five

With Travis's help, I eventually found myself sitting in the back of a jet black Rolls-Royce. The driver greeted me politely as our eyes met and the door was closed behind me.

"It took you thirty minutes to just get in a car." His deep, intimidating voice welcomed me and I shifted uncomfortably in my spot, "Some of us have places to be, London."

"I am sorry."

Didn't know what to say, I ended up apologizing to him like a coward. Not only that I was scared of him but I just did not have the power to fight back this time around.

The car was then driven down the driveway smoothly. I looked out the window, hoping to capture a mental image of my house for the last time only to see three other cars were tracing just right behind us. It was like a scene in one of those mafia lord movie where the main character was too powerful to be transporting in just one vehicle.

Did he really need to have his securities by his side at all time?

For my own records, no. So, the only explanation to his bizarre safe keeping was because of his own insecurities and maybe, just maybe he was not as tough as people viewed him to be.

Through the dark street outside of our car, I managed to keep myself busy by guessing where we were and how much longer until we would arrive at the mansion. But as the car made a sharp turn, redirecting toward a complete different direction from how I remembered, I automatically began to panic.

"I have to take care of something." Liam announced. Probably he noticed that weird look on my face, "Stay in the car." He then ordered once the car came to an abrupt stop. Without another one being said, he got out.

From inside the vehicle, I watched as a group of men appeared out of nowhere and stood, guarding around the car. Some of them did follow Liam inside the haunted-looking warehouse which we were parking right in front of.

Sketchy. I thought as I began to look around. I tried my best to search my surrounding but it was impossible to make up a full picture of where we were with a bunch of over six-feet tall men blocking my view.

Eventually, I got bored.

Another ten minutes passed and Liam was nowhere to be found. That was when I started to get curious.

However, my curiosity did not stay for long.

A frightening noise could be heard coming from the inside of the warehouse. My eyes shot wide open upon reconciling with the familiar sound straightaway.

"Someone's shooting." I loudly gasped.

"No one is shooting, Miss." The driver turned to look at me as if I was crazy before he casually turned the other way and looked outside his window. I noticed a few sweats were forming around his hairline as he tried to wipe it away with the back of his hand.

But the noise repeated, this time even louder and closer to where they were at.

"Someone's shooting! Can you not hear?!" I screamed.

"Miss, you need to calm down."

Well, he did not look so calm to me so that was hardly reassuring.

I was not going to sit there and wait for the bullet to get to me. The only single thought came through my mind and it was I need to get the hell out of there.

My hand reached out for the handle of the car door and pulled it open. If their aim of guarding around the car was to keep me put, these men were idiots for not putting the car door on child lock mode to begin with.

Rookie mistake.

I pushed the car door open and my breath shivered when a cold breeze attacked my bare skin.

"Miss, get back in the car!" The driver yelled after me but he was too late, I was already half way out.

Three guards immediately rushed toward me and together they tried to shove me back into the car but everyone flinched at the second round of firing began. The sound was getting louder and louder, indicating that the shooter was getting closer and closer toward us.

The next image I saw, it caused my lower jaw to drop open in an awful horror.

It was the scene of a girl running toward us from inside the warehouse. She looked tiny but maybe because of the far distance between us. But even from that far, I could tell her body was dripping blood. She was soaked in that dark crimson liquid in every parts of her body. From head to toe, she was drenched.

"HELP ME!" The girl screamed.

"Miss!" One of the guards hissed impatiently at me but I was too shocked to even move any limbs.

Eventually, one of them had to almost pick me up and placed me back inside the back seat.

I sat still. Completely frozen still.

From the view of our front windshield, I saw Liam finally made his reappearance. But everything from there happened rather so quickly and fast that my mind could barely comprehended.

With a gun in his hand, Liam shot at the girl. Not only once but twice. The first bullet hit her leg, which caused her to fall onto her knees. The second one soon followed, hitting her right in the head. It was a perfectly aimed headshot.

And that was what instantly killed her.

"Oh my god..." I gasped breathlessly in my spot and my hand went up to cover my mouth.

Tears pricked at the corner of my eyes. Through my blurry vision, I watched as the police cars slowly pulling up in front of the warehouse.

That was it. We were going to jail.

So, this was how it was going to end. So much for Liam was a perfect man for you. I wished my parents were there to see how great of a man my future husband was. He had just killed a girl. A poor girl who held no power or weapons to fight him back. 

And I had just become a part of the most serious crime listed in the law. It easily guaranteed me that the rest of my life from today and on would be spent in a square jail cell.

One of the policemen got out of his car and walked up to Liam. I was preparing myself and prayed for him but when the policeman stopped and bowed his head respectfully before Liam, sudden dread of coldness taking over my body. I froze.

The fact that he had just taken life from an innocent human being did not seem to shock anyone. The policemen made their way toward the girl's lifeless body and picked her up before throwing her into the trunk of their car.

Like a vegetable. Not human.

Liam and the policemen then exchanged a few words and after that he casually walked back to the car.

"Home, Alfred." Liam said as got inside the vehicle as if nothing had happened. His cold glance landed on me, "When I told you to stay in the car, you listen to me and stay in the damn car, London. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes." I stuttered. With my bloodshot eyes, I turned to stare at him. Taken note of the cold emotionless expression on his face, he was pure demon. My fiancé was a murderer.

He turned to me, sensing my glare and his brow arched, "What?"

"You're a murderer..." I breathed out and sobbed uncontrollably. I was beyond terrified to be sitting beside the man. He was a killer and he would not think twice before putting those bullets through my leg and head like how he did with that girl.

"I am not." He answered simply.

"B-but you killed the girl!"

"It's all about business." He explained. Eyeing me questionably and he shook his head, "Stop crying. It's not like she is your friend or something."

My hand flew up to cover my mouth as I sobbed and sobbed but tried my hardest to not make any noises. Afraid that it would disturb him. I had never knew what a panic attack felt like. Not until then. My breath quickened out of control. My heart raced and constricted. I felt nausea. Light headed. Ready to faint.

"Look at me." I heard Liam's voice speak up from beside me and when I hesitated, he made sure to repeat himself even louder the second time, "London. Look. At. Me."

This time I quickly followed his order and turned to look at him. My hand was trembling over my mouth and he attempted to remove it with his. His touch felt rough but warm as he pulled me gently toward him.

"Hush." Liam said forcefully. His finger gripped my chin and lifted my face up so I was looking right at him, "I said hush."

Just like that night, he used his thumb to carefully dry my tear but this time his hand lingered for a bit and caressed the side of my face.

Or whatever that small motion rubbing that was. I wasn't too sure that a man like him would even know how to comfort someone.

"Breath." He ordered and I followed. He let his eyes swept across my face one last time before he pulled away, "You will get used to it."

"What?" I now was staring back at him in disgust.

"The first time is always going to be the hardest." He explained, "I am talking about what just happened, of course."

Right. Because I was so looking forward to see my reaction and how it would improve on the second time around.

"You look like you have something to say."

"No." I whimpered, scooting back to my spot and leaned my heavy head against the window.

"I killed to protect. I don't just kill for no reason." He attempted to explain himself despite how stupid it might sound and by the look on his face, he knew it too.

"Even with reasons, you have no right to kill someone." I stated in my matter-of-factly tone.

"I can be a very unreasonable man when I am upset, London. Do not provoke me."

"Are you threatening me?"

"I am not. I am just giving you an advice." He shrugged, "You should learn how to live with me and not get yourself killed so fast."

"You would not dare, Liam." I sneered, glaring at him deadly. The nerve this man had.

"You're right. I wouldn't." He snorted, "Cause if I want you dead, you wouldn't be sitting here arguing with me right now."

"Papa will kill y-"

"Will he?" Liam taunted, glaring me down distastefully.

His question got the smarter side of my brain thinking. I, then realized papa was the main reason as to I was where I was. Sitting beside this fearful, heartless man who his favorite thing to do was to creep the life out of me on a daily basis.

This man was nothing. And when I said nothing I meant nothing like I knew. Maybe that was why he had to be so secretive and private. Because him in real life was beyond one's mind to wrap around.

Mistaking my silence for weakness, Liam scoffed at me, "That's what I thought."

_______________

When we finally arrived at Luciano's mansion, it was already late at night. I was exhausted from all the crying I did in the car and could not wait to get myself into bed.

I was relieved to learn that Liam had my stuff relocated to one of the guest's rooms in his wing side of the mansion.

And yes, the west wing of the Luciano home belonged to Liam and him alone. Even Giovanna had only been there once or twice in the past few years. Me? Never. Not even once. Everyone was forbidden from going there. Only Liam's parents and a few other of his trusted housemaids were allowed.

With the help from the maids, I finished unpacking soon after I was shown to my new room. It was a plain modern bedroom with a serene beige wallpaper. The decorations were a bit masculine compare to what I would prefer but requesting a redecoration on the first day of my arrival. That would raise a lot of eyebrows and possibly, got me in a trouble with the owner of the place himself.

It was already half-past twelve and I was lying wide awake on this California king-sized bed which was twice the size of the one I had back at home. The sheet smelled nice and felt clean underneath my skin. I tried to ease my thoughts and allowed myself to drift away.

Suddenly, the door to my bedroom was widened open, and I sprung up to see a tall figure stepping inside.

"Do you not know how to knock?!" I yelled at him.

"Are you going to be alright?" Liam asked, crossing his arm and leaned his side against the door frame.

"Why shouldn't I be?" I protruded, pulling up the blanket to cover myself from his eyes. I was not wearing a bra and the last thing I want was for him to think that I was attempting to seduce him in any way.

"Giovanna told me you've never seen someone get shot." He trailed off boringly and my face lighten up.

"Giovanna is home?"

"Yes." He replied back in short, "And no." He shook his head, "You are not here for a sleepover. We have a lot of things to do tomorrow. I need you to rest."

"But I just want to see her." I whined.

"You will get to see her tomorrow." He insisted.

I sighed, slowly giving in, "Fine."

Liam looked around the room one last time. Before he turned to leave the room, he made sure to warn me.

"And don't think about sneaking out during the night. My men won't be able to recognize you through the dark, you can get yourself hurt pretty badly."

"Got it."