his chest, I can’t keep from crying. Allowing my wall I have built over the years to come crashing down with him there to stand guard over me.

  When my tears finally stop we sit in silence until his deep sigh breaks it. "I need to make a call in the morning and whatever the outcome of that call is you will not leave my side. If I am to go back to New York. You will go with me and you won't fight me on this, I won’t leave you here. Am I understood?"

  "Yes. I go where you go." I feel his muscles relax under my body as he lays back into the couch. He holds me in his arms until I fall asleep with his shirt still bunched in my hands.

  ***

  When I wake, I groan, rolling over on the couch. Daveon is sitting in a chair opposite of me, and his eyes on me as I wake. "Morning." I say with sleep still heavy in my voice.