10. Camellia
10
Camellia
“We could slip away at night.” My sister squeezes my hands as she tries to talk sense into me. “Bus tickets aren’t too expensive. Let’s just go somewhere far away and make something of ourselves. We can steal something here and sell it. I bet asshole burns a hole in his wallet buying stupid stuff.”
“Uh, I don’t think I want to steal from these guys.” I tried stealing information and look at what happened.
Urzo sighs, rolling his eyes. He might as well be a part of the wall as he watches over us, but he has no issue wearing his thoughts on his face. He thinks the plan is stupid as well.
Probably shouldn’t plot out an escape plan in front of a Bertelli family member, but my sister seems desperate.
“I can’t leave,” I tell her softly. “Santino has promised me something no one ever has.”
She squeezes my hands tighter. “You can’t trust him. They’re all the same, Camellia. All they care about is power and money. Rocco is the same way. He refused to send anyone for you. He wouldn’t even offer up money in hopes of getting you back.” Her brows come together. “Wouldn’t even see if you were still alive.”
I can hear the waiver of her voice. She’s still clearly upset. There’s a layer of exhaustion weighing down on her eyes, thanks to a promised night of tossing and turning.
“Now that I’m here, I’m sure he’s killing those who let me slip out.” She grimaces and shakes her head. Leaning closer, she purposely lowers her voice. “He’s got big plans, Cam. I just fucked him over by leaving the way I did. He wanted to use both of us.”
There’s a little tremble to her fingers and I move my hands so I’m the one giving her a reassuring squeeze. “You didn’t leave to just get me, did you?”
As much as I love my sister, I’d be terrified to go to an enemy’s base to rescue someone else. I’d have to be desperate to run away from the life she has.
She’s hesitant at first before her eyes lower. Soon, she shakes her head.
“He’s been hinting at it for weeks now, nagging me about my responsibilities. Throw in how often he’s had meetings with a neighboring family, I think… No, I’m sure of it. He plans on marrying me off. Like I’m a piece of currency to help him with this stupid fight of his, he’s going to use me to get another family on his side. Just last night, he spent hours on the phone trying to push this marriage along. He should’ve been trying to rescue you, but no. He’s too good for that. Barking orders to get a marriage certificate and everything…”
I try to imagine what she’s trying to tell me. My brows come together as I work out who could’ve been the potential suitor. I might’ve rarely left in my room, but my window gave me more than enough of a view.
“Marino?” I whisper as I pick at my brain for names. “Someone from that family has been visiting a lot. I can’t remember his first name, though. It’s the guy with the eye patch, right?”
Her brows lift high before she nods. “Yeah, that guy. Sure, he’s not bad looking and all, but Rocco hasn’t even introduced us. He thinks I’d want to marry a complete stranger? Something tells me if I wouldn’t have left today, I’d be picking out a ring by the end of the day.” She scoffs and rolls her eyes before pausing. “Wait, how did you know that? I didn’t even know which family he was from.”
Before I can tell her about how much time I’ve spent sneaking around, there’s movement.
She jumps as a hand clamps down on her shoulder. We both look up to see Urzo staring down at her. His nostrils are flared, his stare heavy. For once, there’s a hint of emotion on his face. Unfortunately for us, it’s rage.
I guess he can hear rather well. That, or we stopped whispering halfway through the secret.
“Santino needs to hear about this immediately.” He easily plucks her up by the arm as if she’s nothing more than a rag doll. Like whiplash, her body jerks with his.
Eliza growls at him, digging her nails into his hand to try to loosen his iron grip. “That hurts , you asshole!”
He curses under his breath and releases his hold. “You need a fucking mute button.”
“Excuse me?” Already balling up her fists, I can see the heat filling her gaze, and I sigh softly.
Pressing a palm against her back, he pauses before looking over his shoulder. He squints at me like he can’t decide if I need to come as well. We were just discussing escape plans, after all. Finally, he makes up his mind.
“Be good.” Turning, he shoves my sister towards the door, ignoring any insults she sends his way as she stumbles forward.
I hope he doesn’t get frustrated with her. She never knows when to cool down, even when it’s good for her.
Left to my devices, I groan and sigh.
I don’t want to leave this place. I don’t want Eliza to give up on me and try to make it on her own. I don’t want Rocco to come hunt her down.
There’s so much I don’t want.
For just a moment, I got a taste of happiness. Now, I’m right back to stressing.
God, when did everything turn upside down?
There was a time when everything was easy. Back when our father was alive. My siblings were loving. Rocco was a completely different person. He was soft, caring and… he had a heart. He spoke to me like I was a person. Protected me like a big brother would.
Our father was poisoned, our mother disappeared, and everything burned to the ground. Rocco was thrown into the position with hardly much preparation, and many ties were cut.
The moment our mother disappeared, Rocco looked at me differently. Like an entirely different person. He looked like he wanted me dead, yet he never has tried to hurt me. Rather than physically cause me pain, he pretended I wasn’t part of the family. From that point forward, I stayed in my room. He didn’t kill me, but he didn’t let me live. Kept me like a secret never to get let out.
Eliza’s as clueless as I am about the matter. We’ve had this conversation a thousand times over.
Shaking my head at the reminder, I move to stand up.
I don’t want to be alone right now. Santino is busy from the sounds of it, and I’m sure I’d get in the way if I tried to follow the other two to figure out what was going on.
What I need is some fresh air. A place to clear my head.
While I am not anywhere close to having this place memorized, I can figure my way around. For the most part, I keep to myself. Clinging to the wall, I can feel the eyes pointed in my direction anytime I pass any men patrolling the estate.
I get it, I do. I am an enigma that no one understands. After getting caught, I shouldn’t still be breathing. What is so special about me that Santino has decided to let me live? It’s the same question I continue to ask myself every time I remind myself that I’m still alive.
Once someone has the answer, I would love to know.
Roaming the halls until I find what I came looking for, I eventually land at the same glass set of doors Bia took me to.
Stepping out to the courtyard, I move past the benches and keep walking toward the greenery. The grass tickles the soles of my feet with each step, and I take in a lungful of fresh air. It smells like a mixture of pine and floral, and a part of me wants to stay out here for the entire day. Roaming this garden sounds like a dream.
My feet carry me through the rose bushes, and I take in the different colors of flowers, a sight I’ve never seen before. So breathtaking, it distracts me from the warnings blaring in my head as I continue to walk.
Reaching the edge of the garden, I take in the stretch of untouched land that leads to heavy iron bars. There’s a gate wrapping around the entire state, barbed wire spiraling around top to make getting in or out impossible not to get injured.
As I stare at the bars, a grim realization starts to set in. I’m quick to realize that I’m not immediately thinking about finding another way to leave. Really, I’m not thinking about escaping at all.
If Eliza were the one who was standing here, she’d be searching for another way out.
Running a hand through my hair, I sigh softly and shake my head. One man alone has messed me up entirely.
A tiny voice in the back of my head is whispering that this is all too good to be true. There’s no way I’m being handed the life I’ve always wanted because I ran into a man who wants me.
Santino acts like he needs me.
All I can do is wait for the other shoe to drop. Wait until I’m completely made a fool of because I fell for the enemy’s tactics.
Just thinking about him that way makes my stomach tighten, and my lungs seize.
If this is all one big game for him, then I think my heart won’t be able to survive the outcome. Not after everything we’ve done. After everything I’ve given him.
Standing outside for what feels like an eternity, I hug myself as the air blows straight through me. With another gust of wind picking up, and a sky full of clouds that grow darker by the minute, promising a shower or two in the future, I turn and make my way back.
As soon as I’m inside, I hear the familiar sound of my sister shrieking. Immediately, my heart pounds as I can only imagine what is happening to her to make her sound like that. She sounds like she’s being tortured.
Santino is right, I’m not much of a runner. However, that doesn’t stop me from sprinting toward the sound of Eliza. It doesn’t take long before I’m out of breath and panting, flushed, and tired as I reach the grand staircase.
There she is, thrown over the shoulder of Urzo. Kicking and punching, the brick wall of the man doesn’t even flinch as he climbs each stair.
Eliza notices me rather quickly, reaching out as if I have enough to stop whatever this is from happening.
Before I can even think to ask any questions or try to follow them, a hand slides against my back and Santino is there.
“She’s fine,” he promises with an annoyed sigh. “She just doesn’t like what’s happening.”
My fingers tangle together as I look at him before taking in the betrayed expression on her face as I don’t rush in her aid.
I don’t even truly understand what is going on. Everything seems chaotic, too much for my liking.
“And what exactly is happening?” I ask him carefully, partially afraid to hear the answer.
“Rocco is trying to marry off your sister to strengthen his forces and attempt to take mine out.” He clicks his tongue in distaste. “My brother has volunteered to make the task impossible by giving her our last name.”
My brows come together as I try to comprehend what he is telling me fully.
“Bonds fuel us to fight. Another family won’t side with him unless they have something to protect. Something as easily as a friendship is not strong enough to risk losing members of your own. A matrimonial bond comes with the promise of protection. Soon, your brother won’t have that.” He puts pressure on his hand, trying to move me to wherever he wants to go next.
Unfortunately for him, I don’t budge. I stare at him, brows knitted together. “You can’t force her to marry your brother. You can’t just use her like that. Listen to her, she doesn’t want to be tied down.” I chew on my lip. “Rocco might try to arrange something, but she wouldn’t agree. She’d rather be kicked out than get married to a man she doesn’t love.”
“I’m sorry to say, but marrying her off is far easier than simply needing her consent. With the desperation that man has, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d force her to sign a marriage certificate with a barrel pressed against the back of her head.” He shakes his head. “This is the better option. As much as I don’t want her here, she needs to be for you to stay.”
Turning to look at my troubled expression, his eyes soften and his hands move to cup my jaw. Leaning in, he kisses me to make my thoughts sizzle.
“Urzo will not hurt her. Out of all of my men, he’s the one I know can put up with her without the use of violence. He wants this as much as she does. However, he is willing, simply because we need to do this to avoid any future problems with our family.” He kisses my forehead next before pulling away. “You trust me, don’t you?”
I shouldn’t. Yet, I do. I want to believe every word he says. All because I don’t know any better. My heart is in the same boat as my brain.
When I nod, he tilts my chin back, kisses me one last time, and then pulls me away from wherever Eliza has been taken.