A Burning Flame by Daniella Kunz (book recommendations txt) 📕

to kiss my fiancee? I think it's only fitting, she is of age after all. No harm in a simple act of affection.”

My nose pulls up in disgust at imaging his lips over mine. My father would never allow him to.-

“I supposed it wouldn’t cause any harm, but I expect it to be chaste.”

My eyes widen at my father's words and I turn my head to look at him. His eyes are turned down, not wanting to watch the display. What? No! I feel a hard grip in my hair before my face is jerked back around to face Enzo. Triumph shining in his eyes, he pushes me into him. I feel the roughness as he smashes his lips into mine, moving against my mouth. My stomach lurches as nausea rises up my throat. Unable to stop my reaction, I lift my hand up and back before slapping it across his face.

He jumps back startled by the action, before he takes a step towards me. Reaching up he wipes away the blood that has appeared over his lip where my ring has cut it. “GIANNA!” My father bellows behind me. Momentarily distracted by my father’s booming voice, I didn’t notice Enzo’s advancement. Reaching back out he grasps my hair hard, yanking down as I am forced to drop to my knees, crying out at the pain searing my scalp. “Enzo, that is enough!” My father commands. He turns his menacing gaze to my father as he shakes with rage.

“This bitch dared to lay her hands on me. She needs to learn her place.” He spits out.

“She will be punished, of that I can assure you.” My father says, trying to placate him.

He shakes his head. “She will be punished now. Whether it be by your hand or mine, she will not be allowed to show me disrespect. Make the choice. Will you do it or I?” I hear the resigned sigh escape my father’s lips. "You are her fiance, so I supposed it should be you. An eye for an eye is all you are allowed to do.”

I don’t miss the glint of excitement as it shines in his eyes before he yanks me back up. I bite my lip to keep the yelp from becoming vocal, not wanting to give him any more pleasure than he is already getting from this. Once I am back on my feet, he lets go of my hair as he raises his hand back. I see the muscles flex in his chest and arm before he throws it forward. I tense, trying to brace myself for the impact as his hand connects with the side of my face with an audible crack. I am thrown sideways from the impact and force as I stumble into the ground. My vision blurs as stars dance around the room. I blink, trying to clear the water that wells in my eyes from the stinging pain.

I see the shape of a figure moving to stand in front of me before crouching down. Grabbing my jaw in his hands, he forced my face up to look at him. “Don’t ever lay your hands on me again. I promise I will not be so kind next time.” He spits out at me. Shoving my face from him he lets go, and I don’t miss the slight bulge in his pants as he stands.

Sick fuck is turned on by this.

“Lorenzo, unfortunately, I have to head back. We have been dealing with a rather unfortunate chain of events back home. I wish to move the wedding date up. I will be back in a month and will be taking her then.”

My world spins faster at his words as my heart sinks. “And Gianna.” He says, gaining my attention again. “I advise you not to remove that ring, there will be consequences for doing so, and if you think I won’t know, you are a fool.” His eyes get a gleeful gleam to them. “I had it specially made, you see. It monitors your heart rate. If you were ever to take it off the heart rate would stop, notifying me. So be a good girl and listen for once.”

My gut twists as I look down at the small circle of metal, decorated with diamonds to hide its true nature, what it really is. A statement of ownership. A way to finally mark me as his. I don’t notice when he leaves the room as I continue to stare at the ring. Tears still pool in my eyes as I hear my father walk around his desk to me.

Reaching down he grabs hold of my arm to help lift me up. “Gianna I’m.-”

“Don’t.” I say shaking him off me. Without another word, I turn walking out of his office as my hope shatters inside me once again.

14

GIANNA

When I arrive home I drop the bags of groceries on the counter and immediately head into the bathroom, needing to see what I look like as I feel like my face was hit with a bat and not a mere hand. It took the better half of the car ride home to clear the stars from my vision as my head continued to spin. I flip on the light, looking up into the mirror and gasp. My lip is split, and blood is dried on my chin. My face is a mixture of scarlet red and white as I can make out the imprint of his hand still outlined across my cheek up to my eye. Just below my eye is the darkened circle where my skin is starting to bloom in a deep shade of purple and yellow.

I continue to stare at my reflection for quite some time as if I expect to watch it evolve into something worse as the time ticks by. My phone pings beside me, drawing my attention from the mirror. Looking down at it, I see a text from Daveon.

Daveon

Where are you?

Gianna

Home,