Chapter 11

FREYA

I screamed and felt tears of complete terror pour down my face.

I ran.

I wasn’t even sure where I was running to; I just let my legs carry me away from the nightmare that my life had become. I heard heavy footsteps running after me as I sprinted up the stairs, knowing it was Luca, or Bruzzatore, on my heels.

I panicked and ran into the first room I came across.

That room just so happened to be the one I had first woken up in with him.

I slammed the door shut and locked it. I backed away from it.

It took precisely one second for something hard and large to start pounding against the door.

I sobbed as the entire room shook. It seemed he was really strong when he was in this state.

I continued to step backward until I felt my back meet the window on the other side of the room. I slid down, hugging my knees to my chest.

~He’s trying to break down the door.~

~Oh my God. This is how I die.~

The door shuddered like it was seconds away from splintering. In the middle of the pounding, the door handle jiggled.

I suddenly heard Matteo’s voice.

“Donna, let him in! He’s not going to hurt you!”

There was no way in hell I would do that. And by the looks of it, I didn’t have to let Bruzzatore in. He would do that all on his own. Any second now, the door would come crashing down.

And then I would be at his mercy.

Then, just like that, the door exploded away from its hinges and flew into the room, sliding a few feet across the floor. Bruzzatore came charging in and his eyes immediately connected with mine. I whimpered, hugging my body tighter, as if it would hide me from the monster of a man in front of me.

He approached me in a regal way, his chest puffed out and his head held high.

When he was only a foot in front of me, he finally spoke.

“Bow to me,” he demanded.

“What?” I asked, in complete confusion. Matteo stepped forward.

“He’s trying to assert his dominance over you as you have denied his possession of you. He wants you to submit to him,” Matteo said, standing in the doorway, his eyes wide as he watched us.

“I-I—” I said, trying to speak over my panic.

“Donna, just do what he wants. You will not like the outcome if you do not.”

I looked into Bruzzatore’s terrifying eyes, and he bared his teeth once more.

I slowly nodded my head, knowing that it would not be smart to upset him any more than I already had.

Feeling a strange combination of terrified and confused, I leaned forward into a low bow.

A moment later, I felt warm hands on the back of my neck, and a trail of goosebumps erupted down my back. I felt sick.

“Good girl,” came that strange, not-Luca voice again. His hands cupped my face and lifted my gaze until I was looking right into his eyes.

Then he leaned forward and placed his nose on my neck, right where he’d branded me.

“Do not be scared, Donna,” Matteo said from his spot in the doorway.

“Don would never hurt you.”

At that moment, Bruzzatore froze and turned to face Matteo.

“How dare you still be here?” he snarled, his voice almost animalistic. “Leave me and the Donna in peace at once.”

Almost instantaneously, Matteo backed out of the room. Bruzzatore’s eyes followed him, narrowed with anger and distrust.

Panic shot through my chest. Matteo couldn’t leave. Then I’d be alone with the insane, two-personalitied man who’d kidnapped me and was now almost certainly going to kill me.

“No, Matteo, please don’t leave. You can’t leave me alone with him. Please, please don’t leave.”

More tears ran down my cheeks. Bruzzatore looked back at me, his eyes softening a bit.

“You don’t need to fear me, Donna,” he said, although even those words sent a shiver of fear down my spine.

“I can’t stay. It is not in my nature to disobey him. And he really wants me to leave,” Matteo explained, retreating. “He believes I am a threat to you in your overwhelmed state.”

I had no clue how Matteo knew these things, but he seemed so sure of himself and so calm, even though Bruzzatore seemed about ready to strangle him.

As Bruzzatore’s murderous gaze returned to him, Matteo took another step out of the room.

“No, Matteo,” I said frantically, my voice breaking. “Don’t leave me. Please.”

He gave me a sympathetic look. “He won’t hurt you, I promise.”

I sobbed. I was scared out of my mind.

Matteo glanced at me once more before saying, “I’m sorry,” and left the room.

Leaving me alone with Bruzzatore.