Chapter 71

Luca’s POV

Mara seemed to be in and out of consciousness. As she came to she panicked and started scooting backwards. “Stop, no”, she pleaded. “Don’t do this”, she begged. “Marabella, mia Bella, it’s me, you are safe now”, I said, trying to calm her down. “No, please stop”, her voice was unsteady, as she fought her own tears. She had wailed her arms so much that my jacket had slid off of her, that was when I noticed the blood where her body had laid.

I panicked and grabbed her wrists, then, as gentle as I could, pinned her to the ground, covering her body with mine. I turned my head and looked at my men who stood in shock and panic, as they watched the scene unfold before them. “Clear the room!”, I bellowed. The soldatos snapped out of it and quickly started filing out of the room, dragging the bastard who did this to her with them.

I looked down at my beautiful wife. Her eyes were closed as she struggled under me and shook her head. “Mara, baby. Look at me”, I said softly. She didn’t respond and kept fighting. “Marabella, look at me”, I commanded. Mara froze as her eyes snapped open, but she still refused to look at me, like she was scared that her mind was playing tricks on her.

“Marabella, look at me”, I repeated gently. She inhaled sharply and turned her head. Her hazel eyes locked on mine. Her breathing was uneven, but the panic in her eyes started to fade. “Luca?”, she asked, shakily. “Yes, baby girl. I am here and you are safe”, I said, looking over her face. She released a sigh of relief.

“Luca”, she whispered, wrapping her legs around my hips and locking her ankles. I released her arms and they immediately wrapped around my neck. “Oh my God”, she said breathlessly. My hand came up to support the back of her head as I hugged her back. “I’ve got you now, baby girl”, I whispered into the crook of her neck. I felt something wet and sticky on my hand that was in her hair.

I pulled my hand back to see it covered in blood. I tried to pull my body back, but Mara wouldn’t let me. “Mara, I need to check your injuries. Let go, baby”, I said softly. She broke down into a sob. “Please don’t leave me”, she hiccuped. “I’m not going anywhere, amore mia, I promise. I just need to make sure you’re okay baby”, I said, coaxing her arms from around my neck.

I immediately looked at her arms. She had splinters on the back of them. As I looked over her chest and stomach, I saw a few scrapes but nothing too bad. On the side of her leg was a gash that went nearly from her hip to her knee. I immediately removed my shirt and wrapped it securely around the wound.

Mara hissed in pain, as her head snapped up to watch me. “I’m so sorry, Marabella. I will make this up to you, I promise”, I uttered quietly. Mara shook her head, “This wasn’t your fault, Luca. It was mine”, she muttered. I helped her slip the remains of her shirt off so that I could check her back.

“How do you figure that, my sweet?”, I asked, as I moved around her. She had another large gash on her back and multiple splinters. “He was the brother of one of those men, from the other night”, her voice was just above a whisper. I frowned as I used her torn shirt to wrap the wound on her back. “How did he know about you though?”, I asked.

She shrugged, “I don’t know. There was a woman with him”, she uttered. “A woman?”, I asked, confused. Mara nodded as she looked over her shoulder at me. “I couldn’t see her face and her voice was masked, but her tone sounded familiar”, Mara mumbled. “Her tone?”, I inquired, as I helped Mara slip my jacket on.

“Yes, her articulation sounded familiar”, Mara mumbled.I bent down to pick her up, but once my hands touched her back, Mara hissed. She put her hand on my chest, effectively stopping me. “I think it will hurt less to walk”, she croaked. I nodded in agreeance and helped her stand up. I buttoned up the front of my coat, so that it wouldn’t open. “Pain level, bambina?”, I uttered, as I gently took her hand in mine. “At this very second? Seven, maybe”, she answered groggily.

I carefully wrapped my arm around her waist to support her. “She probably masked her voice because she knew that you would be able to recongize it. Did she say anything?”, I asked, as I helped her towards the door, to get her out of this hell hole. “She spoke about how powerful you are and how you couldn’t have an impure wife”, she uttered, her hazel eyes peaking up at me from under her eyelashes.

My face paled, so that was the purpose of this abduction. To be raped and have her virtue stripped of her by a man, who’s brother tried to do the same. I felt Mara squueze my hand, drawing my attention back down to her. She faced me and grabbed the back of my neck, pulling my head down and connecting her lips to mine. I immediately grabbed the back of her neck and returned the kiss, feverishly. I poured my fear, worry and relief into the kiss.

I rested my forehead on hers, finally being able to breathe a sigh of relief. “I was so fucking scared, Marabella”, I confessed in a whisper. Her breath hitched as she wrapped her arms around my neck to pull me closer to her. “So was I”, she whispered. “Please take me home”, she begged softly.

“You need to see a doctor, baby girl”, I uttered. I saw movement up ahead, drawing my attention. I looked up to see Rex standing down the hall with a pained expression on his face. My eyes reflected the fury I felt towards him, at the moment, making him cast his eyes downward as he waited for us.

“Can you have them come to the house, please? I want to go home”, she pleaded. She pulled back and looked up at me with her gorgeous doe eyes, locking me in a trance. Fuck, she’s got me, man.