Page 7 of Bleed with Me

Looking around the spacious living room one last time, I planned to return tomorrow with new additions to my secret collection. But when the elevator door opened, I almost collapsed. The ordinary day became a nightmare in a split second when my gaze clashed with Sonny’s.

“What are you doing here?” I asked without greeting him, my eyes narrowing when he confidently strolled out of the elevator. I slowly backed away, wondering how the hell he got past the reception. They never let anyone in without prior notice.

“We need to talk, fiancée,” he replied casually, glancing around. “Your daddy set up a nice place for you.” He brushed his fingers against the deer statue on the chest of drawers, walking further into the room. “It’ll be easy to sell it for a solid price.”

“W-what?” I gasped, barely recognizing my voice. We were on the highest floor, and the memories of the last time we were alone together quickly resurfaced. My body instantly went into fight-or-flight mode.

“You don’t have a hearing problem, Nina,” he snapped, his slightly insane eyes piercing my skull. “This apartment will be the first thing you’ll get rid of.”

“Why would I sell the place I use?” I frowned, and he flashed me another sinister look before he plopped into the armchair, facing me.

“Do you think I don’t know what it is?” He crossed his long legs at the ankles and placed his hands on the armrest. It was ridiculous how he pretended to be some powerful mafia boss from an old photo. He was obsessed with the status but had no idea what it meant in real life. “I won’t allow you to have a place to bring your lovers to.”

“Lovers?” I echoed with incredulity dripping from my tongue. “I don’t have a lover.”

“No?” he barked, rising to his feet so abruptly I flinched away. “Then why do you keep resisting the marriage?”

I gulped, staring into his sickening face. I wished to spit the truth at him, leave, and never look back. But he would snap me in half if I dared to do it. So I chose a different tactic.

“I’m hesitant to marry a man who seems to hate me,” I replied after a slight pause, keeping my voice steady. Surprisingly, Sonny chuckled, shaking his head as if what I said was complete nonsense.

“You naive girl.” He approached me, a wide grin splitting his face. “I don’t hate you.” He stopped before me, looking down at me with pity, before his expression changed to madness. “I fucking despise you!”

I couldn’t react quickly enough when he punched me in my stomach. The blow was so hard I bent forward, yelping in pain. The shock traveled through my body, shifting into a sick ache that weakened my knees. Before my arms could encircle my middle in a desperate attempt to protect myself, he hit me again, and I collapsed to the ground like a rag doll.

My vision blurred, and I gasped for air while the pain quickly spread. I pulled my knees to my chest, clutching my abdomen, my mouth hanging open but unable to draw in a breath. I started to cough, every movement of my torso bringing a wave of nausea until I almost vomited.

“You’re such a weakling,” Sonny snarled, disgust lacing his words, crouching beside my quivering body. The size difference between us, and the realization that I was completely at his mercy, sent raw panic through my veins.

He glared at me through narrowed eyes, with pure hatred contorting his features. I could barely see through the wetness blocking my sight, but he looked ready to kill me.

“If you weren’t Giovanni’s only granddaughter, I would never set my eyes on you,” he seethed. “I would never tie my life to a fucking filthy bastard!”

Lucky me, I thought with irony, gasping for air. The pain in my abdomen lessened, but the tremor in my body stayed. I shook violently at his feet, unable to think of how to get away from his reach.

“So, listen to me very carefully, Nina.” He grabbed my chin with his large hand with such force that I was sure his fingers would imprint into my skin. “I’ll marry your stupid ass, and you will keep that sassy mouth of yours closed. Or I swear to God, I’ll fucking smash your teeth in. I won’t let you destroy my opportunity to work with royalty. Do. You. Understand?”

I pressed my lips into the thin, and my heart almost broke through my ribcage. Tears streamed down my face as I slowly nodded, hoping he would finally let me go.

“Use your words,” Sonny commanded, pulling my face toward his. It was a perfect position to spit at him, to show him that I disgusted him much more than he disgusted me, but it would be my death sentence. So, I obeyed like a trained monkey, saying the words he wished to hear.

“I u-understand,” I whispered, my chin quivering. He snickered, shaking his head mockingly as if he was staring at a pathetic bug on his shiny shoe.

“Terrific,” he hissed, letting go of my jaw abruptly. The back of my head hit the wooden floor, the pain exploding in my skull.

I turned my face to the ground, my hair falling at my sides to muffle my whimpers from him. Lying on my poor, beaten stomach, I hoped to hear his steps and the elevator sound that would signal he was on his way from my apartment, but he didn’t move. I slowly pushed my hair behind my ear, my gaze climbing his long legs and torso until I saw his face. He glared down at me with so much hatred that I looked to the side just to avoid it.

“Filthy bastard,” he muttered and finally walked away.

Painful groans escaped me while I crawled to the couch. Helpless tears streamed down my face, unwilling to stop falling from my eyes.

If I couldn’t find a way to flee the marriage, it would be my end. Perhaps I should tell Lucas to get me a fake ID after all. It wouldn’t stop my father from finding me, but what else could I do if the plan with the Zhumagulovs didn’t work? I couldn’t stay here and let this lunatic kill me.

Supporting my body against the wall, I dragged myself into my secret sanctuary. Dorian’s face smiled at me from all directions, planting a seed of hope in my chest.

One meeting was all I needed to make him notice me. I would make it happen. I had to!

-5-