Page 59 of Deadly Vows

“Luca? Are you okay?” I ask softly.

He doesn’t respond; his focus is entirely on me as I approach. His breathing is slow and steady, and as I come to stand in front of him, I slowly reach for his face, curious as to what could possibly have his hair sticking to him.

“Luca—”

I tense as the metallic stench of blood hits my nose. Before I can pull away, Luca’s hand lashes out, and he pulls me flush against him, the blood covering him oozing into my wrist from his tight grip.

I struggle, my panic hitching in my throat as I try not to scream—not to set him off as he nuzzles his nose in my neck. He is obviously not himself right now. He’s in bloodlust.

“You are so beautiful,” he murmurs.

His hand presses against my cheek, and I swallow my scream as blood presses between his palm and my skin. But the shock gives me just enough energy to rip myself from his grip, stumbling back until I hit the back of the couch, flipping over it.

I cry out, scrambling to my knees before looking at my hands. The blood, though thick, is old. It can’t be Luca’s. He wouldn’t be standing here looking at me if it were. Which means it belonged to more than one person who is more than likely dead as my husband stands before me, a grin on his lips.

He lowers himself to his knees, his hand reaching for my ankle. I look around in a panic, praying that some of his men are near to stop this, but I see no one. So, I try to diffuse the situation.

“Luca, listen to me—ah!” I cry out as he pulls me by my ankle, dragging me so that I am trapped beneath his bloodied body. The blood from his shirt seeps into mine as he pushes my hair from my face, his lips finding mine.

“I just want to love you,” he murmurs against my lips.

My heart beats rapidly when I feel his erection pressing against me, his tongue pushing into my mouth.

“You’re not yourself right now!” I cry out, pulling my face away from his.

But he grips my face between his hands, roughly holding me as he studies my panicked expression.

“I will protect you, Elise. Always. I won’t let them get you,” he murmurs. He once again goes for my throat, his tongue licking over my pulse as his cheek smears more blood against mine, and I can no longer try to diffuse the situation.

I scream.

“Stop! Luca, stop!” I shriek, struggling beneath him.

But he places his hand against my mouth, the smell of blood filling my senses and activating my gag reflexes. I vomit all over Luca’s hand. He cringes, his expression shifting to disgust as he pulls away from me, and I take the opportunity to kick him off of me. My foot lands perfectly on his chest, and I hear him cry out as I take off out of the living room.

“Elise!” I hear him call after me as the stairs come into view.

I am inches from reaching the bottom steps when Luca collides with me, his steely grip holding me captive as he pulls me away from the stairs.

“Let me go!” I scream, my legs flailing as I try to break free.

Whatever Luca left to do must have been something bloodier than anything he’s ever done before. I’ve never seen him like this. Not even when his father was shot dead in front of him. He’s gone completely insane.

I break free from Luca’s grasp, whipping around to face him. His face is set in anger as he glares at me.

“You don’t run from me! You are my wife! You don’t know what I have done to keep you alive!” he shouts.

Before he can get anything else out, he is tackled. Nicolai and Romelo both wrestle with Luca, trying to calm him as I back away. But his eyes are set on me in a murderous rage. I notice Nicolai is covered in blood as well, obviously having accompanied Luca to whatever massacre they attended this afternoon.

“Run! Go lock yourself in a room—”

They continue to struggle, but Luca is skilled. His elbow comes up, cracking Nicolai in the face, his eyebrow splitting causing blood to pour down his face.

“Fuck, Luca!” Nicolai shouts.

But he isn’t listening. He’s after me.

“Don’t you dare!” Luca growls out, but I am up the stairs before he can finish his sentence. I run into one of the guest rooms, locking the door before I frantically pull whatever furniture I can in front of it. And as I collapse in exhaustion, my hands trembling as I hold my hair out of my face, I scream.

---