Beyond the Omerta

Chapter 1

"Ana...!"

Luciana turned her head, her eyes scanning the crowded hall searching for the caller. There is only one person who calls her that...

"I've been searching for you everywhere." Her best friend, Emily exclaimed, slightly out of breath, when she finally reached Luciana's side.

"Emily, nice to see you too. When did you arrive?" Luciana smiled warmly and hugged her friend

"last night. Sorry, I should have given you a call."

"it's okay. I thought you wouldn't make it to the gala"

"I can't miss it for anything in the world." Emily replied, laughing lightly. "plus I miss you, and boss wouldn't pardon me for missing work too much." Her eyes clouding with emotions.

"that's correct." Luciana took two glass of champagne and handed one to her friend

As they sipped their champagne, Emily's expression turned serious. "How is your mom doing?" she asked, a look of concern all over her face.

Luciana's eyes dropped, her shoulders sagging slightly as she replied, "She's still in a vegetative state."

Emily's face fell, her eyes welling up with empathy.

"I got your emails and texts. Did you talk to your dad about the nightmares?" Emily asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Luciana shook her head lightly, her eyes avoiding Emily's.

For months now, Luciana has been constantly having dreams of being kidnapped by a masked man and taken to a strange house.

At first, she thought it was the result of her overthinking about her mother's condition and her state of financial crisis.

But when it persisted, she knew something was wrong.

And her father had become increasingly detached since her mother fell sick.

Her hope of financial aid came alive when the charity gala was announced and Emily had urged her to attend.

Maybe, just maybe, she could find someone with a heart of an angel to sponsor her mother's hospital bill

Emily's grip on her arm tightened. "You should. Maybe he..."

Just then, Luciana's eye drifted across the room, her eyes locking onto a tall, dark-haired man in a black tuxedo. His piercing gaze sent a shiver down her spine.

"Em, do you see that man staring at me?" she asked, her voice filled with fear.

"what man?" Emily followed her gaze to the guests

"The tall one, in the black tuxedo... He's looking straight at me"

" I don't see anyone" Emily replied.

Luciana's unease persisted. She knew what she saw.

Emily placed a reassuring hand on Luciana's arm. "Stop worrying. You look stunning, and you're just drawing attention."

Luciana forced a smile, trying to shake off the feeling. But her eyes drifted back to the strange man, his gaze still fixed on her.

"you're getting paranoid. Let's get some fresh air," Emily suggested, leading her to the balcony overlooking the city.

The cool night breeze calmed Luciana's nerves. She rested her arms on the balcony rails, admiring the beautiful view.

"I don't think my dad is in Columbia. I haven't heard from him or seen him in months." Luciana said. She looked at Emily whose attention was on her phone.

"Emily?"

"oh sorry. I was trying to book a reservation in an hotel for us to stay the night in." Emily replied, putting her phone away

"why do we need an hotel? Are we homeless?" Luciana asked, her eyes filled with questions.

"um, I..."

Just then, a waiter approached them with a tray of champagne flutes.

"Courtesy of a gentleman," he said, offering Luciana a glass.

"I..I already have one". She stammered

"let me have that old one ma'am. He requested you have this." The waiter took her glass and left.

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Well, looks like someone's interested."

Luciana's unease grew. "I told you someone was watching me, you're not taking this serious"

"come on girl, you're doing great. He's probably just attracted to you okay?"

"I want to go home." Luciana handed her friend the glass of champagne

"home? No girl. We need to get high and you especially need to get drunk. Let's go back inside, the donations are about to begin".

As they moved through the crowd, Luciana knew for sure something wasn't adding up. She couldn't shake off the thought of fear that slowly creeped into her.

She tried to search for the strange man again, but he was gone. She heaved a sigh.

Maybe Emily was right. She was paranoid.

* * * * * * *

The gala was now over and Luciana had too much to drink. She swayed, her vision blurring as she clutched Emily's arm.

"I'm fine," Luciana slurred. "You can go home. I'll handle myself."

Emily's eyes narrowed. "maybe you should.."

she waved her hand dismissively, stumbling slightly. "I'm fine, Em. Go home."

Emily wasn't about to leave her there to herself. She pulled out her phone. "Okay, but I'll call you a cab."

As Emily dialed, Luciana leaned against the wall, her eyes drifting shut.

The sound of Emily's voice, ordering a taxi, faded into the background as Luciana's head spun.

Emily stepped onto the curb, waving down the taxi. It pulled over, and Emily helped her friend inside.

"here, this is the address." Emily scribbled something on the paper and handed it to the driver. "Make sure she gets home safe," Emily instructed the driver.

As Luciana settled into the backseat, Emily closed the door.

"Thanks, Em," she mumbled.

But as the car sped away from the curb, Luciana realized something was off. The driver wasn't taking the usual route home.

"Hey," she called out, trying to sit up straight, the effect of the alcohol still very much on her.

"Where...where's the meter?" she stammered.

As she leaned forward to see the drivers face, a hand from the passenger seat, clamped over her mouth, silencing her.

Panic set in as Luciana struggled against her restraints. She tried to kick her legs, but they felt heavy, as if weighed down by invisible chains.

she could feel herself slowly fading away

The taxi screeched to a halt, and Luciana's world went dark.

When she came to consciousness, she was disoriented, her head pounding. She tried to open her eyes, but they felt glued shut.

She heard the door open. A faint scent of lavender wafted through the air, making her stomach churn.

She tried to scream, but her voice was muffled by a tape covering her mouth. Her hands and feet were tied to a chair, and a piece of cloth was wrapped around her eyes.

Luciana's heart racing, she struggled to free herself, but it was no use. She was trapped.

The sound of footsteps echoed through the room, growing louder with each passing second.

Luciana's skin crawled as a baritone, husky voice whispered in her ear:

"Welcome to your new home."

As the voice faded away, Luciana was left with only one thought: she was going to die.

And then, everything went black.

CHAPTER

Antonio Morano sat at the built-in-bar in his penthouse, gazing out at the city's twinkling landscape.

The whiskey in his glass cast a golden glow, mirroring the turmoil brewing within.

His mind drifted to the woman he'd seen earlier. Her innocent smile and haunting green eyes like a specter.

six years ago, on this very day, his mother's assassination had shattered his world.

The memory still seared his mind, his mother's lifeless body, the sound of gunfire, and the face of the culprit.

The pain and anger had simmered, fueling his relentless pursuit of justice. Antonio's grip on the glass tightened. His revenge had been years in the making.

He has waited for this day.

Patience had become his virtue, the key to unraveling the past.

"Today's the start," he vowed, his voice low and deadly, as he opened a pack of cigarettes.

With a swift motion, he downed the whiskey, feeling the burn course through his veins.

The fire in his chest spread, fueling his determination.

Just as Antonio's thoughts consumed him, the doorbell pierced the silence. His assistant's voice echoed through the intercom.

"Boss, Miss Whitehead is here to see you."

Antonio frowned. He lit a stick of cigarette and puffed the smoke into the air.

"Send her in," he said, pouring himself another glassful of whiskey.

As she entered, her stunning beauty and elegance momentarily distract Antonio from his dark thoughts.

Her blonde hair cascaded down her back, and her red dress hugged her curves, leaving little to his imagination. The diamond necklace he'd gifted her still adorned her neck.

"Antonio, darling," She purred, approaching him with a seductive smile.

He locked eyes with her. " What brings you here?"

Sofia's gaze roamed the penthouse, her eyes resting on the whiskey glass. "aren't you going to invite me for a drink?"

He nodded at his guards and they vanished out of sight

Sophia smiled. "well, I saw the lights on and thought you might be... lonely." She emphasized the last word, her voice filled with suggestion.

Sophia stood at 5'8 and had a frame whose curves boasted a match with a Greek goddess. her stunning beauty was undeniable.

she had a long honey blonde hair that rest comfortably on her butt and had two piercing on both ears.

Her whirlwind romance with Antonio captivated Milan's elite.

Their engagement was announced amidst ongoing war between Antonio's family and Milan's most dreaded drug lord.

He raised an eyebrow, amused by her audacity.

"You think you can just waltz in here anytime you like?" he arose from his stool. "you were supposed to be here tomorrow, not tonight."

Her smile faltered for a moment before she regained her composure. "Why not tonight?" she packed her hair in a ponytail. "I want to witness the showdown"

He let out a low laugh and walked towards the window, his whiskey in his hand. "you of all people know better that I hate having uninvited guests."

Her eyes flashed with anger, but she maintained her poise. "I am not just a guest Antonio; I am your fiancée. I can come in here anytime I like."

"I'm not in the mood today, you should leave" he said, his tone final.

Her face fell. She knew what he meant and how dangerous it would be to challenge his decisions, but she refused to give up.

"Tonight is a great night. We should celebrate. And I can help you do just that"

She walked towards him and rubbed his chest, then she took his glass of whiskey and placed it on the table.

He stared at her as she ran her hand down to his dick and rubbed it against his trouser.

She went on her knees and unbuckled his belt, causing his trouser to fall off his waist, revealing his huge manhood.

He could see her nipple hardened as she wrapped both her hands around his cock.

She moved her face closer to his cock and breathed the freshness of it before spitting on it.

She gave it a light massage, her face upwards looking at him fight for his life.

She spat on it again and took it in her mouth. She sucked it hard and could feel his hands holding her head to be steady, as he thrust deeper into her mouth.

He pulled her back from his already fully hard cock, but she sucked on it again, slowly caressing the tip of his cock with her tongue.

She knew his sensitive spot and made sure to focus her attention on it.

"fuck! You're a slut!." He cursed in pleasure, as he continued stroking in her mouth. He hadn't done this in a while because he was too focused on his revenge plan.

Her tongue glide down to the underneath of his cock, a moan leaving his lips as she did so. She slid her left hand to his balls and gently caressed it, while still sucking his cock.

Just as he was about to load her mouth with his seeds, the door burst wide opened.

"don't you know how to fucking knock?" he yelled with bloodshot eyes.

"I'm so..sorry boss." Viktor, his consigliere bowed his head.

Antonio pulled his trouser to his waist and fixed his belt. " well, did you interrupt me at the best part just to see my face? You moron."

"she is here." Viktor announced.

"who the hell is here?" he yelled again

"the lady you ordered for, boss"

"She better be the right one." He pulled a gun from his coat hanging on the wall, and tucked it at his back. "else, you all won't live to tell the story."

* * * * * * *

Antonio walked into the room to see two guards pouring water on Luciana. Her ordered the door be shut.

"what happened here?" he asked one of them

"she passed out, boss"

He laughed. "take the tape off her mouth"

"where am I?" Luciana screamed immediately the tape was off her mouth.

"you see, this is why I don't like having girls around." He pulled out a stick of cigarette and lit it. "too much noise." He puffed the smoke in her face.

"Let me out of here." Luciana yelled, coughing from the smoke.

"Not yet." He instructed Viktor to remove the blindfold.

As the fabric fell away, Luciana's eyes fluttered open, blinking rapidly as if emerging from a deep haze.

Her gaze was unfocused, like a patient regaining consciousness after anesthesia

" I know you." She said, her eyes widened with shock. " you're the man from the gala... and my nightmares." She whispered

"hi baby girl, I am Antonio "Massimo" Bianchi, il più grande di tutti i tempi. Nice to meet you." his smile widened.

Luciana's gaze flicked to his outstretched hand. "whatever the fuck it is you just said, let me go!," she yelled, ignoring his hand.

Antonio chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He lowered himself, his left hand brushing against her ear as he tucked her hair behind it.

"Not yet baby girl. I've been waiting for you . You have something that belongs to me"

"what is it? Let me out of here" she struggled, but her hands were firmly tied behind her back

He let out a short laugh. "you will have a great time here, I assure you"

"tonto borracho!" She spat out in her language.

He lit another cigarette, the flame dancing in the dim light as he chuckled to himself.

Pacing around Luciana in slow circles, he seemed to be savoring the moment.

But his amusement was short-lived, as the sound of raised voices drifted from outside the room.

He strode to the door, his eyes squinting as he peered through the keyhole. A muttered curse escaped his lips.

"Let her in," he growled, his tone abrupt.

He turned back to Luciana, a sly smile spreading across his face. "It seems we have a visitor. I forgot to mention that."

Luciana tried to balance her head to see who it was. She felt dehydrated and was losing her remaining strength.

Just then, the door swung open, and a familiar scent filled the room. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the perfume.

Antonio moved away from her, revealing a figure standing in the doorway. Luciana's eyes widened as she took in the familiar features.

"Emily?"

CHAPTER 3

"Emily?" Luciana's eyes widened with joy as Emily approached her.

"Oh Emily, I'm so glad you're here," she exclaimed, relief washing over her. "How did you find me? The taxi...that night..."

Emily's expression was somber, her eyes filled with a mix of worry and guilt. " oh Ana! I got here as soon as I heard," she said softly.

Luciana's gaze pleaded with Emily. "Come untie me. Let's get out of here, please."

"oh yes, of course." Emily walked to her and lowered herself as if trying to loosen the ropes tying her feet. Then she paused, look up at Luciana and burst into a roar of laughter.

"Emily, what ..what happened? Why are you laughing?" Luciana's eyes searched for answers, as she looked at her friend.

"Shut up Luciana!" Emily rose up. She walked over to Antonio, who had been silently observing the scene. She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him passionately.

Luciana's face contorted in desperation. " Emily come over here." She sniffed. "Please, untie me. Let's go," she begged, tears streaming down her face

Emily laughed. "You're not going anywhere."

Antonio's eyes sparkled with amusement as he clapped his hands. "What a drama queen," he said, his voice filled with sarcasm.

"Luciana, or should I say Ana?" He sauntered towards her. "Let me introduce you to my fiancée."

He turned to Emily, his hand closing around hers like a vice. "Princess Sophia of the Spanish Colonel," he announced, mockery all over his voice.

Emily, or rather Sophia, curtsied low, with a look of sarcasm. "Thank you, my lord."

Luciana's eyes darted between Sophia and Antonio, confusion and shock all over her face. "I...I don't understand," she stuttered.

"Em, you know him?"

Sophia frowned. "Don't call me that trash name!" she spat. "Are you deaf? Didn't you just hear my name?"

Luciana's eyes welled up with tears as she sniffled. She opened her mouth to speak, but her voice failed her. She bowed her head, and her body shook with sobs.

When she finally found her voice, her words were enveloped with pain and accusation.

"So you knew all along this was going to happen," she said, her voice cracking. "You knew he was going to be at the gala. That's why you coerced me into attending. Lying to me that it would help my mother with her hospital bills."

The feeling of being betrayed overwhelmed her so much, she wished to be swallowed by the ground at the sound of their mockery.

Sophia's eyes sparkled as she let out a wicked laugh. "Should I have just told you that you were going to get kidnapped, so I needed you to be there?" she taunted. "You're even more naive than I thought."

"all these years, you pretended to be my friend. You got a job where I worked? Just to monitor me?"

"I'd do anything for my sweetheart." Sophia faced Antonio with a smile.

"I told you about my mother. I taught you how to make coffee for 6 years. I showed you my weakness." She sniffed the fluid running from her nose and spat it towards Sophia. "I'll strangle you once I'm set free. solo pruébame!." Her eyes displayed a mixture of anger and vulnerability.

"Ana baby" Sophia laughed. "you and I know you can't even hurt a fly."

Antonio's voice cut through the tension. "Well, well, ladies. Show's over." He turned to Luciana, an intimidating smile spreading across his face. "And you, my dear prisoner, are coming with us to Italy."

Luciana's eyes widened in horror as Antonio's words hung in the air. She struggled against her restraints, but they held firm.

Antonio's turned his gaze from Luciana's face. "Viktor!" he called out, his voice echoing through the room.

Viktor appeared instantly. "Yes, boss?"

"Get one of the jets ready," Antonio instructed with a blunt tone. "We're leaving for Italy by noon tomorrow."

Viktor nodded curtly. "Yes, boss." He turned and left the room.

" we are going to Italy so soon? we just arrived, can't we go next week?" Sophia asked Antonio

"I don't work by your rules, woman." Antonio fired at her, prompting Sophia to erupt into laughter

Luciana's eyes blazed with fury as she faced Sophia, who was laughing in the corner. "You evil witch!"

Sophia's laughter ceased, and she sauntered towards Luciana, her face already boing with rage. "What did you call me?" she asked.

Luciana's bravery faltered for a moment, but she stood her ground. "You're a-"

The rest of her words were cut off as Sophia's palm connected with Luciana's cheek, the force of the slap sending Luciana crashing to the ground.

The chair she was tied to added weight to her fall, causing her to cry out in pain. Luciana's lips throbbed with pain, and she could taste the metallic tang of blood in her mouth.

But before Sophia could strike again, Antonio intervened. He grabbed her by the chin and pinned her against the wall, his eyes blazing with anger.

"Don't forget, you're in my territory," he hissed, his breath warm on Sophia's face. "If you lay your hands on my property again, I promise your remains will be taken home."

Sophia's eyes went wide with fear as Antonio's grip tightened around her chin.

She struggled against him, but he held her fast, his fingers digging deep into her skin.

He finally let her go as he went over to Luciana to lift her, displaying his strength and agility.

He wiped off the blood dripping from her mouth, his touch gentle despite the anger that still simmered in his eyes.

Luciana felt a surge of madness towards him as he lifted her. property?

Antonio turned to Sophia. "you need to leave now. Go get yourself ready for tomorrow or jump into the ocean. Do anything but stay here. Leave my sight this moment!"

Sophia murmured some words before leaving the room, banging the door behind her.

* * * * * * *

"Help! Somebody, help me!" Luciana struggled against the ropes, her wrists and ankles burning from the tight restraints.

She shouted for help, her voice hoarse from screaming.

The bodyguard outside the room banged on the door. "Shut up, girl!" he growled. "No one's coming to save you."

Luciana ignored him, continuing to shout and struggle. She knew she had to keep trying, no matter how futile it seemed.

As she wriggled and twisted, the ropes began to loosen slightly. Her heart leapt with hope.

Maybe, just maybe, she could escape.

She continued struggling with the ropes, trying so hard not to cry from the pain the loss of circulation of blood, caused by the tight rope, was giving her.

Then she loosed the rope from her hand, and started working on the rope on her feet.

Just as she managed to break free, the door swung open, and Viktor, Antonio's consigliere, stepped inside. A look of surprise danced in his eyes.

"You're a feisty one, I'll give you that," he said. "But you're not going anywhere."

Luciana looked at him with puppy eyes, her fist clenched together in pleas.

"Please let me go before that monster takes me to Italy." She knew crying wouldn't work on kidnappers. She had seen too many movies about them, but she had to try.

She went on her knees and held his hand. "I have a sick mother to care for. You have a mother. You should know how I feel."

Viktor retrieve his hand from her hold and pushed her to the floor. "I don't have a mother." He said, looking away.

Then almost immediately, Antonio walked back into the room, a look of mild annoyance on his face. Viktor was standing over Luciana, a smirk on his face.

"What's going on here?" Antonio asked, his eyes narrowing as he noticed the loosed ropes and a freed Luciana on the floor.

"She tried to escape, boss."

Antonio's gaze flicked to the ropes, then back to Viktor. "who tied her up?" he asked, his eyes filled with rage

"Vinnie."

"call him here." Antonio instructed, and Vinnie came running in, seconds after.

"did you tie her up?" Antonio rubbed his jaw

Vinnie nodded. "Yes, boss. I made sure she was secure."

"Secure? She was about to escape." Antonio faced him.

"I-I'm sorry, boss. I didn't think she'd be able to get free."

Antonio snapped his fingers and grinned. "You didn't think," he repeated, his voice filled with disdain. "That's the problem with you, Vinnie. You don't think."

Without warning, Antonio pulled out a gun and pressed it to Vinnie's temple. "You're supposed to be one of my best guard," he hissed. "But you can't even keep one little girl tied up."

Vinnie's eyes went wide with terror. "P-please, boss," he stuttered. "I'll do better, I swear."

Antonio chuckled lightly. "I don't think so," he said, and pulled the trigger.

The sound of the gunshot was deafening. Luciana screamed, her eyes fixed on Vinnie's lifeless body.

He turned to her, his gun still smoking. "You see, Luciana," he said. "I don't tolerate failure. And right now, you're a liability."

Luciana crawled back away from him. "P-please," she stuttered. "Don't hurt me."

"Ana, Ana" he said, shaking his head. "You're so... spirited. I like that about you.

He returned his gun to his waistband. "now, let's get you tied up."

With a quick, efficient motion, he tightened the ropes, making sure Luciana couldn't move this time.

"There," he said, stepping back to admire his handiwork. "That should keep you out of trouble."

Antonio turned to Viktor. "Viktor, when will the jet be ready? I don't have all day."

Viktor nodded promptly. "I'll confirm with the station again, boss." He signaled two guards outside to come remove the lifeless body.

Antonio tapped his shoulder and stared into his eyes.

"do that quickly. I have a meeting with the administration and I don't want to keep them waiting. I need to stay on their good side. Do You understand?"

"yes boss." Viktor nodded and walked out.

He turned to Luciana. "Ms. Grace will bring you a selection of clothes and shoes to change into. She'll also prepare a meal for you. Then, we'll be departing for Italy. Ciao," he turned and left the room.