Page 61 of Solace

“How fucking dare, you? I took sympathy on you. Invited you into my home,” he yelled as he stood up and glared down on me. I can feel his blades so close to my soft skin. “You fucking lied to me; you fed me bullshit. I can’t believe I fucking fell for it.” I held my head down ashamed of what I did. I try to hold myself together, my heart raced inside my chest. I stared at the gun; I pressed my lips together aware if he wanted to, he would pick it up and pull that trigger. “Are you an informant?”

Shocked he asked me that, I lifted my head to meet his angry glare, his brows almost knitted together.

“No, God no,” I told him. I started to shake unsure if he believed me or not, I had no idea how to even prove I wasn’t.

His glare was heavy, fierce, when he reached for his gun and pointed the barrel at my head.

“Please, please,” I cried out, terrified, shaking frantically, as I started to cry in panic. I could hardly breath. “Please Antonio,” I begged, the barrel pressed against my temple.

“What do you know about Ricco and his trafficking?” he seethed.

“What?” I cry out in horror.

“Ricco, is human trafficking young girls and women. Where the fuck is he?” he hissed his words.

“What? I didn’t know, and I have no idea. I ran from him, he wanted to rape me,” I wept.

“Danielle, tell me the truth,” he said as he pressed the barrel harder onto my temple.

“I’m sorry, I can’t. You’re going to have to shoot me. I swear I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I prayed. “I kept my head buried and hide away, always having my headphones on and picturing pretty things. I know stupid, denial, but trust me it worked. My mamma before she died always protected me from the evil things they did.” Tears run down my cheeks. “I never knew the extent until she was no longer there.”

I coughed to clear my throat, every inch of me was critical now I had to wait for my punishment. I could hear him heavy breathing, like he was fighting his inner demon. He relaxed the barrel.

He stepped back. I held my head down not wishing to aggravate him. I heard the bedroom door open and slam, I had no idea what was going to happen but either way I would accept the punishment.

Chapter 32

ANTONIO

Walking to the office, needing time to gather my thoughts and try and work out what was the best way to handle this situation.

The truth was I knew some information that I feared she wasn’t even aware off, who her real papa was. I wanted to tell her the truth, maybe use her to get her papa closer, only using her for such a thing would destroy me. I was heavily in love with Daniella and her well-being, sanity and protection was the first priority. I hated myself for putting the gun to her head, but I had to try and make her talk. If she knew anything, I know she would’ve spilled she was my girl, my queen to be and I would do whatever means to keep her safe, only she thinks she’s a Dellucci and she wasn’t and never had been.

It bothered me how her mother never informed her, unless it was a dark secret and somehow the truth had been found out. Did she even know that her papa was the one who killed her mother and Paul?

Sat in my chair with a stiff drink and pondered over the situation. No way could I harm her, instead I wished to make love to her and relish every second I had. It would be a matter of time before Malinco and Ricco knew where Daniella was.

“You called boss.” I saw Carlo standing on the opposite side of my desk. I hadn’t even heard him come in.

“I need all the protection we can get to keep this house safe,” I ordered him.

“No problem boss. You have a visitor.” I hitched my brows waiting “Christophe.”

“Send him in.” This was the guy I spoke to about my mother and where she really was only instead, he broke me the news about Daniella and how Malinco wasn’t her papa.

He entered the room wearing his typical black suit and his silver fox hair. He made the gesture for him to be seated, I nodded my head, and he took to his seat and sat staring directly at me.

“What can I do you for?” I asked. I took a sip of my amber fluid.

“I have come with some vital information for you regarding Ricco and Daniella, Dellucci’s daughter.”

“I know…she is on the run because her papa wants her to marry him.”

Christophe looked shocked I knew the news. “How?”

“Let’s just say I have my sources.”

"Does she know who killed her mother?”

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