Whispers of the Damned

My heart, beating loudly in my chest, was messing up all my nerves. He was standing in the lobby surrounded by several people, yet all eyes were on him, who always looked different. He was the attention stealer.

I blinked my eyes quickly and walked slowly. Trying to blend in and be invisible while heading to the cafeteria, where everyone was already stealing glances at the lobby where the richest man in the world was. Like Franky going against the water flow, I did the same. I walked opposite from where they were, who looking at the lobby behind me, and I tried to control myself every step of the way. Running into an enemy that destroys me, is something that drains my energy. I didn't even know if I could destroy him like the idea I had once designed or not. Because now I can't even look at his face. My body is already trembling so violently.

Zane Bernardi... is really terrible.

I sat in my chair while the people around me talked about Zane Bernardi.

The faces around me began to bustle, talking about Zane Bernardi's arrival. Some people looked impressed, while others looked at him with fear and awe. I tried to focus my mind on what was going on around me, trying to ignore Zane's presence.

Kennan was already standing, "Mr. Scuderi and Mr. Bernardi are talking over there. I thought I should say hello to them. You guys enjoy your lunch."

We let our team leader go and then talked about how excited they were to see Zane Bernardi's face while I pondered in my chair.

Elsa looked at me with concern. "Are you okay, Daniella?"

I tried to smile, though it felt stiff. "Yes, I'm fine. Just a little shocked."

Elsa nodded understandingly, but I could see the doubt in her eyes. She must have sensed the tension I was feeling.

When Kennan returned to our table, he brought some surprising news. "Zane Bernardi will be the main sponsor of this project," he said with a smile. "We have the great fortune to have the support of one of the richest figures in the world." I swallowed. Was this a stroke of luck or a curse? Zane Bernardi, a man who was involved in my life in so many ways, would now be part of a project that would shape my future.

Lunch continued, but I was having trouble concentrating. My mind kept drifting to Zane and all the secrets hidden behind us. How could I work properly if the shadows of my past kept haunting me?

I typed a message to Theo, telling him that I was ready and that they should pick me up as soon as possible. I didn't want to linger here.

Zane Bernardi is around.

"Are you going straight home, Daniella?" asks Elsa when we've finished our lunch.

I nodded. "Are you staying at the hotel?"

Elsa shook her head. "I came from San Francisco this morning by plane, and now I'm going straight home to San Francisco again."

"Very practical. You don't have to stay in a hotel anymore."

"Well, I like the practical life. What about you? Are you staying in a hotel?"

I shook my head. "My brother lives here, I stay at his house."

"He works here?"

"Yeah, as an accountant." I grimace. Abraham would be furious if he heard me right now.

"It's nice to have family here. You can take a vacation at the beach anytime." She said.

I just chuckled not knowing what to reply with. As we walked out of the cafeteria together, I sighed in relief that that asshole Zane Bernardi wasn't there anymore.

"My taxi's here, I'll go first, Daniella. See you in San Francisco." Elsa tells me with a big smile when we're outside the lobby.

I waved goodbye to her. "See you soon. Take care."

I walked outside the courtyard of this building. To the bus stop on the side of the road, waiting for my three asshole brothers to pick me up. My chest was already rumbling chaotically. My hands were already breaking out in cold sweat from fear. Fear that, somehow, Zane Bernardi would find me and then take me away.

I sat up uneasily, biting my lip firmly, and looked around me. There were a few people walking around. Ordinary people who... I frowned when one of them stole a glance at me.

Well, ordinary people who are my father's men.

I sighed in relief because of that, I would be safe. Zane Bernardi wouldn't touch me here.

The lightning metallic range rover came at a speed that would make me grumble when I was in it. I walked straight to the front passenger seat and got in.

My breathing was labored as I leaned against the back of the seat.

"Why?" Abraham asked calmly. "Something happened? You got fired?" he asked again as we Theo led us away from the company.

"No." I replied. "Just plain bad luck." I don't want to tell the truth.

"What exactly is that building? Is the Royal Ridge building finished?" Damien asked.

I sighed. "Its a rental building." I said casually. "Like the one you own."

"Who owns it?" Abraham asked.

It surprised me that he didn't know who owned the mining company. "You don't know? You live here."

"It's like I never cared." He replied.

"I don't know either."

It was a safe answer. Yes, safe.

In no time, we were in Malibu, in Abraham's home. The expensive pink car made me frown. "Ariana's here? Why is she here?" I asked.

"When I told her you were coming on vacation too, she got excited. She wanted to come with us." Theo answered.

All three of us shot Theo a glare and I snorted. Ariana was our cousin, living in Sacramento, being a sociolite with an expensive lifestyle using the money of her rich husband, who was her father's business relative. Well, her father was my father's brother, who was also involved with the Colombian cartel business. So... we were a Colombian mafia family living in California with impunity.

She was annoying, talkative and wild. I can get along with her but sometimes I get tired of keeping up with her never-ending activities. She always had the energy for trouble. And I love her.

"Hola, babes!" Ariana yelled to us.

I smiled in horror waving at her. This time she's wearing a pink t-shirt with white pants, five-inch high heels and her shoulder-length blond hair. There was a round hat wrapped around her, covering her face full of makeup. She's like a living barbie, minus the random and frenzied behavior, and the chatty mouth.

She hugged me tightly, shaking me and jumping up and down like we had been separated for twenty years.

"I'm so happy to see you," she kissed my right cheek and left cheek. I glared in horror at my three brothers who were stifling laughter. Even Abraham who was known as Rodriguez's coldest man.

"Me too, Ariana." I replied.

"But why didn't you tell me you were going to Los Angeles for a vacation with these three idiots?" she asked in an annoyed and adorable voice that she made up.

I gave a fake laugh. "Yeah, I... I was spur of the moment. Theo asked me, and then Damien came along."

"Ah, Theo invited me too." She replied.

"Where's your pathetic husband, Ariana? Why are you alone?" asked Damien as he approached.

"He's on a business trip with my father. He'll catch up tomorrow." Ariana replied, pursing her lips and then she looked at me. "So we can have some fun together! We'll go to a club and get drunk tonight." She whispered to me. "Good. I'll tell Ronan now and say that his wife screwed up."

"Don't be an asshole, Damien." She says. "Well, you are an asshole. But hold that for one night. Look at your sister here," Ariana looked at Abraham and Theo who had been silent all this time. "Look at your sister, her face is filled with pressure and there are wrinkles everywhere from the stress of dealing with your behavior. She needs some freedom with me. With a hangover of course."

"We'll come." Abraham replied with finality.

But Ariana was the stubborn one who never feared anyone. Even if it was my creepy first brother. "No. No, you won't. We need some me time. Just me and Daniella. You can go fuck yourself."

"Oh God," I sighed. "Come on, come on in. I'm sure you've been waiting outside for ages and hungry."

She scowls, and then grumbles as she wraps her arm around mine, dragging me towards the entrance of Abraham's house. "Yeah, I waited for you guys for an hour. My make up is smudged now."

<<<

"Which club are we going to?" I asked as I watched her busy getting dressed in front of the mirror in the guest room of Abraham's house.

She was already dressed, with her trademark: a tight pink dress, and five-inch heels, blonde hair left loose and red lips. I... I was wearing casual clothes. Just a tight t-shirt, cardigan, and short jeans. Not too frumpy to fit into a club and not too sexy either. I just patted my hair carelessly because I was only there to drink alcohol and get my head drunk until I forgot everything, not to find a guy to fuck.

"You'll find out later," she gave me a mischievous smile. "Where the tourists are, the exclusive ones, the ones by the beach, and the ones that only the high-class people can go to."

"Are you sure the men there aren't filled with old men?"

Ariana laughed out loud. It did not accentuate her appearance. She laughed like a goat begging for food. "You'll find out later." She said.

"You know that I already have a boyfriend."

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"Ah sure, that Italian." She shrugged. "It's okay. You guys are only temporary anyway, our family doesn't like Italians. So you can look for a backup from now on."

I shook my head and laughed.

"Oh, come on, you're twenty-six years old. In two more years you'll end up being married off to a man of granpa's or your father's choice. You'll suffer for it. You can find one now and save it for two more years of marriage." "God, you're so far off, Ari."

"I like to think, Danny."

We looked at each other and laughed.

Five minutes later we were ready, Ariana running her car while giving a distant peck to Theo and Abraham who were standing on the porch, glaring at us for not being able to come.

I waved goodbye to them. My three brothers weren't really against me. They were silent and seemed to agree. Probably because they understood that I needed a little freedom and alcohol to calm myself down. They were aware of my nightmares, of the past that haunted me. So for tonight they let me have some fun with our wild cousins.

Well, we're going have a good night.

<<<

The club was dark, and elegant. There were several luxury cars lined up in the parking lot and two burly men guarding the door.

We both went up to them, and Ariana gave them her access card. We entered when one of the men nodded, and opened the large doors to us. Then, dim lights, loud music with heavy bass, and lots of people.. greeted my vision. I cast my eyes this way and that and found no familiar faces. Well, who could I expect?

Ariana led me to the circular sofa at the far end, next to the dance floor, and then called out to the waiter.

"Burbon." I said to the male waiter.

"Two burbons." Ariana said. She swayed to the music, and looked up at me with a big smile. "This is fun."

"I will dance when I'm drunk."

She patted her chest. "I'll take care of you. Take it easy."

I winced at that. Usually, she would be the one drunk and I would drag her along the way to the car.

Our order came, and I took a swig from the bottle. My tolerance for alcohol was pretty good since I used to be an employee at an alcohol tavern in Mexico, so well, I seemed to finish at least two bottles of Burbon.

The club does look elegant, decorated in black and gray, and it also matches the people who come. I'm sure there aren't any cheap bitches approaching everyone here, surely all of them are exclusive and will come if booked by any man who wants to vent their desires.

I took another sip of burbon, reading the incoming message that came from Jason. I ignored it, and put my phone in my pants pocket.

"How's your relationship with that Italian guy?" Ariana asked.

"Fine." I replied. I shrugged.

Ariana chuckled. "It's fine. Which means it's normal, right?"

"Well, isn't it a safe relationship? Away from fights and pointless stuff?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "It just means that you don't love him. Or you guys lack love." She continued. Just like I'd heard from Joanna.

I frowned. "That's healthy."

"It's boring."

"You're not in your right mind if you say that toxic relationships are good and not boring." I grumbled.

Ariana laughed. "It's not like that, stupid." She said. "I mean relationships don't always go straight. They go up and down. Bickering. Possessive. Adventures. Great sex."

I made a disgusted expression.

"It was thrilling, and passionate."

"Not all of them are like you."

"Well, maybe." She replied. "But at least my relationship with Ronan wasn't flat."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah whatever." I took another sip of my bourbon. "I have to go to the restroom. One second."

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"Okay."

I stood up, moving past the many people to the hallway where the restroom sign was. I went in there, and entered one of the toilet cubicles. Sitting on the toilet and dumping the water in my bladder. When I was done, I came out and my heart jerked at the man standing leaning against the door.

Zane Bernardi.

In his casual clothes.

A short black t-shirt that lets me see the muscles in his arms and jeans. His hair was messy, and his face looked at me with a sweet smile.

His dimples appeared.

It makes me want to punch him

"Hello to you, Miss gomez, or.. Rodriguez?" He said, tilting his head. "It's so nice to see you again."

I stepped back, my eyes widening at the sight of Zane Bernardi in front of me.

I opened my mouth. "You..."

"We haven't spoken since we first met," he smirked. "Ah, I stand corrected. We haven't spoken since we met again at my parents' party."

I stepped back, looking at him sarcastically. "I don't want to talk to you."

"But, why? I've been dying to meet you for the past five years." He took a step forward.

I tried to calm myself down. "I've been dying to get you out of my head because of the destruction you've brought to my life since five years ago." I said. "I've wanted to punch you in the face for what you've taken from me." I stepped forward, towards him who was standing with a smirk on his face, and I punched him hard in the face. Until he cracked his face.

"Phew. This hurts." He said casually. "Where are your muscles? How can you hide those muscles under your small hands?"

I was about to punch him again but he caught my hand. He stepped forward making our front bodies touch. It stopped when my back hit the wall, he was in front of me, so close that our chests met. His face lowered to line up with mine. "You have a grudge against me, don't you?" he asked. "Even though I really liked your first night that you gave me." He continued.

"Fuck you."

Before I could do anything else to him, he had already covered my lips with his. Both of his hands were on the jawline of my face. Pressing my head to stay still. He kissed me as if he already owned me, had the deeds to prove it, and marked me for the world to see. He tightened his grip on my jaw and pushed my head back so he could get deeper, closer, to the part of me I couldn't reach.

Goosebumps came through me. Invading me with strange, wild jolts. I'd never felt like this with Jason. And now... his brother was giving me another jolt. Another flavor. Something that had been buried deep in my heart. Something that I had closed tightly.

He was my first kiss. Five years ago he had everything inside me.

Now...

I was his brother's lover.

And he is the man who killed Magnan!

This..this doesn't make sense.

I jerk away and his hands wrap around my neck, to give him better control. He guided me backwards as his lips claimed mine, now they turned soft and sensual, yet possessive and demanding at the same time. My heart was pounding, but I didn't know which instinct was more urgent. I can't see where I'm going and I don't know. I gasp into his mouth.

It should have been anger, but it was something else. Fascination rose in my loins as he dominated my mouth, still holding tightly to my hair. The kiss gets worse when he uses my hair to pull my head back.

Then he buried his face in the crook of my neck. I shuddered at the sensation of his warm breath on my sensitive skin. My nerve endings came alive when he pressed his lips there, but I pushed him away. "You're fucking nuts." I snapped at him.

He took my lips again, again messing up my mouth with his wild kisses. But now I rebelled with all my might. The lost pieces of my mind were back as I pushed against his strong chest.

I had studied martial arts with Damien. It was a good thing for me to use at times like this.

Zane Bernardi walked away with a messy face that was fucking handsome. He was about to get in my face again but I lifted my leg. Kicking something between his legs.

He bent over, with a roar of pain.

I chuckled. "Nice to meet you too." I said with a sigh.

I moved away from the toilet, and ran outside.

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