Unspoken Betrayal (Casino King)

18. Nicki

Luca is standing over me in the freezer, his hands in his pockets as he stares down at me.

I am shivering so badly I can hardly take in a breath of air.

"Your father betrayed your entire family, Nicki. He betrayed you, your sister - his own wife."

"Leave me the fuck alone, Luca."

"But baby - my love - you don't need a family that doesn't care about you. I would never betray you. In fact, I have a plan to get rid of your family, so that you can join me. You don't need them, or my asshole brother."

"I will never love you, Luca," I say between misty breaths as the warm air from my lungs clouds into the freezer.

Luca crouches down in front of me, grabbing my chin with his long slender fingers and dragging my face towards his. "If I have to kill my own brother to make you love me, then that is what I will do, Nicola."

He growls the threat at me, with his eyes narrowed and piercing into my soul.

I believe him, but I can't let him control me with fear.

He stands up, running his hands through his hair, regaining his composure.

"I have plans for my own family too. Our name will go to new heights. This new side of the business - I had to run it with my rivals - because my brother is too narrow-minded to embrace the new world of financial success. There are billions to be made in human trafficking." A laugh rolls off Luca's lips. "I will be feared and revered by everyone." He grins, tilting his head to the side and watching my reaction.

I keep my mouth tightly closed, not saying a word, giving him nothing.

"Luca."

My head spins towards the door as the familiar voice shouts his brother's name.

"Vitorio," I whisper, with desperate hope.

"Vit…" I scream, but a sharp slap cuts me off.

"Shut up. I have to go and deal with an unwanted visitor, but I won't be long." Luca walks out of the freezer and the door slams shut behind him.

I sit in tension like I have never felt before in my life.

Is he just going to walk out there and shoot Vitorio? Why didn't Vitorio sneak in? Why did he announce his arrival like that?

I try to stand up, but my legs are so sore I can't even unfold them.

I've been in here for too long. I am feeling so tired that I can barely keep my eyes open.

I wrap my arms around my shoulders and lean my face against my knees.

"Please hurry Vitorio," I whisper in despair, as I close my eyes, to try and keep my vision from turning black.

A loud sound snaps through the air and my head shoots up. For a second, I can't figure out where I am. Then I see Vitorio. The blurry outline of him, and the fuzzy vision of a man's dead body falling to the floor in front of him.

"Vitorio." His name leaves my lips as barely a whisper.

I have to stand up. I have to get up and run to him. I rock my body forward, as my legs scream in pain. I gasp as my bones feel as though they will shatter.

Then I feel Vitorio lifting me in his arms. He spins around to face the wall of armed men. "I'm sorry." He says, as he throws me over his shoulder and my entire body screams in pain again. "I'm getting you out of here." I wrap my numb fingers around the fabric of his shirt and fight through the pain as he makes his way out of the warehouse. I can't even focus on what is going on around me, just on the fact that everything, absolutely every piece of me is starting to warm up against him, and with that comes an unbearable amount of agony.

The numbness I felt in the freezer was better than this.

We burst out into the open sky and the bright light slams into my cold eyes.

I can't breathe. It hurts too much.

"Put me down. Put me down." I beg. It feels like my skin is on fire.

Vitorio carefully drops me to my feet, holding his arm out to steady me.

I bite down hard, clenching through the pain, as I let the weight of my body settle on my legs.

"We have to go, Nicki." He says with urgency.

"I know. I'm so sorry. The pain." I squeeze my eyes shut. "It's ok, I can walk."

"Lean on me." He says, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me up against his body.

We start making our way further from the warehouse.

My heart begins to feel hope, just at the wrong moment.

I glance over my shoulder at the sound of footsteps and cry out in horror.

"Vitorio."

He spins to face Luca and six other men.

"Step away from her, Vitorio," Luca demands.

"You will have to shoot me." Vitorio snarls.

"No," I shout in horror. "Let me go - step away."

I take a shaking step away from Vitorio who is fighting against letting me go.

Two of the men step close to Vitorio, grabbing each of his arms and forcing him to his knees.

"Nicki, I am going to give you a choice," Luca says, walking over to me and wrapping his arm around my body, pulling me tightly against his muscular chest.

I take a sharp breath, trying to force my emotions under control.

"I know that you and my brother have been asking a lot of questions lately. I want to know what you found out. Everything." He stares down at me, lifting my chin with his finger so that I have no choice but to look into his eyes.

"You said I had a choice. What is the choice?"

Luca's hand drifts down my back, caressing my body and I fight the urge to gag.

His hand brushes up the back of my neck, twisting in my hair, he yanks my head back and hovers his lips above mine, his breath warm against my mouth.

I shut my eyes, wishing this moment away.

I feel his lips press into mine. Not a kiss, but a touch. And then the vibration of a laugh against my mouth. He pulls his lips away from mine.

"Well, yes, I did say that. OK - tell me what you know - or - I will shoot Vitorio in both of his knees."

"You sick fuck." I snap angrily. "He's your brother."

Luca laughs as he yanks my head back again and this time he kisses me properly. His lips glide over mine and his tongue slips into my mouth. I squeal against his mouth, fighting to get away. His laughter is cold and heartless. He pulls away to stare into my eyes.

"I don't give a shit about whether or not he is my brother. He doesn't care about me - so why should I care about him? The only thing that matters to me is my business. And you two have been gathering information that can impact my new venture quite dramatically. I need to know what the fuck you know."

I glance over at Vitorio. His expression is tight as the men hold him securely, with their guns pointed at the back of his head.

If I tell Luca what we know, there is no way to guess how he will react. If I tell him everything he will go after the people who have helped us. I have no idea whose lives will be in danger.

On the other hand, if I withhold that information, I still have some kind of bargaining chip to use to possibly help us get away.

I stare into Vitorio's eyes.

He shakes his head, ever so slightly.

"Come on sweetheart. We don't have all day." Luca's fingers dig into my side, and I wince in pain.

If I don't tell him, he is going to shoot Vitorio.

My mind is filled with panic and fear.

Either I hurt the man I love, or I put a lot of people in danger.

The man I love.

I look at Vitorio again.

And in that moment, I fully, completely, and deeply accept that I am in love with him.

And for that reason, the next words out of my mouth practically destroy my heart.

"Last chance," Luca whispers against my ear, almost seductively.