CHRISTIANO

Fifteen

Marco

I feel like an i***t for telling her that but it couldn't be helped. If I'm looking for something real -and that is exactly what I want with Carina- then I can't start off with lies. In the world we live in, most relationships are based on lies and betrayals. I've had countless whores try to pin their pregnancies on me just so I would marry them. I have been to almost every part of this world and seen the good, the bad and the ugly. Men and women suffering because of the choices they've made. That is not what I'm after. The last thing I want to do is have any regrets in my life and I would have regretted lying to Carina. I've experienced first hand the consequences of lies. It's more or less the same thing De Luca is going through right now.

I wasn't always a Schiavone. After I was born, my paranoid father sent me to live with relatives. An aunt and uncle whom I thought were my parents. They lived in a small picturesque village and had a two bedroom house. Back then I'd been happy. My last name was Giudice and I was a normal child. They adored me, gave me anything I wanted, made sure I didn't have any complaints. We had a routine, they would see me off to school on weekdays and take me out on weekends. Maybe deep down I'd known the life I was living wasn't mine, or maybe I was just a softspoken kid. I don't know. But I was obedient and barely caused any trouble. Until one day men in black suits and shiny cars showed up outside our house.

They proceeded to drag me into one of the cars while my aunt and uncle stood beside the door. That was the first betrayal I'd ever experienced. I had kicked and screamed, telling them to save me but they'd shaken their heads, saying it was time for me to go home. Their blank faces hurt more than their abandonment. I expected them to cry or at least hug me one last time. All they did was watch as I was being forced into a car. The men told me nothing about where I was going. They escorted me to a mansion, knocked on the door then left. A man opened it and said "Welcome home, my son" with a smile on his face.

I remember spinning around and taking off. Wanting to go back to the parents I'd grown up with so they could tell me what was going on. But I didn't get far. The bodyguards had caught up with me and taken me back. Once I stepped foot in the Schiavone mansion, I wasn't allowed to leave until I understood that my last name was Schiavone and not Giudice. That was a year later. During that time, I learnt one thing. Lies could break someone. If my father hadn't sent me away, I wouldn't have resented him so much. It doesn't matter how good or evil he was. I was his son and it would have been better to let me grow up with him. To this day, I still don't consider him my father. He died a long time ago but I can't bring myself to acknowledge him. Never will.

So I can understand what Chris is going through but he shouldn't have thrown Carina away. He was lucky to have her. So many times I got jealous of the way she looked at him. He has no idea how much I regret letting her go all those years ago. She could have been my wife by now. We could have come to this island to celebrate our second anniversary. He had the chance and wasted it. I have no doubt one day he'll be in my shoes asking himself why he was so stupid for letting that woman go.

I smile remembering how embarrassed she was when she left. I thought she would curse at me or even blame me but she just got dressed and left. I wonder what's going on in her head right now. Does she regret sleeping with me? Just for a second, I entertain the thought of her coming back and telling me her past isn't important. That she's willing to start over with me. I allow those kinds of thoughts to last only for a second because I'm the not the type of person who wishes for things. If I want to own something then by all means I will. I'm about to leave and go in search of Carina when the phone in the room rings.

"Hello sir, they just checked out" the receptionist says. I make a point of having spies everywhere I go because information is power. Knowing everyone's movement helps me determine my next move. I paid him handsomely to let me know Carina's whereabouts.

"Leaving?"

"Yes. The lady left first but since she didn't have any luggage I thought she was going to take a walk. A few minutes later her friends check out, claiming they have an emergency and have to go"

"I see" hanging up, I wonder what kind of emergency would make them leave so soon. They've only been here for a week and a half. If something had happened then I'd know for sure. To become bulletproof, I installed a guy or two in every organization. Their job is to alert me whenever a conflict or anything important comes up. They don't owe me their loyalty because all I want is information. That's how I know there is no emergency and that something is up. Maybe they decided to finish their vacation elsewhere? I have this sudden urge to follow them, follow Carina and ask her to stay but my pride won't let me do it. The only I can do is stay here for a few more days then go back home. The chances of bumping into her 'accidentally' there are more.

I spend the rest of the day wandering around the resort like someone who's lost. When I first got here, I wanted to buy this place since it's remote and beautiful but after finding out Carina has been here before with De Luca, I changed my mind. I want her to make new memories with me, not revisit old ones. I already own an island in Greece and hopefully I will be able to take her there someday. Hours later, I'm heading back to my room when my cellphone rings. It's one of the spies

"Speak"

"The boss kidnapped someone. I heard them whispering saying that De Luca will lose his mind this time and bend to the boss's will"

At that my blood chills. This makes sense "Where did they get her?"

"At the airport. They disguised as cab drivers"

"Stay alert. I'll call you back later" I hang up. This was carelessness on my part. I didn't think anyone would try to hurt her because of me but I'd overlooked De Luca's enemies. The fact that they kidnapped Carina at the airport means they've been following her. Otherwise they wouldn't be waiting for her to land then take her. I need to be calm so I can come up with a plan. The spy who just called works for Balloteli. That asshole has been trying to take De Luca out for a while now. I never interfered since it's normal for organizations to take their competitors out. However, what I did notice and respected about De Luca was that he didn't involve women and children in his fight. He went for Balloteli's men but never touched his wife or children. I thought they had an understanding not to touch each other's family. Clearly I was wrong. As much as I hate to admit it, Carina is still De Luca's wife.

For that reason, I can't charge in there and save her. There's also the fact that doing that would be exposing myself to the world. And telling them that I have something I can go to war for. Who knows how many people will try to use her to get to me. It's enough that De Luca's enemies are after her. But I also can't stay out of it. I lo.... Like her. So much so that I'll be calling out my hunters to rescue her. They are a group of highly trained assassins who do all kinds of things, including making a person disappear without a trace. They are fast, agile and meticulous. It's been a while since I needed them. A few months to be exact.

"Sir"

"Balloteli has a woman in her mid-twenties locked up. Get her out"

"Noted"

He hangs up. Any other time I would feel annoyed about that since I'm the boss but there is no time for being petty. I won't be back in time to take her from them so I send my men. They will be taking her to my private home where I hope she'll stay put until I arrive. If I find even a scratch on her, Balloteli will disappear from the face of the earth by tomorrow evening. I don't have a lot of things or people I would like to protect. If I think about it, only three people come to mind. My mother being the first. We don't live together, haven't for a long time but she's still my mother. The other two are the people who raised me. My aunt and uncle. Even though they abandoned me, I can't do the same to them. They're the only people I acknowledge as my parents. Now Carina has entered that list. Married or not, I will do away with anyone who hurts her.

The flight takes ten hours but it feels like centuries. My men are waiting for me at the airport. Without a word, we get in the car and drive off. I want to ask how she is, if she's okay or scared but I hold back. I will not have anyone know how important she is to me. It takes a lot of control to sit through the traffic and when we arrive, I'm surprised I don't scramble out of the car.

"Where is she?" I ask one of them

"Upstairs in the guest room"

I give him a nod then go inside the house. As usual it's in perfect condition thanks to Concetta and her team. Once I reach the stairs, I go up slowly, surprised at how anxious I am to see her. She might not know I was the one who got her out. What if she decides to leave? This is the home I hide from the public. The only place I can let my guard down and relax knowing no one will ever find or try to attack me here. Anyone who has ever had the privilege of coming here doesn't get the chance to change their minds. They either stay forever or die. But this is Carina, can I trust her? Stopping outside the door, I knock before going in. She's curled up on the bed with her eyes closed.

"Are you asleep?" No answer. Maybe she really is sleeping which means she's not scared. People don't get comfortable when they're scared. Moving towards the bed, I settle on the edge and watch her. She looks so innocent and peaceful and stunning. To think that Lombardi used and hurt her the way he did still infuriates me. Raising my hand, I run the back of my finger down her cheek. She stirs and her eyes flutter open.

"Marco, did I fall asleep?" she asks smiling at me.

"Are you okay? Did that bastard hurt you?"

"Huh?"

"You can tell me baby, I will tear his limbs apart with my own bare hands"

Sitting up, she furrows her eyebrows "What are you talking about? And did you put my clothes back on?"

"Carina..."

"It's so sweet of you but I didn't forget about the promise you made. Start with your mouth this time. Wait, did I eat? Why am I so hungry?"

What in God's name is she talking about?

*****************************************

Can someone tell Marco what is happening?

And if you're keen enough, you'll notice the two hints I dropped in this chapter. The first is what happened to Carina. Try figure out what the second one is.