★LUCIANO★

“Janie!” I called for the umpteenth time, still tapping her cheek as lightly as I could. Yet there was no response.

My mind was starting to run amok.

Looking at her pale face and dried parched lips, I wanted to tear Luigi limb to limb. She doesn't deserve any ill-treatment. Whatever happened between us, stayed between us. So why did she have to suffer?

“I have brought him, Boss." I heard Romano's voice and then looked up to see him standing behind a bleeding Luigi.

A small devilish smirk tugged the corner of my lips. Turned out Romano never disappoints when it comes to torturing animals like Luigi.

My eyes traveled from Romano to Luigi's battered face, and the smirk on my face vanished into thin air. Only to be soon replaced with a scowl.

With a fit of fury, I clenched my fist and thought of the best way to punish him.

“Kneel, you motherfucker!" Romano shoved Luigi to his knees violently, while I watched in silence.

It was taking every bit of self-control I had left not to put a bullet through his damn skull right now. Not that I plan to set him free. In short, death awaited him, but I want it to be slow, steady, and very agonizing.

He should have thought twice before messing with me.

For a split second, my attention diverted from him to the unconscious Janie in my arms. Gathering her close to my chest, I used my other free hand to yank Luigi's chin forcefully and growled.

“Your brother got the death he deserved.” with a sneer, I added. “I don't regret snuffing the living breath out of him!”

“So did your mother!" Luigi retorted sharply.

His words riled me up pretty much.

With rage coursing through my veins, I tightened my grip on his chin and asserted between gritted teeth; “He killed a fourteen-year-old virgin, my mother did nothing.”

All of sudden, Luigi burst into a series of raucous laughter.

At first, a glint of surprise skimmed through me as I wondered what sounded so funny in my statement. However, I knew that he was just trying to piss me off further and I wasn't going to let him.

When his laughter died down, he held a stoic expression, putting up a dauntless act as he spoke. “You are mistaken, Luciano. Your mother did something very wrong. From the moment she brought you into this world, she made a grave mistake." He spat.

Beating him to his game, I chuckled too. “Oh really?"

With a swift analysis, I pulled out the dagger from Romano's belt sheath and plunge it deep into Luigi's right eye.

He cried out in agony. However, his wail of anguish sounded like melodies to my ears.

In truth, it's been a while since I tortured someone and I'm going to make sure I take pleasure in punishing Luigi slowly until he met his demise.

Without mercy, I ripped out the dagger alongside his bloody eyeball and he hissed again in anguish. Sprinkles of blood splattered on my shirt and Janie's face. Using my elbow, I gently wiped off the blood on her face before returning my attention to him.

I started scraping his skin with the cold steel, then managed a small devilish smirk. “Don't break down just yet, Luigi because I intend to show you how much of a mistake I can be."

Luigi let out a whimpering sound, but he masked his fear and snarled at me. “Just kill me right now, you motherfucking son of a bitch!”

Smirking, I traced the dagger around his other good eye and he trembled beneath my touch. Pretending not to notice, I smiled and then held the dagger to his throat.

“A wise man should learn how to bridle his tongue, didn't your mama teach you that?" I queried.

Luigi leaned his head forward, closer to mine then blurt. “I am not scared of you."

My smile deepened.

Poor foolish Luigi!

If only he knew how much he's worsening his situation with me.

I tilted my head forward, leaving only an inch between us. “Well, you should be. I am your fucking nightmare, not a daydream.”

Patting his left cheek, I turned to address Romano. “Pack him up. He is coming with us."

Romano squinted his eyes at me. “What?"

With furrowed brows, I glared at Romano. “What do you mean what?"

“Why don't you just finish him off here?" Romano queried.

“I said he is coming with us," I growled back.

Lowering his head, he muttered a small; “Yes, Boss." Then pinned Luigi roughly to the ground and bound his hands together.

“Should I help you carry her, Boss?" Glenn offered, gesturing at Janie.

Instinctively, I nodded for him to go ahead. But on second thought, I didn't want anyone else's hands touching her. Still, I didn't have a choice, so I reluctantly succumbed.

Romano bundled Luigi over his shoulder. Glenn carried Janie in his arms, and the rest of our men joined us on our way out.

Turning once to look at the ruins of what was once Luigi's hideout, I sighed in satisfaction.

All the buildings were in flames, and dead bodies lay carelessly around on the floor. To be exact, the atmosphere reeked of blood, smoke, and disaster.

“We are set, Boss," Jonathan informed me, snapping my attention back to our next move.

Issuing him a curt nod, I let him help me into the black SUV and we drove out of the yard to a busy highway.

Staring out of the window, I wondered what would have happened if Janie's phone never got turned on, if Luigi had killed her before we got here. These nasty thoughts sent cold shivers to surge through my spine and I quickly dismissed them, thanking the stars it never happened.

“We've arrived, Boss.” Glenn's voice cut through my train of thought.

“Okay."

I brought out my phone and dialed the nurse's contact. It rang once, then her shaky voice replaced the barring sound.

“G-good evening, Mr. Pavarotti.”

“There is nothing good about the evening," I answered sharply. “Now I'm giving you thirty minutes to pack any of your belongings, you are coming with me to Los Angeles.”

“W-what?"

“I won't repeat myself twice. You stand the chance of losing your license already. Now I need your service and I'm going to be paying you. Are you in or not? "

She cleared her throat. “A-hem, I—”

“I don't have all the time in the world, woman!" I roared angrily.

“I am coming, sir. I'll be at your mansion very soon." Her response was quick this time.

“Good." I took in a deep breath and then let it out. “And yes........ You have twenty-five minutes left.” With that, I hung up and then watched how Glenn and the rest of the men packed our thing back into the jet.

My eyes traveled to Janie, who was still unconscious, and then to Luigi, who had also passed out from excess blood loss.

Minutes later, Romano walked up to inform me that they were done loading everything into the jet. And just at that moment, the nurse joined us too.

“Welcome. While we are on the jet back, I want you to take care of her. She passed out a while ago due to shock and stress.”

Her eyes drifted to Janie then she hastily nodded her head. “Yes sir. I will check up on her right away."

Alas, we all got into the jet. Romano kept watch on an unconscious Luigi. Glenn and Jonathan were busy counting the bullets left in the battery of guns. Darius was in charge of the jet. While the nurse was busy tending to Janie and I drummed my fingers on the arm of the chair, wondering if it was a good idea to bring Luigi with me or if I should have finished him off as Romano suggested.

★★★★★THE NEXT DAY★★★★★ My eyes remained fastened on Janie, laying on the bed as her eyes remained closed. Although the nurse administered some treatments to her this morning and said she would regain consciousness soon. Yet, I was still unsettled.

We arrived at the mansion in Los Angeles over five hours ago. Romano and I have gone to do a round check on my warehouse. Glenn and Gerald were asked to rest and Luigi had been locked up in one of the cells.

Tracing her face with my fingers as I hoped for her to wake up soon as the nurse presumed, I pressed my lips together into a grim line before uttering;

“I want you to wake up, Janie. And when you do, I'm promising not to ever put you in a compromising situation ever again. I will keep an eye on you always."

“Is that really a promise?" A tiny voice I have somehow grown fond of questioned me.

I looked down to see her beautiful eyes staring back at mine and my heart leaped for joy.

But I immediately removed my hand from her face, hardened my jaw, and straighten my face before saying; “Yes, it's a promise."

Janie flashed a warm grin at me, prompting my heart to melt that second. There was no way I could keep a straight face with such charming sight in front of me, so I returned the smile.

“And how did you intend to seal that promise, Luciano Pavarotti?"

My whole body tensed.

I have never heard her address me by my full name before. This happened to be a first and it brought out a sweet pleasure that weakened my resolve.

But before I could get a grip on myself and give it a second thought, my head lowered to her face and then I claimed her lips.