Crucified by Marita A. Hansen Read Free Book Online Page B

what she
asked, then headed for the door, stopping at her voice.
    “Except for your
tattoos and hair, you look just like your brother did. How old are you?”
    I turned back to
her. “Twenty-six.”
    Her lips pressed
together, and those eyes… I stared at them, the pain within them affecting
me.
    “Alessandro?” she
said.
    I snapped out of
it. “ S ì ? ”
    “Why are you
staring at me?” she said, touching her jaw, looking self-conscious.
    “Your eyes are
very expressive. They are filled with so much agony.”
    “You have
expressive eyes too. Your brother told me about you.”
    “Which one?”
    “Ricardo; I used
to date him.”
    “When was this?”
    “Twelve years ago around
Christmas.”
    “I was in the hospital
then.”
    “I know. I visited
with your brother, but you were unconscious.”
    I nodded. “I
should leave you in peace,” I said, uncomfortable with the subject. The
kidnappers had left me for dead, the beating they had given me leaving me in a
coma for two months. After I had woken up, I had found out that I’d had a stroke,
which meant I had to learn how to speak again. It had taken a year before anyone
could understand me, and another year before I could speak without slurring.
    “ Grazie ,
Alessandro,” Bianca said. “Ricardo said you were the nice one of the famiglia .”
    I turned back. “He
must’ve been drunk when he said that, because he didn’t think I was very nice
for taking Ghita away from him today.”
    Bianca’s face
soured. “Oh, how I hate that woman. She caused your brother nothing but hell. I
don’t understand why he’s so fixated on her. And why is she here? I saw her
downstairs. The troia smirked at me.”
    “Camila wanted her
sisters back, so Frano told me to get them.”
    She grimaced.
“Just please make sure she doesn’t come near me.”
    Nodding, I excused
myself again. I left her room and entered mine, stripping down to my boxers. I flopped
onto my bed, exhausted from the difficult day. I closed my eyes, wishing my
past was nothing but a dream, something I could forget, instead of a nightmare
that people continually reminded me of.
     

 
    4
    A knock came from
my door. I opened my eyes, realizing it was a new day, the sunshine coming
through my window bright. The knock came again. Yawning, I pushed out of bed
and headed for the door, opening it. Honey stood on the other side looking as
though she’d been crying continuously since I’d last saw her.
    “What’s wrong?” I
asked.
    “He does hate me.”
She flung herself at me, hugging me as though there was no tomorrow.
    I placed an arm
around her and pulled her into my room, shutting the door behind us. I directed
her to the bed, and sat her down, detaching myself from her tight grip. “Tell
me what happened?” I said.
    She wiped her
eyes. “ I went back to Jagger’s
room, and as soon as he saw me, he went crazy, yelling at me to get out. I
don’t know what to do. I have to make him see how much I love him, but he told
me not to come back,” she said, her blue eyes imploring me to help her.
    “How long have you
known Jagger for?”
    “About two
months.”
    “How long have you
known your husband?”
    “Seven years.”
    I frowned, not
impressed with her weak character. “You need to look inside yourself and see if
you love Jagger because of the training he has done on you or whether this is
genuine love, because I really think you should be thinking about your husband,
not Jagger.”
    “It is genuine;
I will do anything for him.”
    “Okay,” I said,
not believing her. “What will you do then?”
    “I don’t know;
that’s why I’m here. I need your help. I’m terrified the Don will sell me now
that Jagger doesn’t want me.”
    “The Don won’t
sell you; you’re the house nurse, plus Bianca will need to be looked after.”
    “I tried to help
her, but she yelled at me to get out of her room. No one wants me here.”
    “I do.”
    “Why do you want
me when Jagger doesn’t?”
    I