Susanna
Itry to fight against Luca but he’s too strong for me.
“Luca, let her go,” Nina demands but Luca is ignoring her.
“I need to kill Gabriel and I can’t have Susanna getting in the way,” he explains as he tugs me along down the hallway. Luca nudges me into a guest bedroom and shuts the door on me, locking it from the outside.
I pound on the door but it’s pointless. I’m not getting out of here.
I press my ear to the door and listen.
“Luca,” Nina says. “Don’t do this. Susanna explained everything to me. She chose to marry Gabriel. You can use this as a chance to make peace with him. They’re already married.Please make the most out of this instead of going to war. I could lose you. Please.”
I can’t see Luca’s expression but he’s silent for a moment. “Gabriel stole your sister away and now you want me to spare him?”
“It’s not about Gabriel. It’s about not wanting to lose you. If you go to war with him, you could die. And I can’t stand that. Please, make peace with him. Use Susanna’s marriage as a chance to do that. Since they’re married, that will keep him in line.”
“He doesn’t care about the rules. He married Susanna without anyone’s permission.”
“Not true. He got my sister’s permission. She agreed to marry him. She told me.”
“Then Susanna is crazy. She always has been.”
I flinch and pull away from the door. I will never be fully accepted by Luca no matter what I do. Gabriel is the only person in this entire world who hasn’t judged me for my past actions. Who is willing to let me grow.
I need to get back to him. I need to warn him about Luca.
Fortunately, Luca put me in a bedroom on the first floor. The window opens up. He forgot to lock it. I guess his rage isn’t making him see clearly.
I hop out of the window and run away from Luca’s house as fast as I can. I still have my subway ticket I can use to get back to Gabriel’s. It’s risky but I have to warn him. That’s my main priority.
I missed Nina but coming back here has only reminded me of why I was so unhappy and when I was unhappy I acted out and was a person I hated. I don’t want to be that anymore.
I want to be a person who’s happy. Who has love in her life. Who feels free for the first time.
And it only took a man taking me prisoner for me to realize that.
I make it back to Gabriel’s house within the hour but when I try the front door, I find that it’s locked. Gabriel never gave me a key.
I pound on the front door until it’s ripped open and Gabriel is staring at me with anger and something else in his eyes…
Hurt. He’s hurt that I ran away from him.
“I had to see my sister,” I explain, stepping inside. “But I wasn’t running away. I just had to talk to her. Let her know I was ok. She was worried for me but now she knows I want to be with you.”
“Susanna, how could you be so naïve?”
I flinch. “What do you mean?”
“You went to see your sister? I’m assuming at Luca’s house?”
“…yes.”
“Did Luca follow you here?”
“No. He… I came to warn you. He wants to kill you. I tried explaining things. I told Nina that you and Luca could make peace now that we’re married. It’s the perfect time. I chose you and I want to be with you despite everything. I came to warn you that he’s coming for you and you have to be careful.”
“I’m always careful. But you weren’t.” He grabs my arms tightly. “I thought you had left me.”
