III

"Bullshit!" I snap, retrieving the gun from his head and instead, roughly trailing it across the exposed skin on his arms.

Marco stalls for a minute. His tongue pokes the inside of his cheek to suppress the beginning of a cruel smile.

"Is it? Tony would have already killed you if it weren't for me." He explains, looking down at the gun pressed to his arm.

His breath hitches in his throat when I move it lower... and lower.

"I don't trust you." I contest, jiggling the gun in his face to make a point. His face stays stone like, not showing any sign of fear or emotion.

"You sent me to prison, Lana." He shouts, looking at me with intensity that sends my heart racing.

"Don't make me spell it out for you. You know I didn't have a choice." I explain.

I can tell he thought hard about his next words, as he looks beyond me for a long moment.

"I wanted to kill you so bad. Make you hurt like I did."

I can tell by his face that he's deadly serious.

"Wanted?" I question.

"Don't test me." He snaps back - once again examining my body as if it is his property.

I cant put my finger on it, but the air around us is almost suffocating and filled with unresolved tension. It's made up of hatred, and just a touch of lust.

Glad I'm the one holding the gun right now.

I place the gun back on the table, unaware of what to say next. He was right, I did betray him and send him to prison, but it was me or him in that situation; I chose myself.

"It took me years to understand why you betrayed me. And even now, I can't forgive you." His voice slightly softens for a moment and I can hear the pain lacing it. I open my mouth to respond, but his words strike me silent.

"I had to, Marco. Tony was going to kill me. There was only one ticket out of New York, and you were the price. You'd have done the same" I argue.

He squints his eyes, dangerously, pinning me into place. I can't help but feel dominated under his gaze.

"Whatever you say, Lana. I answered your question, didn't I?"

I nod in response as Marco grabs the gun off the table and immediately points the muzzle at me.

"Let's move things along, shall we? You must hate Tony for killing your father and stealing your life. He's spent the last five years hunting you down across the world to kill you." He says, tilting my chin up with his index finger.

I don't pull away, I submit to his touch. After all these years, It's still so familiar.

"What do you think? Of course I do." I snap, folding my arms back around my displayed body, purposefully leaving my cleavage on show.

I notice Marco look down once again and fully focus on my bust. His eyes remain still, however he snaps out of it, shakes his head for a moment and looks back up at me.

"Hate him enough to kill him?" He asks.

I don't even pause to think before answering.

"Yes. I want him dead." I state, collecting my hair and tossing it over my shoulder. Marco's eyes darken before he turns around and paces towards the counter.

"And then what?" He asks.

"I'll take back what is mine. Why shouldn't I? The Levine family is rightfully mine not his." I claim, biting my bottom lip gently.

A smug look crosses over Marco's face. Looking satisfied, he almost passes me back the gun when he's interrupted by a banging on the door.

"MARCO I KNOW YOU'RE IN THEIR WITH MILANA. I WONT WAIT ALL DAY, END HER OR I WILL!" Uncle Tony yells from the room next door.

Fuck.

Shit. How is he already conscious?

And that asshole has been listening in.

With my hands clenched in my lap, I watch Marco crack open the door. "I have it under control, Tony. Wait outside until I'm done." He orders.

"Fine! But don't believe a word that bitch says. Shes always been good at running her big mouth." He shouts.

"Oh, I know she has."

I roll my eyes at his comment.

"Your uncles charming" He says sarcastically.

I don't bother smiling. I know he's trying to annoy me.

"That's one word for him" I reply after a while. Marco hesitates for a second and then hands me the gun.

"You're up. Make it quick, he wont wait forever" He snaps, pulling up his sleeves.

My eyes automatically focus on the veins running down his arms. Those goddamn veins, he knows they turn me on.

I pause, then smile knowingly.

"How do you really feel about me?" I ask, standing up and carefully leaning over him.

His eyes dart to my breasts, that are positioned in his eye line. I notice him shift around uncomfortably in his chair and I take it as a small victory. He groans and stands up.

His 6"3 body towers over me making me feel powerless and helpless under his dangerous gaze.

"I think you look more beautiful than ever, piccola." He whispers.

I hold in a breath when Marco leans closer over the table, fighting the urge to meet him halfway. "But a lot of things have changed. I'm not the same guy you used to know growing up." He explains.

I nod in agreement.

"That, i'm aware of. But you still haven't answered my question." I express as I gently bite my bottom lip. "What's the real question?" He asks.

"Do you hate me?" I interrogate.

He lets out a sigh and leans in closer to me. I don't fight it, and remain where I am.

"And here I was, thinking you were going to ask me if I love you." I shake my head quickly, the word love burning through my ears.

"I already know you don't love me. That was a long time ago. What I want, Marco, is to know if you hate me." I say. "I want to know if you want to kill me for betraying you all those years ago."

"I hated you for a long time." He expresses, maintaining eye contact with me.

Of course he did.

"But I don't. Not anymore - well at least not as much as I used to." He adds. I almost let out a sigh of relief, but I remind myself quickly that I can't afford to let my guard down.

"So you really don't want to kill me?" I question.

He slowly tilts his head to one side, contemplating on his answer.

"I will kill you if I have to." He replies irritably, running a strong hand through his hair. "Such an honest man. So, are we even now?" I ask, staring blankly at him.

"Nothing could ever make us even, Milana" He states violently. He tenses his muscles as he waits for me to say something back.

"It sounds to me like someones still holding a grudge, despite wanting to sound cool about it." I tease. Saying this clearly lit a flame in his body as his jaw tightens. "You sent me to fucking prison, Milana. You'll excuse me if I'm still pissed at you." He snaps in rage.

He takes a step towards me, meaning to intimidate me, but I don't budge. I can almost see his anger now, but this is me playing cool.

Marco's always been like this: possessive, powerful, and dominating. These traits are what I liked about him. But sometimes he takes it too far with his possessiveness, controlling every single thing you do.

If you talk to someone he doesn't know, he will get jealous, interfere, and 'punish' you accordingly.

But I liked how jealous he got, maybe I can use it against him to win at my own game.

"Was there a time where you weren't pissed at me?" I ask as he breaks eye contact. He shakes his head and takes a step away from me. We stay in silence for a few moments before a small smirk appears on his face.

I know what he's gonna say.

"Wipe that smirk off your face" I utter.

"That same smirk is what made you fall for me in the first place." He replies, leaning back over the table.

That's it. All words leave my throat. He's too damn good at this. I shake my head and hold the gun back up as he leans into it. The gun jamming into his chiseled chest.

He's stupidly brave.

"Are you going to shoot me, darling?" He asks, trying to read me through the expression on my face. "Watch me." I say, holding the gun up to his head, preparing for a headshot.

I pull the trigger repeatedly but there is no gunshot.

I inevitably give up and I sigh with exasperation.

"You really want to kill me, don't you?" He asks, tracing his finger along my bare skin. "Fuck you and your stupid games." I yell, anger boiling inside of me.

"You used to enjoy my games." He responds, tracing his fingers nearer and nearer to my breasts. His touch gives me goosebumps, especially when his fingers trace the lace material of my bra.

"Yeah, well, I grew up." I remark, following his fingers with my eyes as they trace my skin. He ignores my comment and takes my hand in his.

It is so unexpected that I let out an audible gasp.

"Do you want me to kill Tony?" He asks, moving a single piece of hair out of my face. "You aren't killing anyone. I will kill Tony." I announce, exhaling.

"Good girl." He replies, clearly respecting my determination.

Marco stands up and lifts me out of my chair. I shake my arm out of his grip, still mad about his interrogation techniques.

"You should get dressed." He states, looking me up and down. "You ripped my dress, don't you remember?." I tease, running my hand down his chest, tracing the black inc spread across it. He pauses for a moment, then forces my hand away.

He tosses me his jacket, that is luckily long enough to fit me like a dress.

"Get dressed." He orders.

Silence envelopes up as I hold up the jacket.

"You're no fun." I let out a sigh and pull his jacket on, making sure to give him a good show of it.

He grabs my hand and leads me towards the door. When we reach the door he lets go of my hand and instead grips my neck. He leans down to my ear, his warm breath settling on my skin.

"Now do as I say and stay behind me" He demands. "I don't like that plan." I argue. "I know you hate doing what you're told but for your sake and mine, do try." He instructs. My wink isn't too reassuring to Marco but he pushes open the door regardless.

Me and Marco enter into the other room and come face to face with Uncle Tony, who's casually smoking a cigarette. "How did you free yourself from the rope?" I ask in curiosity. He reaches into his pocket and holds up a knife. "Didn't take a genius to break me free." He spits, turning his head towards Marco.

His nostrils flare.

"What the hell is this!? Why isn't she dead yet?" He asks in frustration. He clenches his fists and slams them down on the counter.

I don't give Marco a chance to respond.

"Are you serious!?" I snap, subsiding the slight fear I had upon walking in. "Shut your mouth" Tony demands, pointing his finger in my face.

"Or what?" I provoke, a small smile stretching across my threatening face.

Tony raises his arm to hit me but is stopped by a powerful hand.

Marco's eyes burn the back of my neck, right through to Tony.

"Take your hands off me, Marco. Why isn't she dead?!" He yells, breaking free from Marco's strong grip. "Tony, you bastard!" I yell, clenching my fists so hard they turn entirely pale. In frustration, I pick up a nearby glass and hurl it at him.

When the glass completely shatters, Marco pulls out his gun and points it at Tony's head. I watch in satisfaction as all blood drains from his face.

"My regards, you backstabbing bitch." I say coldly.

The gun goes off and Tony's fat body crashes to the ground.

Standing over his bloodied body, I realise this is the revenge I have been waiting for.

But It's only going to get darker from here.

------------------------------------------------------- Third chapter is done! Thank you for reading.

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There's so much more to these two than meets the eye - you'll find that out later on... 🤗