★JANIE★

As soon as Luciano's lips crashed down on mine, I couldn't resist the urge to kiss him back.

Whenever he claimed my lips, there was this sweet possessiveness. Like I was the only thing that mattered to him in the whole world. And I relished that feeling.

The kiss was intense, slow, and warm. A small moan escaped my lips when his tongue brushed through the walls of my lips, begging for an entry.

Letting out another moan, I trailed my fingers on his arm, wanting to pull him in for more, but he pulled away instantly with a grunt.

"Ahh!" I heard his heavy breath gushing through my ears and I promptly tossed him a worried look.

"What is it?"

"You touched my injured arm."

My eyes drifted to the bandages around both of his bulging arms and a soft gasp emanated from the back of my throat. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to—"

"Shhh!" He placed a finger on my lips. "It's fine. plus it seems you like kissing me a lot these days."

My eyes shot from his arms to his face in shock and I hurriedly shook my head in denial. "No, that's not true."

Although, deep down I could feel my heart melting into a puddle.

"It is true, Janie." Luciano persisted.

"No, it's not. I still dislike everything about you." I countered back.

He pressed his lips together and gave me a snide smirk. "I don't think you dislike me yesterday when you kissed me."

My heart raced faster than usual.

Trying to recollect when I kissed him yesterday, my memories trailed back to the moment he came to my rescue. Nevertheless, nothing was vague. Just blurry images of seeing his face before I passed out.

"I didn't kiss you, Luciano." I refused again.

He arched a brow at me. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am. No matter how much you are good to me, I would never think of kissing you. We are not in such a cool space for that. You are the same malicious, heartless Luciano while I am just Janie."

Hurt flickered through his orbs for a split second, but I saw him quickly morph them into a blank expression.

He didn't utter a word. Instead, his gaze held mine and he hardened his jaw.

At that moment, I realized I must have hurt his feelings with my words, so I immediately apologized.

"I am sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

Luciano took in a deep breath. "What did you say? For me, you just stated fact."

"I am sorry," I muttered again.

He pursed his lips. "Your words are not enough to hurt me. But still, I want to know why you are denying the fact that you kissed me yesterday just to the point of calling me names."

"I didn't kiss you,"

"You did."

"I didn't."

"You did, Janie."

"And I said I didn't, Luciano."

He had this bright smile on his face, still insisting that I kissed him yesterday.

The back and forth went on and on for over a minute. However, I decided to stop, seeing that Luciano wasn't ready to cave in.

"Alright fine," I replied with a sigh. "But when do you intend to set me free?"

As soon as I said that, the smile on his face vanished into thin air, and a scowl planted on his face.

His eyes fell from mine and he let out a deep breath, "I plan to, Janie."

"But when?" I inquired further. "You promised to let me go as soon as we returned to Los Angeles."

"Janie." Luciano expelled a sharp breath of air. "You can see that I'm in a wheelchair, with my arms and legs bound in bandages. Who is going to tend to them?"

Out of nowhere, I felt sympathy for him. How could a whole mafia king Luciano be reduced to a wheelchair?

Just as I opened my mouth to speak, a knock pounded on the door, interrupting us both.

"Come in," Luciano growled and a beautiful blonde nurse in a white uniform sashayed into the room.

The nurse seemed shocked when she looked at me. Nevertheless, she grinned sweetly and then noted; "It's a pleasure to see that you have regained consciousness, Janie."

Not knowing what to say, I returned the smile.

"Good afternoon, Mr Pavarotti. I didn't know that I'd meet you here. If you don't mind, can I run a quick check on her?"

"Go ahead." Luciano permitted her.

Thereafter, the nurse removed her stethoscope, hanging loosely on her neck all along, then she began to use it to check my heartbeat.

After running a few checks on me, she straightened her posture and declared; "Well, her condition is now stable and she will just be placed on pain relievers."

"Good," Luciano replied with a curt nod. "Now, inform Mrs. Andrea to get some fru—" he paused then turned to ask me. "Do you care for fruits?"

"Yes, I do."

His eyes drifted to the nurse as he addressed her once more. "Tell Mrs. Andrea to prepare fruits for her."

"Yes Sir." The nurses bowed before walking out of the room, leaving the two of us alone.

With Luciano's eyes solely fixated on mine, he cleared his throat before stating; "As I mentioned earlier, I need you to tend to my injuries."

"Who was that lady that just left?" I queried distastefully.

"Your nurse." He answered.

"If she is a nurse, then why can't she tend to your injuries? Because what I learned from my mom is just the basics."

Luciano shook his head. "I don't care,"

"Still I think she is a professional, and I'm just an amateur. Letting her tend to your bruises is the right option without a doubt." I tried to pass a point across.

"I went to save your ass with my compromised state, so you should feel grateful and rather help." Luciano snarled.

"Since you are the one that took me to Italy then you are responsible for everything that happened back there and so you ought to own it."

Luciano sighed. "Which is why I made amends, and I tried to protect you thereby getting shot in my arms and legs."

"But the person that shot you is your enemy, not mine," I asserted with a defensive tone.

"And you running off like a spoiled brat because I yelled at you, allowed them to spot us." Luciano fumed.

Instantly, I felt my heart shattered into a million pieces. Did Luciano just call me a spoiled brat?

Everything that transpired in Italy was his fault. I bluntly refused to go to Italy. Yet, he forced me. He left me at home all by myself and wouldn't let me out of his sight even for a moment. Yet, he pegged it all on me by calling me a spoiled brat?

I bit down on my lower lip, trying to conceal the rage coursing through my veins. "You have been treating me like I'm a puppy, bound to do whatever its master wants, how am I supposed to live with that?"

He leaned forward with a stoic expression. "I paid your father a huge sum of money to have you. You have no choice but to obey my every whim."

"And I never asked for that!" I fired back. "All I wanted was to have a simple and fulfilled life and you ruined that for me." I cried out in displeasure.

"Tell that to the father who sold you without a second thought, not me!" He roared.

I stiffened, but I quickly recollected myself. There was no way I'd let Luciano have the last lapse of victory. Never!

"You pressured my father into selling me off, he wouldn't do that to me."

"Well, if I were your father and you are worthy of being called my daughter, I would never do that to you!"

A painful jab ricocheted deep within my guts. I swallowed hard, struggling to contain the rush of emotions that breached my throat.

Luciano's words hurt me, no doubt.

I didn't know how this whole matter escalated out of proportion, but it was all his fault. Yet, how could he bring back the horrible memories that I have been trying to forget all along?

Letting out a shaky breath, I batted my lashes severally so I wouldn't break down in tears.

"I will stay and tend to your injuries Master Luciano because I feel I owe you something. However, kindly let me go once I'm done with that." Having said that, I turned to face the other direction of the bed and clutched the pillow tight.

"Janie." I heard him call softly, but I didn't respond.

"I know I said some things that hurt you deeply and I am—"

Before he could complete his statement, I heard the door flung open and Romano's raspy voice filled the room.

"I have been searching for you everywhere until the nurse said you were in this room, Luciano." He let out, breathing heavily.

"And what is the problem?" Luciano implored.

"I think there is a traitor in our midst." He added sharply. "Because Luigi has escaped from his cell."