Cara's pov
My feet were rooted to the ground, my heart hammering so hard, I could hear every beat pump in my ears, my mind was a choir of dissonance.
"Hello, Cara." Diego drawled, a fiendish glint in his eyes so subtle you'd have to look too closely to see. And almost no one else ever did, not my mother, not the neighbors, not the school teachers.
Except me.
Terror from the past took hold of me. I dug my nails into Luca's arm, clinging to him, undoubtedly leaving marks with my fingernails.
"Cara, aren't you going to greet your brother?" My mother said, stepping between the two of us, smiling like a Cheshire Cat, her eyes darting around us. It was clear she didn't want her "perfect" family to appear just as it was- dysfunctional, disastrous.
"Good to see you again sister," Diego smiled innocently at me, "your big brother is home."
Sister… brother… such laughable terms. Unsolicited memories of what my so called brother had done to me popped up in my head and I fought a shudder, hating it.
"Don Salvatore," Diego acknowledged Luca with a curt nod.
Luca doesn't return the greeting. His gaze was on me, seeking and intense and I knew he noticed the shift in my mood because nothing ever slipped by him.
Chest heaving, I faced the man who had ruined my life, destroyed my self worth, made me believe I was nothing but a whore even though I'd just been a helpless child.
His features has hardened since the last time I saw him. He'd lost the little fat in his cheeks and they now looked like they could cut glass. His eyes were more menacing, the curve of his lips more sinister. His hair was longer and put in a low ponytail that brushed the upper part of his back.
I hated that he looked well. I'd hoped for him to be wrinkly and ghastly from drugs. I'd hoped for him to be locked up somewhere doing time. Even better, I'd hoped he was buried somewhere unknown. I'd hoped for all of these but instead he'd shown up in front of me, wearing an expensive suit and looking fine.
My fingers pressed into my palms. It was unfair and cruel.
I swallowed, trying to find words, trying to keep it all together. The idea of slapping him across his stupid face and fleeing was very tempting, and I might have done it if not for the heavy load of fear weighing me down. A feeling much stronger than my fury and rage.
Gathering all of my courage, I said through a tight throat, "I never expected to see you here." Or anywhere else until the end of this lifetime.
He motioned to Manuel, "Well I wouldn't miss the birthday celebration of my step father and benefactor for anything?"
Benefactor?
Diego went over to Manuel and kissed his signet ring. "Step father," he bowed.
Manuel clapped him on the back. "Welcome back, boy. Glad you could make it."
What the fuck!
The obvious familiarity between the two of them surprised and bothered me. I had no idea Diego knew the former don.
My deer caught in the headlights gaze flew to Luca and unlike me, he looked unsurprised like he knew Diego was in touch with his father.
Diego stepped away from Manuel and before I knew what was happening, he pulled me into a stiff hug. I nearly recoiled, nearly screamed in alarm.
"I've missed you." He said against my ear, his voice as unpleasant as a fork against a rock.
Icy chills zapped through me and I shut my eyes to reel in my unstable emotions. I didn't miss the hidden taunt lying between those words. He'd said it many times before he did what he did. He would say it then proceed to say some other cruelly manipulative things.
IF YOU FIGHT IT, I'D MAKE IT WORSE FOR YOU.
YOU'RE ONLY GETTING WHAT YOU DESERVE FOR BEING A WHORE.
THIS IS PUNISHMENT FOR BEING SUCH A MAN TEASER, A SEDUCTRESS.
My lungs cinched at the memories.
Gathering the rest of the strength left in my rapidly numbing limbs, I attempted to pull away from him immediately, forcing a smile so tight it might as well rip my cheeks apart.
But I didn't have to because Diego stepped away on his own, hiding a smirk with the back of his palm. I turned to Luca to find him giving him a glare so dark and menacing it could frighten the skin off a man.
Diego's unsettling gaze rested where Luca held my waist, "I'm sure a lot has happened since the last time we saw each other, we should catch up," his eyes found mine again, "for old time sake."
Another chill passed through me, I swallowed down bile, suddenly feeling nauseous.
"Cara, are you okay?"
I shook my head. I needed to get away, find some place where my abuser wasn't present. "I need to use the bathroom." I rushed out, already walking away. "I'll be back."
I found my way back into the library, taking off my heels before darting for the chaise Luca and I had made love.
I pressed my hand to my throat, parting my lips to get in as much air as possible, my chest heaving hard and fast.
Just when everything was going fine, just when Luca and I were about to enter the best phase of our relationship, the devil had to return. I was furious and nervous and scared. Diego was cut out of the worst cloth and I didn't put it past him to destroy what I and Luca had now he was back.
Was he here to take advantage of me again? Threaten me into giving him money with the tapes he held over my head. Even worse, was he going to demand I sleep with him?
I buried my face in my hands, my eyes stinging with tears. I didn't think I could live through any of that a second time, I didn't know what I'd do if those damned videos ever get into Luca's hands. I'd rather die than let him watch me in any of them, see me in such a degrading light.
The door creaked open and close and my head shot up at once, my pulse hammering once more as I was unsure whether I wanted it to be Luca.
Ice streamed into my veins and left me frozen as Diego stalked over to me, his evil smirk now on full display.
"What are you doing here?"
His smirk grew and he folded his hands behind him as he pretended to look around the place. "It was quite rude of you to run off when we were just getting reacquainted, Cara."
My chest tightened. "There's nothing to reacquaint and I'd very much like it if you disappeared like you did five years ago."
One second he was studying an ornamental globe and the next he was looming over me, pressing me into the chaise. A gasp of terror left me.
"I see you've gotten a little bolder." He growled. "Being the fuckthing of a powerful Don must have gotten into your head."
I recoiled further into the chair, hating the overwhelming feeling of fear taking over my body. He was now showing his true self but I was supposed to be stronger now goddammit, not acting like the cowering little girl I used to be.
"Luca would kill you if you do anything to me." I managed. "So you better fuck right off!"
Diego regarded me in excruciating silence, his nostrils flaring. His hand came up to grab my jaw and his grip was painful. "I wonder what he'd do if he found out about your whore activities."
I went dead with dread, my does nearly popping out of their sockets. "He- he knows."
"Does he?" He smirked. "Don't fucking play with me, bitch. You probably only told him about it and made yourself a victim. But he's still a man and when he sees them for himself, he'd realize just what a dick slut you are."
A lone tear slipped out of my eye and a sob broke out of me. This was what I'd been afraid of and it was happening much sooner than I'd expected. In a voice so small and defeated, I asked, "What do you want, Diego?"
A triumphant smirk spread across his devilish features. He might have that Hollywood movie star look going on for him but nothing could mask the cold, psychopathic cruelty that laid a layer beneath and was currently on display.
He pulled away and straightened, his eyes boring down on me. "Twenty Five thousand dollars to my usual account and just for the sake of our history, I'd give you a week. A second late and your boyfriend is getting your whore videos."
He turned around and sauntered away and it was not until I heard the sharp bang of the door that I broke down into bone racking sobs.