Bend Me, Daddy

I held his gaze with tear-filled eyes as Dad, realizing someone else was here, straightened and wiped at his face. "That's because you're just as fucked up as they are," I told him.

"Veda," my father admonished. "This man was kind enough to bring us here, where we would be safe until we can figure out what to do."

"This man is the reason you're here, Dad. Not me. Don't let him shame you because you're not a cold-blooded killer."

Luca smiled, but there was no kindness there.

"And I'm taking my parents out of here," I told him. "Right now."

"And where are you going to go?"

"Anywhere but here," I said.

We stood at a standoff until my dad interrupted our staring contest. "Veda, I don't think we should move your mother. The ride here from the hospital was hard on her. She needs to rest. To heal."

"She can heal when we get somewhere else." I tried to make him understand. "It's not safe here, Dad, despite whatever bullshit he's been telling you." My eyes flicked to Luca, who still stood in the middle of the hall, watching us, watching me, and then back to my father. "Did he tell you it was his brother who did this to you? Did he tell you why?"

"We don't know that for sure," Luca hedged.

But he was lying. I stepped around my father to face him head on. "Are you being serious right now?" I asked. "Who the hell else would it have been?" He didn't respond.

I grabbed my father's arm to take him back into the room to get their things.

"Come on, Dad. We have to get out of here. Can mom walk?" I pointed at Luca. "And you're not going to stop us."

But Dad pulled away and threw up his hands. "Veda, honey, we can't go with you. I know it was the man who was engaged to your sister who did this to us. Well, not him, but his goons. They didn't admit it outright, but I know. What I don't know is why they did this, and honestly, right now, I don't care. All I care about is having somewhere safe for your mother and I to heal. And your friend here-"

"He's not my friend." I didn't know what he was, but a "friend" certainly wasn't it.

"And Luca," he emphasized his name, "took us in and offered us shelter." He paused, waiting for me to meet his eyes. "I'm not blind, Veda. I know what kind of man he is. And that's exactly why I think this is the safest place for us. And why you should stay here, too. With us."

I stared up at him in disbelief. "Dad, that man kept me prisoner here."

My father frowned. "That's not what you told us. You told us you were a guest here. To keep you safe."

"I lied. So you wouldn't worry. He's not witness protection, Dad."

"No," he said after a pause. "He's not. And that's why I know this is the safest place we can be."

I could tell by the stubborn tilt of his chin that I wasn't going to get my way with this. "I can't stay here," I whispered. "We can't stay here." Not because it wasn't safe for them. Because it wasn't safe for me. "Daddy, please come with me. We can go back to the hospital. We can tell the police everything and they can have guards there." Sammy was right. I should've gone to the cops as soon as I was able. I didn't even care that Luca could hear me.

"They did have guards there," my father informed me. "And Luca's men got into your mother's room anyway. Took us from right under their noses. I hate to think what would've happened if I hadn't been there and it wasn't Luca's men who came for us."

Son of a bitch.

Luca approached us, stopping only when I glared at him hard. "You should listen to your father," he told me. "Stay here where you're safe."

"Am I?" I asked him. "Safe?"

He didn't respond. But I hadn't really expected him to.

"Honey, I need to get back to your mother."

I wasn't going to win this battle. Not right now anyway. "Swear to me that my parents will come to no harm here with you."

"Why would I let any harm come to your parents?"

"Swear it, Luca."

"On my honor," he said without hesitation. "They will be safe here."

That would have to be enough. I couldn't get my parents out without help because my father was right; Mom was in no condition to be moved again. "Okay, Dad. Go ahead. I'll be back to check in on you guys again soon." I stared at Luca while I said this, daring him to deny me the right to come and go as I pleased.

But he just shoved his hands in his front pockets and watched us as I carefully hugged my dad and shut the bedroom door behind him. "Call me if you need anything," I told him. With one last warning look at Luca, I turned to leave.

"Veda."

"No." I kept walking. I couldn't talk to him right now.

"Veda, we need to talk."

"I have nothing to say to you." Jesus, I had to get out of here. Even just his voice had chills racing across my over-sensitized skin.

"Veda, you're not leaving here until you let me say what I have to say."

I spun around. "Okay, Luca. Fine. Let's talk. Where were you?"

Lost in the world of this story? Make sure you're on Ñe5s.org to catch every twist and turn. The next chapter awaits, exclusively on our site. Dive in now!

His head cocked to the side, and his brows lowered in a frown. "I've been right here," he said carefully.

"No." I shook my head. "You said Mario's men would've had to kill you before you let them hurt me. So, where were you when I was the one being beaten and abused? Where were you when Mario woke me up by jizzing all over my face. Where were you when he held me down and... and..." I couldn't even finish the thought. "Where were you when I needed you to save me?" My voice clogged with tears before I could get it all out. I knew I

was being irrational. But this shit that happened with my parents had my emotions riding the surface, raw and ugly. Emotions I'd thought I'd handled after Mario gave me back to Luca. Apparently, they'd just been suppressed. He took a step toward me. Stopped. His bright blue eyes roamed over my face as he carefully chose his words. "I looked for you, amore. We looked everywhere. Did everything we could to find you."

That's what he'd told me. But suddenly, I was full of doubt. "Did you? Really?" How could I believe him after everything he'd done to me? I pointed my finger at the center of his chest. "And don't you dare fucking lie to me."

He caught my hand in his and used it to pull me closer to him. His other hand rose to hold my jaw between his fingers. His eyes searched mine and his scent-dark and clean-surrounded me, making me want to burrow into his arms. "I looked for you every fucking minute of every fucking day. I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep." His brows lowered, and I could see the disbelief in his expression that I would even ask such a thing. "I went fucking insane, my vita, knowing he had you. Imagining what he was doing to you. Not knowing if you were alive or dead. My god, if he had hurt you

_"

"He did hurt me."

His mouth snapped shut and his fingers tightened in my hair and on my face. "I got you back alive, amore. And your scars will heal over time."

"What if they don't?" I whispered.

"They will." He sounded so sure.

"Do you feel any remorse?" I asked him suddenly. I honestly wanted to know. "Any at all?"

There wasn't an ounce of hesitation with his answer. "For what my brother did to you and your parents, yes. Of course, I do. I'm not a heartless monster, Veda. No matter what you might think of me. But remorse for bringing you into my life?" His blue eyes darkened possessively. "No. I don't regret that. Not for one goddamned fucking second."