*Vincenzo's POV*
Punishments are simple things for,there's no need–okay,There's usually no need to put much thought into it.
Or you could have actually pissed me off that I decided to let you live forever scarred by nightmares of your torture.
Or you could just die,which was the more merciful yet more boring of the two.
I prefer how Cameron went,busted up shoulder and a man to make his asshole a bit larger but alive nonetheless.
Luca's case, however, was different.
I had planned he would get the best of both worlds.
Scarred and Dead.
My bandaged hand stood as proof I didn't take his matters lightly and it would be a crime to my own existence not to execute this plan to full fruition.
"Mr.Del Toro?" Kai called.
The index vibrantly tapping on my knee stopped and I raised an eyebrow of recognition.
"Would you like to go over the details one more time?"
Kai ran one of the most influential news distribution companies in the world. Providing 'security' for him would ensure I could shape the media's narrative on important issues as his business partner,including how much and exactly what the media would know about me.
We weren't fooling ourselves here,my security firm provided way more than just bodyguards and night patrol,he knew exactly what he was getting into and so did I.
Whatever shady men he had screwed over wouldn't dare cross the lines knowing I was his new alliance.
However,I didn't know who these men were and I didn't like this game when all the variables weren't presented before me.
But with the red I'm about to unleash,it was wise I take this deal, and even wiser that I looked committed to the bit and actually fucking listen to him.
"Yes." I sat up and angled my elbows,so I at least looked attentive. "How soon will you need my services?"
"Immediately actually."he laughed cockily and glanced around the room. "We have a business trip to Russia in a few days and we'd like to go–"
Another eye drag at us.
"Fortified."
My mind drifts to Evangeline on both knees holding on my my feet,tears streaking down her face.
Begging me to let Luca go,to let him live.
Swearing everything to me in between cries and hiccups.
The sight of her offering herself,dignity and life to me to save a fraud like Luca made the entire point of stopping them fall to crap.
If anything I reinforced their little bond,she sees him as a martyr now and what's more attractive to a Saint than someone killed for her.
What the fuck was I even thinking?
She probably thinks I'm a monster-she wouldn't be completely wrong but still,I would have loved a chance to curate my own image.
An interaction at a time.
"So what do you say?"
My eyes formed the scene before me and pieced it as my present and I realized again that I still wasn't listening.
At this point,I could feel the weight of the glances from the men in the air.
This is pointless.
I needed to go do something to take my mind off 'the situation'.
I had boring corporate shit stockpiling into a heap at this point,maybe instead of going to blow Luca's brains off-I could focus on that first.
Plus,the damn man was unconscious,I have to nurse him back to health so he can enjoy the process as much as I will.
"Send the documents to my secretary."I said dismissively, getting out of my seat.
"But Mr.Del Toro–"
"You'll have people with you in Russia."I assured heading out the door.
His emphasis on Russia suggests that's where his greatest threat was,I would deep dive into who exactly it was for more leverage on him.
Everyone knows you can't trust these tycoons,especially when they look so clean.
My job here isn't to completely neutralise the threat,at least not yet.
It's always best to have leverage,just in case.
***
"Vincenzo?"Deena called the second she spotted me. "Welcome."
I internally groaned but obliged myself to turn to her.
Deena was the only staff member allowed to call me by my name,she had been the one that took care of me the final years of my childhood and it has been impossible to get rid of her since.
It felt right to put her in charge of Evangeline–key word on 'felt'. I no longer felt that way.
Now it felt like she doubled as a judge and heavily questioned my methods,which again--understandable but not encouraged.
"What do you want?"
"She refuses to eat."
I am too exhausted to exclaim and simply begin blaming myself for not seeing that coming somehow.
"Yes."Deena continued even after my dull reaction.
"I checked in with the chef and she had rushed out before breakfast this morning and has told me she had no appetite for lunch and dinner–which is now a concerning amount of time not to have an appetite given how long she cried."
I glared at the subtle blame in the comment but said nothing.
"What does she even think she's doing?"
I whispered to myself.
"I think it's called a hunger strike."Deena answered without invitation.
I would strangle this woman if she had actually cared for her life.
"Not to pry but I think her appetite would be significantly increased if the bedroom door was unlocked and perhaps her phone was given back to her?"
"No."I shut down immediately,my voice turning firm. "Nothing changes."
I wasn't patient enough to watch her attempt a romantic getaway again.
"Vicenzo–"
"Not another word."
The thought of her starving haunted me again.
"Just place the food in the room,let's see if she'll resist that."
Deena stared at me in disappointment as I made my way up the stairs. I should have gone to my own place instead. With Deena here,this was going to do me more damage than good.
I shouldn't have brought her here.
I shouldn't have let Evangeline even see Luca.
I shouldn't have gotten myself into this mess in fact.
If Evangeline didn't exist,we wouldn't be in this situation. It's all her fault.
With her little bun and perfect soft voice and fuck-I hate her.
Before I can make it past her room,I hear Deena's loud voice hollering downstairs.
"Did I mention she also hasn't been drinking?"
Now this was just ridiculous.She cant keep this up forever… Where did she even get the idea of a hunger strike?
There's no way she cant keep this up forever–she'll have to stop eventually.
Yeah,like when she dies of starvation.
I looked up to the ceiling and for the first time in ages.I prayed for strength and unlocked her bedroom door.
I don't know what I expected to see,the room in disarray,things broken–
But I don't even see her to begin with.
I caught sight of myself in the mirror and decided it'll be wise to take out anything sharp before she gets any bright ideas.
She casually walks out of the bathroom and stops at the door--I find myself freezing at the sight of her again.
Her hair is blonde again and she looks fairly herself apart from the fire in her eyes threatening to torch me.
"Where's he?"Her voice is hoarse,hard.
I shrugged.
"Did you kill Luca?"
The sound of his name on her tongue sounded like profanity,my jaw clenched so hard,I think I heard a crack.
"Where's he?"Her voice is hoarse,hard.
I shrugged nonchalantly.
"Did you kill him?"
"Don't let matters like that worry that pretty head of yours-do you know what should worry it though?"
She blinks.
"Nutrition."I nodded,enunciating as if I'm speaking to a child.
"I will not have a single morsel until I am assured that Luca is safe and–"
"Then you will starve to death!"I yelled,losing my temper. I notice her nearly jump out of her skin but I'm too far gone over the line to care.
"I'm not going to offer you comfort about your lover–and I'm not going to ask for your permission to eat your own fucking
"You stole me."
"No sweetheart,I'm not a thief,I clicked my tongue. "I bought you,there's a difference."
"And that makes things better?"she screams back.
"It's how this world runs,Evangeline. You are no better than anyone,Stop blaming me for your miseries cause you were not for sale-you wouldn't have been bought."
I see realization slap her in the face as her eyes turn glossy and I can feel that that stung.
I'm truly on a roll today here.
At this point-I should audition for some sort of competition to make women cry. This time I didn't have to include anything about Luca--that's pure talent.
She turns away from me and wipes her eyes with the back of her hand,when she turns back to me–her eyes are flames again.
"Did you have anything to do with my father?"
I scoffed.
At this point,I'm just baffled.
"So you really live by Luca's word alone,huh?"
"That doesn't answer my question."
"Maybe if I just stitch his mouth together,he won't be putting all these ideas in your head."
"You wouldn't fucking dare–"
I gasped dramatically and walk towards her.
"Now when I said to reserve the cursing for the bedroom,I was hoping there would be more fun activities involved."
The other half of her body lunges forward and she holds a broken piece of mirror at my neck.
My gaze jumps between the inefficient weapon,the inefficient wielder and the size of said inefficient wielder.
A smile spreads across my face,sending her face into a sheer confused state.
"Evangeline,"I began,thrill coursing rapid through me. "Am I going to be your first murder?"