BOUND BETWEEN TWO MAFIA LORDS

CHAPTER THREE

XENA.

Just like I was told, Luciano's mood was so foul that I shivered the moment I stepped into his office.

The foulness was reflected in the way a dozen and one things that adorned his office was now scattered all over floor of his office. There was broken glasses everywhere. Broken wine bottles scattered all over floor. Pens, files, stationaries and documents were littered all over the floor in careless disarray.

There was nothing left hanging on the walls of Luciano's office and his table was emptied of everything that used to be on it.

The walls were punched in and evidences of its assault was the bloodstains on it.

A few of Luciano's men were in the room and they all seemed to have suffered a few blows too. They heads are hung low and they stood at a corner of the room.

It was then that I noticed the devil himself standing in the middle of the mess he made and fuming so hard anyone could get blown away by the heat of his angry breath.

I've always known him to be violent.

As a leader of a formidable Mafia, it's much expected of him.

I've seen Luciano in worse situations. I've taken the pain for those situations. The only way he knows to handle things is through violence.

There have been times I heard the sound of gunshot ring through the whole house and into my room. I don't have to go out to know another man just died in Luciano's hands for making a mistake that's mostly business related.

And then I know the next thing that will happen is him barging through my door and ordering me to strip immediately.

"All of you. Out!"

He must have noticed my presence. The men hurried out immediately leaving me alone in the room with him.

"Come here"

The usual simple and curt command and I made my way to him through the mess that was clustered all over the tiled floor. I couldn't help but feel bad for the maid who would clean his office the next day.

As soon as I'm in front of him, he grabbed my arm and pulled me to him. His other hand went for my throat immediately.

"When I say meet me in my office by 10 fucking a.m, you don't arrive a minute late!"

I choked on air from how hard Luciano's hand latched on my throat. His grip on me was hard and the look in his eyes was so menacing that it almost flamed with fire.

My tiny hands reached to release my throat off his hold but they were not match for his big veiny ones that completely spanned the breadth of my neck.

Luciano was pissed and it looked like my body isn't what he needs to cool his anger off.

"I'm--i'm...so--sorry" I managed to voice out. Tears of pressure was starting to sting at my eyes and was scared at that fact that I could actually die right there and then.

He didn't let go. If anything he grip on me tightened and I felt the air being sucked right out of me.

Just when I thought I would finally die without escaping from this hellhole, he let me go and I reeled backward coughing loudly and gasping for air.

My vision blurred for a moment and botched colours reeled like a mixtape before my eyes.

The bastard could have killed me if he wanted to.

My hatred for him at that moment only increased and the urge to speed my escape plans up overwhelmed me. I'm sure his hands already imprinted another mark that would take days to heal up on my neck.

I was still catching my breath and getting back to my senses when he threw a shopping bag at my feet.

I looked into his cold eyes and back at the black shopping bag thrown out carelessly at my feet.

Something red and sequin peeked out of it and it only left me more baffled.

Did this bipolar bastard buy me a dress? What am I to him? Cinderella? For heaven's sake he just choked the hell out of me and nearly killed me.

"What's this?" I asked

"A maid will be sent to your room to get you prepared for tonight. Wear that."

Nothing he said made any sense to me. And even though I was yet to understand, I had a bad feeling about where this was going.

"Tonight? What's happening tonight?"

I asked. Purely out of curiosity but trust Luciano to find every single word that comes out of my mouth offensive.

"Don't ask me questions Xena. Do as I fucking say!"

I frowned at the words he threw at me. His words are just a reminder that I don't get any say in the things that happen in my life as long as I'm still with Luciano. Usually, I have things to say to him and comebacks that I throw at him once in a while but I decided to keep my smart mouth shut and follow whatever command he directs at me.

I grabbed the shopping bag off of the floor and brought out the content.

I don't think I've seen anything as beautiful as the red dress that i held in my hands. And somehow it seemed out of place in my hands. Like I'm too broken to wear such a dainty thing. Like my life is too dark and broody for this bright thing. Like I would taint it if I put it on but none of that matters. My opinion on anything doesn't matter as long as I'm nothing short of a plaything to Luciano

If he wants me to wear it, that's what's going to happen.

"The maid will be here by 8pm tonight. Get ready as soon as possible"

"But--"

"You should explain things to her if you want this to get solved quickly"

It was Luca's voice that came through this time around.

He walked into the office and stood beside me in front of his fuming brother.

Luciano's eyes only darkened with a more provoked anger but that didn't move Luca one bit. Even though his brother stood at least a few inches taller than him, Luca was still every bit as domineering as his brother.

Both men radiate dangerous energy and I felt suffocated and compressed in between the both of them .

Luca's relationship with Luciano apart from being his brother has always been confusing and unclear to me. Both men don't act like they are related in any sense not to even talk of being related by blood.

Luca takes orders from Luciano as a henchman under his boss but I've never seen the both of the show any sort of affection for one another.

It didn't take long for me to realize both men aren't affectionate men and Luca was the better one of the two.

"She doesn't need to know anything that'll put ideas into her head."

"So what? You just want her to go out there with no warning or information? You're basically throwing her out to a predator who will tear her limb to limb"

Luca threw at his brother.

Out there. Predator. Limb to limb.

What the fuck is going on?

"You're going to be with her. That's enough information and warning"

The men kept bantering back and forth and I still couldn't understand a single thing they were saying. I couldn't even dare to talk because the pain of Luciano's assault still seared through me.

"Fine! Go ahead and tell her that she's going out to deliver a fucking package for me so I and that fucking bastard can call it a truce"

Luciano's outburst shocked me. He said a lot of words but the only thing my ears caught on to were the words "going out".

Did I hear wrong or did Luciano just say I was going out? Out of this ominous mansion?

"What do you mean going out?"

I finally found my voice. Luciano's angry gaze trained on me and I almost cowered behind Luca's back but he made no move to lash at me.

"You heard me. You are going out to my club in the city tonight. To deliver something"

As much as the words going out made my stomach turn into flips, I had to know why me of all people has to deliver a package of his to someone else when he has dozens of men who Carry out his orders. I'm just a ragged doll to Luciano or am I not?

"I don't understand.. why...why me?"

"If I could deliver it myself do you think I'd buy you a fucking designer dress"

"I never asked you for a designer dress!" I countered and a growl left his lips as he stalked towards me. I wasn't quick enough to get away from him but Luca was fast enough to pull me behind him and faced his brother.

"You need to earn her trust even if it's only for tonight for the trade to go well."

Luciano emitted another growl and regains his posture settling himself on the chair by his office table.

"I can't deliver the package myself and neither can my men because of a deal I had with who you'll be delivering the package to. All you have to do is give him the package and leave. Nothing more. Nothing less. Luca and one of the men will be with you in case shit goes south or you get more silly ideas of escaping in your head. Is that enough information?"

I was still finding it hard to process what he was saying but one thing that kept ringing in my head is the fact that I would leave this mansion tonight and see the world outside.

It felt like a dream!

That I would see the outside world after being locked up here for the past nine years. The thought of seeing tall buildings and asphalt roads and cozy restaurants and coffee shops filled my heart with so much anticipation that it could burst.

Luciano is letting me out! For reasons that I still don't understand but boy if I wasn't so elated at that moment. And so to avoid looking too excited for that night and causing Luciano to change his mind, I asked a question.

"Who am I delivering the package to?"

A pause. A tension filled one from both men.

For some reason, I knew whoever I was being sent out to was a force as dangerous as the Red devil mafia if not deadlier

"The less you know about him, the better"

And for once in my life, I agreed with Luciano.