Chapter 5 THE WAR BEGINS

Tension permeates the air, and I can feel it scuttling beneath my skin, hungry and uncooked. My hands shake, but not because I'm afraid. My chest is blazing with anger. The package is hideous and terrible as it rests on the table before me. The head of the severed animal looks up at me with lifeless eyes. The obvious message behind it reads, "Bring her back, or the next one is yours."

I am not threatened by anyone. Nobody.

I squish the note between my palms. The pressure causes the edges to tear. The anger that is pulsing through me is matched by the thundering pulse of my heartbeat pounding in my ears. Does the jerk Giovanni believe he can toy with me? He has no idea who he is interacting with.

It seems like the residence is too small. The walls enclose the space. With my chest heaving, I slam the package to the floor. I stand over it with my fists clinched, a snarl ripping from my throat.

I own her. And if anyone believes they can steal her, I'll be damned.

Giovanni is the fuse, and I can sense that everything inside of me is a ticking time bomb. He has stepped over a line from which he will never return.

I let out a breath to relieve some of the stress, but it doesn't make it any better. The rage remains, raging, threatening to overflow.

Knowing she's up there, presumably wondering what's going on, and hearing nothing but the echo of my rage, I look towards the stairs. I am aware that she fears this aspect of me, and perhaps she ought to. However, it's too late.

I no longer only defend her.

Anyone who dares to try to take her away from me will be destroyed by me.

Even though the mansion is warm, I remain motionless in the corridor, my body trembling. I can still hear the roar of Luca's rage. His rage is palpable and oppressive. I am unable to break free from it as it envelops me like a dense fog.

It's all too much-the package and the threat. Giovanni's brutality. Luca's fixation. I never thought my life would be like this. I believed that I had come here to be safe. However, now... I'm not entirely sure.

I'm afraid of something in Luca's dark eyes as he turns to face me. The man I first saw that evening has changed. He is not the guardian. He is something twisted and darker.

His words sound like chains, even if they are meant to reassure. He claims to be protecting me, but is that truly the case? Or am I merely another item he owns?

With clammy hands and numb feet, I take a step back. I feel unsteady on the floor below. My heart thuds terribly in my chest as it races.

I'd want to go for a run. I want to yell. Instead, I say in a barely discernible whisper, "I'm not safe here, am I?"

Luca's face becomes stern. He approaches me, taller than me. His eyes narrow and his jaw tightens. However, there's a glimmer of something in his eyes that might be dread or regret.

He reiterates, "You're safe here," but his voice is different. It's possessive. It's the end.

I'm not sure if I can still trust him. Deep and hollow, the doubt gnaws at me. I'm not sure what to think.

However, I am certain that I cannot remain here indefinitely.

As I stand in front of her, my thoughts are racing. Like smoke, Giovanni's threat is still present. The rage is a steady throb under my skin, pulsing through my veins.

I turn away and start to pace the room in an attempt to quiet the inner storm. However, it is pointless. Now, there's no stopping it. Giovanni's guys are going to pursue her. I'll make sure they regret it when they do.

Isabella is unable to comprehend. She believes that this is for her protection, but it goes beyond that. It has to do with control. It has to do with power.

No one can ever take her away from me. Not even Giovanni.

I can feel the fire in my chest smothering me as the anger grows. The kind of anger that leads you to take actions you can't undo. But I'm not going to give up. I am unable to.

I turn to face her, my voice cold, my eyes gloomy. "I'll stop at nothing to keep you safe. Nobody is going to take you away from me.

The words loom large and menacing between us. I'm not sure whether she realizes how serious they are. I'm not sure if I even comprehend how serious they are.

One thing I am certain of, though, is that anyone who dares to try will suffer for it.

I sit in the spacious, strange living room and gaze out the window. The air is heavy with the promise of rain, and the sky is grey. Even though I can hear automobiles driving past in the distance, they seem so insignificant and far away. Everything feels weird in this home. Everything seems off.

Somewhere around here is Luca. Even when he isn't present, I can sense his presence. There is an almost intolerable tension in the air.

Giovanni's guys are on their way. I am aware of that. In the pit of my stomach, I sense it. However, there is nowhere to flee to. Not in this place. Not right now.

As the sky grows darker, Luca's figure is framed by the glass. He doesn't look at me or say anything, but I can tell what's on his mind. He has developed a deeper infatuation with me. A darker one.

He replies, "We'll fight," in a low, almost comforting voice, but I can sense the edge in it. "This is over now."

He is prepared. He's ready. However, what about me? In the midst of this conflict, what should I do?

I stare at him, feeling a wave of uncertainty. I no longer recognize him. What he wants from me is unknown to me.

However, one thing is certain: there is no way to avoid the impending storm.

Outside, the sound of boots on the ground is getting louder as the front door rattles. It's too quiet in the mansion. Every breath feels heightened, as does every floor squeak.

I'm sitting there, motionless. I'm not sure whether I should feel relieved that something is finally happening or afraid. That's the end. However, the truth is beginning to set in.

Here are Giovanni's men.

With his mouth gritted and his body tense, Luca stands at the entrance door. He has his hands in fists. He is prepared for combat. To murder, if required. You can feel the anger building inside of him, like a storm about to erupt.

With trembling legs, I get to my feet. To put an end to this, I would like to say something. However, I am aware that words are too late.

With a promise in his dark eyes, Luca turns to face me. Isabella, you will never be taken from me. Not even Giovanni.

They are a promise and a menace, and they weigh heavily on my chest. I am both frightened and oddly reassured. There's no going back now, but I'm not sure if I'm prepared for this.

The mayhem starts when the door flings open. The air crackles with gunfire, and my heart pauses for a moment. It's this. The start of the conflict I have been attempting to evade.

However, it's too late to rush.