Chapter 32

Chapter 32
32

Luciano

"Luciano... wake up, here are almost home," It was my strawberry's sixth call in her silky voice that was now mixed with agitation. I was waiting for her to call me 'honey', then I will open my eyes. I knew she said it by mistake but my heart did skip a beat when she said that.

My face was buried in the crook of her neck and I was embracing her closely. She also had her arm snaking around me, securing me in her embrace.

"Luciano, I know you're up, stop acting with me. The captain is calling you," I heard Martin coming in the cabin and requesting for my presence but I was being stubborn. She must have caught me smiling. I liked being a kid with her. At least now I could be my younger self with someone.

"Not until you call me with that nickname you gave me this morning," I insisted, sniffing her velvety scent and grunting calmly. God, this scent never fails to drive me crazy. Only she had the ability to calm my racing nerves otherwise I would be preparing blades for beheading Nikola.

He was losing his sanity. What did he think of himself? I forgave him for killing that call girl but I would not bear him laying a finger on Natasha. She was not a whore but a member of the Bernardi family; one of the most powerful and respectable people living on the earth and most importantly; his sister.

Jennifer's movement stirred me out of my thoughts bubble. I sensed her flushing, that must be because I asked her to call me by that nickname. My eyes were shut but I could feel the heat of her cheeks. That's what I loved the most about her; her modesty, it was the most beautiful trait a woman could possess yet it was rare to find in today's world.

"H—Honey, can you stop embarrassing me, your people are watching us. Get up, he is here to take you and you are too heavy for me. I can't feel my shoulder already and also we are almost home," Jennifer whispered faintly and I chuckled loudly, shaking my head and opening my eyes. I asked her to call me honey, but the lecture came untold. I never thought I would ever learn to enjoy simple things or ever let a person scold me. But here I was, accepting the impossible changes within myself.

"I can't wait for the day when this whole world will watch us loving each other, my dear wife," I held her chin and my eyes sparkled in affection, getting up from her shoulder, she rubbed the affected part, I was hefty for her petite frame.

I was checking her out when she turned her frowning innocent doe eyes. "What?" She asked frustratingly. My heart couldn't miss the chance to purr over her beauty. She was covered to an extent that all I could see was her hands, neck and some skin sneaking through her heels. It better be like that rather than I would see others checking her out, I would not stand even if it's a woman.

"Mine," I roamed my thumb on her cheek to her chin. She was looking like an angel in this peachy jumpsuit. She thought I only had lingeries hanging for her in the closet and honestly, that's all I planned to keep for the honeymoon but I had to give her the full-clothing bags. I couldn't thank Massimo enough for choosing the restaurant where I found the love of my life.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked, her eyes glimmering in curiosity.

"You are the only one who can ask without filters," My eyes turned to her stomach, the bump was peaking out. People could easily know that she was knocked before marriage.

"What made you choose me after all? I wanted to know this since forever but you never answered," She asked, tucking her strand behind her ear. I glanced at Martin before replying to her, he nodded.

"Everything that you are made me choose you," I smiled, pecking her chin, I stood up and went to the control room with him. Captain me as I glanced outside, noticing we would approach the mansion in a few minutes. I looked at Martin whose face glinted shades of impatience, "Speak,"

"With due excuse, master, I didn't mean to disturb you but this was urgent..." Martin pressed his lips in a hard line and opened his mouth,

"...Mr. Nikola created a lot of mess in the mansion that left my team to lock him up in the cellar before he could harm someone else. You were busy when this happened, I couldn't get the chance to get your approval," Martin explained with a tense face. Oh, what was he going mad for? For not getting that incredible sex?

"Good. Keep him there until I say so and arrange a doctor for him, he is going out of his head," I ordered him. "...and also, get his blood tests done and check if he's taking any kind of drug. I can't afford him to mess with his health," I added and he nodded. We talked about business a little and I went back to my bride, telling her we would be reaching soon.

In a few minutes, we were home. I held her hand and walked out of the yacht. There were my men waiting for us, all of them loaded with guns in their holsters. We reached inside, Martin's right hand took us to where Natasha and grandmother were. As we reached grandmother's room, I came to see Natasha hysterically crying as her head rested on grandmother's lap.

Seeing me, Natasha ran to me and hugged me, her sobs became louder. I was concerned if this bothered Jennifer. I side-glanced her and she looked worried about her sister-in-law. Natasha's arms tightened. "Thank God, you are here," she muffled weepingly.

"I'm right with you. Tell me exactly what happened," I asked her.

"It started because of Giovanna, she returned from Hawaii, I only asked her about the trip..." Natasha hiccuped, I wiped her tears and made her sit on the couch. My eyes turned back to notice if Jennifer was okay, she was greeting grandmother.

"But... she ignored me and went to Sofia's room, in a few minutes, a maid came and told me she was screaming at the staff when they told her Sofia left..." I guessed the rest.

I had to protect Jennifer from Giovanna since she was on Sofia's side from day one. They both were the same in nature. I had caught them attending night parties even when it's not allowed in our house.

My personal investigators' been after Giovanna. I got the news that she had a boyfriend with whom she vacationed quite often, again boyfriends are against our book of rules. It's marriage or staying single, no in-between. Women of our family were precious; more like royalties. That's why they needed to be different from common females,

"And then when you went there. She screamed at you and you both fought, meanwhile, Nikola heard this all and he came to mess things up and ended up strangling you, isn't it?" I recited the whole story before she could get a chance.

"Y—Yes," She hiccuped again. I sighed deeply. "They hate me because I didn't stop Sofia," Natasha facepalmed.

"You couldn't stop her because it was my order," I told her and she looked at me.

"Yours?" Natasha gaped. "Did you divorce her? Is it true?" It was my grandmother who asked this question.

"Yes, I did, grandmother. She wasn't needed anymore," I turned my eyes to her and glanced at Jennifer, I could sense the tightness in her chest. She gets bothered by Sofia's mention and I tried to keep it as short as possible.

"I'm just asking, you didn't make it official," Yes, because hadn't got any news from my lawyer if she signed the paper too.

Natasha wobbled, taking a deep sigh and rubbing her doe eyes.

"Everything's going to be fine, Natasha, I'm here now," Jennifer motived Natasha. My heart moved, Mrs. Bernardi finally chose to play her role—even though I knew it was not by heart but at least, she was trying and that's enough.

Natasha smiled and got up to hug her. "Thank you for being in our lives, we cherish you," She whispered and Jennifer chuckled gracefully.

"You once said you consider me your sister, why don't we sisters go out for lunch, we can have girl-talks," Jennifer pulled away and winked at her, to which Natasha grinned, nodding at her. Jennifer looked at me, "We will be going alone," No. I wouldn't let her go anywhere without me.

"Not a chance," I replied back and she batted her eyebrow.

"Lucian, son, let them have some time alone. Your sister's been through a lot today, she deserves to vent it with her sister-in-law," Grandmother defended, making me feel defeated. That smile on her face said it all, she won.

"No, I will send an escort team with them and no objection to that," I defended back and grandmother agreed with me. The feeling of being away from my strawberry was already killing me. I sighed, looking at her for the last time before excusing myself out. I ordered Martin to prepare a protocol for the ladies while taking long strides toward the cellar.

Nikola and I had to have a talk. As I was stepping down the basement, I could hear Nikola cussing the guards. I approached him and signalled the guards to open the gate. I went in and the gates closed behind me.

Nikola smirked, finding me here. "Oh, the boss is here," I took the seat where he stood before my eyes, not occupying a seat opposite to me.

"It's a lot of mess you're creating nowadays," I said, lighting the cigar and taking a long puff, "What's cooking behind the curtains?" I raised my head toward him as I exhaled out the smoke.

"You let the golden bird fly away for this flappy penguin? She is pretty but not qualified to be a part of us," Nikola mouthed off, pissing me inwardly already.

"You are no to choose what's good for me so stop being my mama and I'm accountable for my decision, not my sister who you just tried to strangle because of it," I tried to knock some guilt in him, but I could find none as if I was lying and he was really innocent.

Nikola started walking in circles, my eyes not leaving him even for a second. "Why are you divorcing her?" Nikola enquired with his arms wide open and a ridiculous amusement.

"It's paining your ass because you won't be gaining any free sex anymore," I exposed the truth and he stopped still, turning back to me. "You thought I wouldn't know that?" Nikola shook his head with a sarcastic face, trying to joke with me. "Well, as you said, I'm the boss here and it's my job to know what's happening under my nose,"

"You're one clever angry bird, you know that?" He was back to his maniac mode. His puns wouldn't distract me from the real motive. I was cracking my neck when he babbled, "Who knooowwss what exactly he has to—,"

"Let's just get on the main point and ask why are you trying to become a family murderer?" I snarled.

"I—I'm not. I love my family. I won't ever do that," He was back to his madness, officially.

"Yea, and it was me who tried to kill Natasha," I growled back, slamming my fist on the table ahead of me.

"That was a normal sibling argument, I didn't try to kill her. She is over-exaggerating, believe me, Luc," He was the last I would ever trust. His mental condition was questionable.

"Yeah, like I forgot how you tried to strangle for thrice and you taught Sofia the same. She did it with my wife," I reminded him. He tried his best to hurt me but I wasn't going to give up on her. Not then, now and ever.

Nikola scoffed, "Wife, come on..." I wasn't unaware of the fact he didn't like Jennifer. She wasn't his type.

"Look... if you are having difficulty forgetting that slut you killed accidentally or intentionally whatever, I'm here to help you get rid of that, we can visit the top psychologist for your treatment," I said to him, though he considered me his enemy but I was his well-wisher, I had always been.

Through his face, I knew he wanted to scream at me that I was the one who needed a doctor but he swallowed the hard pill. "Think about it, I'm giving you two days to get your mind straight and till then, you're staying here," Just as I professed, his neck snapped at me, eyes changing colour. He surely wanted to strangle for the fourth time for locking him here.

"Hey, don't," He pleaded but I crossed the gate and Martin repeated my command while I walked to my room to get refreshed. While walking, I asked Mario if the ladies were gone and he replied yes. My anxiety grew a little bit more.

I ordered them to keep a close eye.

I walked to the bathroom, took a quick shower and dressed in a home outfit. I sat on my massaging chair and fetched my phone, monitoring a few files and budget history. But again, my mind couldn't focus on work, I was all concerned about Jennifer and Natasha's safety.

My eyes turned to Jennifer's picture standing on the coffee table. The sight itself brought me pleasure. She was the ray of light in my darkness and I would do everything to make sure she would keep sparkling her light.

I poured water and drank it to wet my throat. I couldn't understand the sudden palpitation. Mario knocked on the door and went inside the room after my approval. He presented a few files that needed to be signed, I did it without properly studying. "Master, Mr. Massimo wants to have dinner with you, would you like me to reserve a table?" Mario asked.

I was so absent-minded that I hummed without hearing him, he left without saying anything. My heart couldn't be at rest. I stood up and strode to the glass door and opened, the windy gust hit my face, it was cloudy and any time clouds could start pouring the rain. I stepped to the terrace and looked up in the sky.

I couldn't fathom the reason why my blood was racing. Something was not appropriate. Should I go to bring Jennifer back? I couldn't survive without for a single hour. This was it. I was about to click Audrey's number when I coincidentally received her call. I heaved a long sigh and swiped.

As I put the phone to my ear, I sensed Audrey's heavy breaths, "Master, we have a problem—a gang has kidnapped Mrs. and Miss. Bernardi,"