Chapter 43
Bianca Ferrucci
Tiziano was on the phone when I woke up. He wasn’t in the bedroom, but I could hear his shouting echoing through the house.
I got up slowly and walked out to the small balcony. From up there, I saw Tiziano in the garden, surrounded by several men. They weren’t exactly with him, but positioned around him, like soldiers waiting for orders, still expecting something that never seemed to happen.
A wave of dizziness hit me, and I had to grip the doorframe, closing my eyes for a moment.
My heart was racing. Nervousness, fear. That was what was making me feel this way, or at least that was what I thought.
But then a powerful wave of nausea hit me, and I rushed to the bathroom, dropping to my knees in front of the toilet.
I threw up, and when I was done, I leaned against the cold bathroom wall, letting a few tears roll down my face.
The sight of Alessandro standing in the doorway startled me, and my entire body went cold.
“Are you not feeling well?” he asked in the calm tone he always used.
“What are you doing in my bedroom?” I asked, alarmed, instinctively pulling the thin fabric of my nightgown tighter around my body.
“I already told you, we’re siblings. I would never look at you any other way.”
“Get out,” I ordered. “And stop repeating that we’re siblings!”
He laughed softly.
“I’m going to give your husband what he wants. He seems frustrated.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I already told you, Bianca. He doesn’t trust you. That’s why he staged this entire circus and even brought you along.” He laughed again, mocking. “Son of a bitch.”
“And you? Where did you come from?” I whispered.
“Just like you, I’m a bastard. The son of a powerful man who liked to play around with the household maids. But unlike you, I’m a man, so he thought he could use me as a soldier.”
“He who?” I was becoming more confused by the second. “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“Our father, Bianca. Even if he’s worthless, his name is still good for something.”
“Not that I believe your story...” My words came out quickly, filled with curiosity. “But who is your father?”
Alessandro sighed.
“Shit!” he muttered, looking toward the door as if he were expecting something. “Your husband is coming upstairs. Bianca, when you’re on your way back, I’m going to attack the car. Don’t get out. You’ll be safe inside, and I’ll get you out right after. Then we’ll leave.”
“Leave?” I repeated incredulously, my nerves rising, but he no longer paid attention to me.
Before I could argue or demand answers, he had already left the room, disappearing down the hallways. My heart was pounding, and my head was spinning. Everything he had said sounded insane, but part of me was terrified that it might be true.
I rushed to the bedroom mirror, trying to regain control while adrenaline still coursed through my body.
My face was paler than usual, and I pinched my cheeks several times, trying to bring some color back.
It was useless. The tension of the moment was still etched across my features, and before I could think of another way to compose myself, I heard the door open.
Tiziano Constanzo
I walked into the bedroom and found Bianca standing in front of the mirror, touching her face as though she were trying to bring back the color that had disappeared ever since I started this whole fucking mess.
Her hands were trembling, and the way she looked at me when she noticed my presence left no doubt that something was wrong.
“Bianca.” I closed the door behind me and crossed the room in two strides. “Did something happen?”
“It’s nothing. I just don’t feel very well,” she whispered.
I held her face between both hands, leaning down so she had no choice but to look at me.
“What are you feeling?”
She blinked rapidly, as though trying to hold back the tears threatening to fall.
“Just dizziness and maybe a little anxiety.” She was a terrible liar.
“You’re freezing,” I observed, sliding my hands down to her arms and rubbing them gently to warm her. “We’ll see Carlo as soon as we get back.”
“I’m fine,” she murmured.
She was scared, and it pissed me off more than I could describe, because I was supposed to protect her, not make her feel this way.
“We’re done for today. We’re leaving.” My voice came out low, trying not to sound commanding this time.
“I’ll get ready,” she replied before turning away to gather her things.
It didn’t take long before she came downstairs with a soldier carrying her suitcase. I escorted Bianca to the car, my gaze alert to every movement around us. As soon as she got inside, I took the driver’s seat. The soldiers were already ready to escort us.
“Is everything all right?” Bianca asked as she fastened her seat belt.
“It will be,” I replied without looking at her as I started the engine.
The drive began in silence, but my mind was chaos, a storm of thoughts and regrets. I felt like a complete son of a bitch for bringing her with me.
Bianca stared outside, her pale face reflecting the dim glow of the streetlights.
“Tiziano, why are you in such a hurry?” Bianca asked as I pressed harder on the accelerator.
“I just want to get you home safely.”
It wasn’t long before the sound of gunfire tore through the silence of the night. One of the vehicles ahead of us swerved and came to an abrupt stop.
“Get down!” I ordered, pulling Bianca lower as another bullet struck the armored glass of the car.
The car skidded across the road when one of the tires was hit. I gripped the steering wheel tightly, swerving to avoid colliding with the vehicle ahead.
“They’re trying to surround us!” the head of security shouted over the radio.
“Keep moving! Don’t stop!” I shouted back.
The soldiers jumped out of the cars, firing at the men surrounding us. The sound of bullets was deafening. I looked at Bianca, who was trembling, but her eyes were fixed on me.
“Stay down and don’t move,” I ordered again.
Another shot hit the car, this time closer. We were out of time.
“We’re getting out of here,” I muttered, grabbing the gun I kept in the console and getting out of the car with Bianca close behind me.
She hesitated, but followed me as we ran toward a small cluster of trees at the side of the road. The gunfire grew louder, but my only focus was keeping her alive.
One of the enemy men appeared beside us, but I dropped him with a single well-placed shot. Bianca let out a small scream, but I didn’t have time to calm her down.
“Keep moving, Bianca!” I growled, pushing her ahead of me.
Suddenly, a bullet struck my leg. Pain exploded through me, forcing me down onto one knee.
“Tiziano!” Bianca screamed, immediately turning around.
“Don’t stop!” I shouted, but she was already beside me, trying to help me back up.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her behind a tree.
“Take this,” I said, handing her the backup gun I carried in my holster.
“I don’t know how to use this!” she protested, but her fingers tightened around the weapon.
“Aim and shoot. Don’t hesitate.”
The enemies were getting closer, and I knew we were running out of options. The remaining soldiers were still trying to cover us.
“Tiziano, I’m not leaving you here,” Bianca said, tears in her eyes.
“You’re going to do what I tell you, understood?” My voice was hard, but my heart was pounding.
Bianca nodded, even though she hesitated. As soon as another man appeared, she aimed and pulled the trigger. The bullet hit its target, and I watched her shudder when she realized what she had done.
“Good girl. Now let’s get the hell out of here,” I murmured, ignoring the pain in my leg as I pulled Bianca toward a small cabin I had spotted farther ahead.
When we reached it, I locked the door and quickly checked the interior. It was simple, but at least it was safe for now.
“Stay away from the windows. We’ll wait until backup gets here,” I said, leaning against the wall as I tried to stop the blood running down my leg.
Bianca dropped to her knees beside me.
“You’re bleeding so much!”
“I’ve been through worse. Just do what I tell you, and we’ll get out of here alive.”
Outside, the sound of gunfire still echoed, mixing with the roar of the wind through the trees. Inside the cabin, however, the silence was almost unbearable. Bianca gripped the gun tightly, her fingers firm around the handle, her eyes fixed on the door.
I watched her from the corner of my eye, trying to process everything. For the first time, I realized how much stronger she was than I had imagined. But with that realization came something else: uncertainty. How much did I truly know about the woman in front of me?
Bianca wasn’t the kind of person who dealt with guns. So how did she know how to hold one like that? The answer should have been simple: she was reacting on instinct, surviving. But my mind, always on high alert, couldn’t stop the questions from forming, even though I hated thinking them.
“Are you all right?” I asked, trying to break the silence, but also wanting to study her reaction.
She turned her head toward me.
“I’m trying to do what you taught me,” she replied with an honesty that disarmed me for a second.
But only for a second. Something about the details still bothered me, no matter how much I wanted to trust her completely.
I took a deep breath and pushed the thoughts aside.
I needed to focus on the present, on the immediate danger.
Outside, those sons of bitches were still hunting us, and my priority was getting her out of there alive.