Saving her

Vanessa POV’s

My eyes widened in disbelief as anger slithered beneath my skin.

"You must be joking. Do you think saying something like this earns you points? That I'll suddenly become your obedient little wife?" I challenged, watching as Gnero's eyes flickered with shock.

"Why would I lie? It's not a ploy, Vanessa. My men at the airport reported it. I didn’t make this up. They said they saw everything, its even on the news. You can verify it yourself." His voice was tight, gesturing towards the men who had delivered the news, their pitiful stares making my throat tighten.

I fought to keep my lips steady, but Gnero’s expression darkened as he noticed my struggle.

"My father is fine," I insisted, shaking my head. "He’s just late. He’ll be here." But my face was already flushed, my ears ringing, and my eyes burning, m hands were shaking and I had to keep still.

"I'm so sorry, Nessa. He's at a private hospital upstate. I can arrange for someone to take you to him, would you like that?" His tone softened as he waited for my nod. His hands guided me toward the car, the men who brought me here standing by. They exchanged dark looks, one of them casting a pitying glance my way before his expression went blank.

It took a while before we got to the hospital, my breath was ragged and my body was stiff all through the way. Sweat beaded my forehead and yet my head was blank.

There was no way in hell that My father, a man I had just seen hale and hearty and strong, the same man who kissed my cheek and then betrayed me by selling me as a bride for a treaty between two house, the same man who was supposed to be at my wedding party, was dead. There was just no way.

The men helped me down the car and wanted to walk besides me, their presence suddenly became stiffling as I stopped walking and turned to them, my mind already conjuring up what I wanted to say but the words became heavy, they had understnding eyes which was different from the rock hard ones that had whsiked me away from my father in minutes, I shook my head and cleared my throat “I would like to go in, alone. please,” saying the last part as a whisper, they exchanged looks and I wanted to scream at them, to tell them that I was not going to suddenly run away when I just found out news that could potentially destroy me especially once I remember that It was still my birthday!

They nodded their heads and I walked in.

As I walked through the double doors of the hospital, the sterile scent of formaldehyde hit me, and the sight of Antonio’s familiar Swiss brown curls froze me in place. He was standing over a slab. My hands began to tremble as tears escaped my eyes.

“Antonio?” I croaked out. He turned, his brows furrowing in surprise as I noticed the feet sticking out from under a white cover, a tag dangling from the ankle. My breath caught in my throat.

“Papa?” I rushed to the slab, my throat constricting as I realized with horror that my father really lay before me, eyes closed.

My heart shattered, my hands instinctively reaching out to touch him, to feel his skin, cold and unresponsive.

My father was really gone.

Tears blurred my vision as I looked to Antonio for comfort, but before I could register his expression, his hand connected with my face, sending me stumbling back in shock.

"You have some nerve," he spat, his voice laced with venom.

"Anton—"

"Don't you dare say my name! You betrayed us, Your own familia!" he roared, and I noticed my other brothers in the room, their faces twisted in anger.

Fear gripped me as I tried to comprehend why I was being treated like this and called a traitor. Our father just died and we were already fight?

"You did this for power?" Antonio accused, his eyes blazing with rage.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, bewildered.

"Don't play dumb. I know what you did! You killed Father because you wanted to take over the business. You staged this wedding, united both houses, and planned to take control. But not on my watch. You may have killed Father, but you've just made yourself our enemy," he declared, his voice cold and unforgiving.

"What do you mean I staged my own wedding? Have you lost your mind, Antonio?" I shot back, fury rising in my chest.

"I was dragged away from the airport! How could I have attacked Father when I was fighting for my life and trying to dissolve the marriage?" I argued, but Antonio was unmoved. He closed his eyes, fists clenched.

"This family no longer recognizes you as a De La Cruz. You've been disowned and forgotten—"

"What?!" I missed, my eyes caught anger and hatred in his features and suddenly I started to see that Antonio had changed and all of a sudden, fear spread through me.

"And If I ever see you close to me or MY brothers? That will be the last time you take a breath. I suggest you show me a bit of respect as I'm showing you now because in the next three seconds, I'll call in our bodyguards, and they'll make sure you remember this even in death," Antonio vowed, turning his back on me.

"Antonio!" I called out, but he didn’t respond.

"Anton—"

"Porta via questa stronza da qui," he ordered, and four men burst through the morgue doors.

I gasped in horror as the rough looking men stormed towards me, grabbing me immediately.

"Let me go! I didn't do it!" I screamed, but they held on tighter than before, preventing me from squirming or escaping. I caught Antonio's eyes and tried to plead with my eyes but he turned away, his back remained turned as the men dragged me away, their grips like iron.

Pain exploded from my scalp and my throat hurts so much as I tried to scream. I was only able to get half of Antonio's name before I was thrown out, my back hitting something concerte and a thud came from somewhere.

I struggled to sit up but the pain had knocked the air out of my lungs, I gasped for breath while I realized that the men were still present and they were now sharing a look of mischief.

Adrenaline pumped within me as I realized that these men were not done with me. I stood up to my feet forcing myself despite the searing pain that passed through me, desperate to run, but I was stopped in mid movement.

One of them dragged me by the hair, wrestling me to the ground as hands suddenly circled my throat,threatening to crush the air out of me.

"Please," I choked out, but he only smiled, his hands tearing at the slit in my dress, exposing my legs.

He tried to force himself between them, but I fought back, clawing and kicking. He raised a hand to strike me, but before he could, his body slumped over mine, blood oozing from a fresh wound.

The other three men stood over him, their expressions cold. They hauled him off me and helped me to my feet.

"Th—Thank you," I stuttered gasping for breath. I wanted to stand on my feet when they suddenly hooked hands to my arm and grabbed me and it dawned on me.

I struggled to break free, but one of them threw me over his shoulder while the other tied me, stuffing a cloth in my mouth as I tried to scream.

Tears smeared my mascara as I realized that within twenty-four hours, I had been sold to a mafia king, lost my father, been disowned, nearly defiled, and was now being kidnapped.

They tossed me into the back of a black SUV, and the van sped off. I watched in despair as we passed the hospital, the car and the bodyguards parked at front. My cries were met with a slap across the face.

"Why!!!" I screamed, spitting the loose cloth out from my mouth, desperate for an answer.

"Why?" one of the men sneered. "Because without you, the Gneros won’t be powerful. There’s a rumor that you’re a virgin and a potential heir, so you have more access to the De La Cruz powerhouse. People want that, including our boss. He paid good money for you. You saved us the trouble of stealing you from those nasty Gneros," he laughed, and the others joined in.

Suddenly, headlights blinded us, and the van swerved. The sound of metal grinding against metal filled my ears, my head slamming against the van’s interior. My vision blurred, and I heard the sound of the door being forced open.

The noises of a fight, knives slashing, and groans filled the air. When my vision cleared, I saw Gnero, blood streaming from a wound in his arm, fighting off the men.

Despite his injury, he defeated them and rushed to my side, untying the ropes that bound me and leading me to the battered car. He helped me into the passenger seat, but his eyes were already rolling back.

It took nearly thirty minutes to find a motel that wouldn’t ask questions. I bribed the staff for supplies to treat Gnero’s wounds, tears stinging my eyes as I realized the only person who came to my rescue was someone I’d least expected.

When Gnero finally came to, he was seated in a chair, his wounded arm outstretched as I stitched it up, my head bowed to hide my tears.

“Ouch,” he winced, and I paused, my heart aching as I wrapped my arms around him.

“Gnero,” I whispered, holding him close. He winced again, and I pulled back.

“Are you cold?” I asked, and he nodded. I quickly finished his stitches and helped him onto the bed.

A small smile tugged at his lips as I guided him, my petite frame pressed between his legs, my eyes lingering on his perfectly toned body.

“Did they hurt you?” he asked softly. “I came as fast as I could.” Guilt tinged his voice, and my eyes welled with tears. Suddenly, my shoulders shook, and sobs wracked my body.

Gnero pulled me into his arms, comforting me as I clung to him. The tension between us was electric, our bodies drawn together in a way that needed no words.