He sent my horrible pic to Leo ignoring my umpteenth protests and begging. This man was a monster.

Leo's uncle dearest was a monster.

He had a nerve to show me a nasty smirk after tapping the send button.

I sniffed as my eyes flickered down at my wrists. The skin around the cords began getting red and purple. I tried to wriggle hoping that it would loosen the cords, but in contrast, the cords sunk deeper in my skin that I afraid it would probably left a cut.

"At least, loose the cords. I promise I won't run. Please."

I begged as the pain became excruciating.

"You want me to loose the cords?" Roberto raised a brow and I nodded, "There's no problem, honey. I can do that." He got up from the couch.

I was confused and terrified.

Roberto had listened me and

agreed to loose the cords. That was very contrast from his personality.

He took a step or two closer to me with a wicked smile on his face. With his each and every step I felt my heartbeat rising rapidly.

Cold drops of sweat began forming at the back of my neck as the distance between us seemed to reduce.

He scratched his crotch and with the same fingers touched my right wrist, "You want me to lose these pretty cords?"

I nodded, "P-Please."

He began tapping his fingers on the cords of my right wrist as if contemplating about something. "Hmm...you've very nice lips. So soft, so luscious..." he withdrew his arm and made a move to touch my lips but I tilted my head away from him in disgust, "I wonder how they will taste."

"Nooo!" I screamed as he gripped my jaw and forced me to look at him. Oh god no! I'd rather choose death than let him touch me again. I cringed with disgust as he licked his lips before the space between us seemed to reduce. Now he was close. Too close to me.

My stomach felt uneasy as the bile rose upto my throat.

My vision turned vague and then I threw up on him.

"Argh, Bitch!" He yelled furiously, "You ruined my only shirt!"

I felt a harsh impact on my face before my surrounding faded away and I succumbed myself to dark.

"Jane!"

"Jane!"

The voice was deep and familiar but felt distant.

Yet it was soothing. I wanted to open my eyes and see the source of voice that ignited a familiar feeling inside me.

"Open your eyes, baby." Somehow I managed to open my eyes with great effort to see a familiar silhouette with my vague vision. "Oh god, you're fine. I—"

Once my vision completely adjusted I couldn't stop the sob that emanated from my lips, "Leo...you came."

He smiled down at me, "I had to, for my brunette bombshell."

To ascertain that the man in front of me was real and my mind wasn't making up things on its accord, I raised my free arm and touched his face. In response he squeezed my hand gently as if he noticed my uncertainty.

"Oh gosh, Leo." I clutched his shirt tightly and buried my face in his chest. I cried hard. I missed him so much.

The torture I endured was still flashing in my eyes. It was fresh. The bruises and pain was still fresh. It felt like they hadn't subsided yet.

Leo started rubbing my back gently, "Hey, you're okay now. I'm here, baby. He's no gonna hurt you."

"No! You've no idea what he did to me." My voice was broken as I said that.

I burst into a fresh bout of tears, and Leo put an arm around me, his own eyes growing misty. "He-He's a m-monster. He tortured me, Leo a-and...."

I saw his jaw clenched as I trailed off. His grip around me tightened. "What he did to you?" As I looked up, his face was voided of any emotion. He wanted me to continue but it was hard to describe the horrible experience of my life.

As if he realised my discomfort, he ducked down to my level and brought my wrists to his lips. He trailed soft kisses on my fresh bruises and asked softly, "What he did to you?"

I sobbed and replied, "He-He t-touched me."

That's it.

Those three words were enough for him to lose his mind as he abruptly roused on his full height and in the next moment Roberto who was earlier in Ryder's rough grip fell on the ground as Leo began beating shit out of him.

He punched him across the face and kicked him into his gut so hard that emanated an excruciating groan of pain from him. "Why did you touch her?" Leo gritted as he continued throwing kicks on his own uncle. "Why do have to lay a hand on the only person that matters to me? You shouldn't have touched her.

You shouldn't have!"

"Argh!" Tears stung Roberto's eyes as another harsh impact jarred him. Blood was dripping from his mouth as he tried to retrieve himself but Leo again knocked him on the ground. He didn't let him recover from previous jolt as he punched him across his face.

I'd never seen him like this. That was another side of Leo that he buried inside of him years ago. I never wanted him to hurt anyone even if it was the person who kidnapped me, tortured me and touched me inappropriatly.

My leo I remember was very sweet and loving. He never hurt anyone. He couldn't.

But the Leo in front of me was a different person. His sweet and vibrant aura was long gone and replaced by darkness. He was ruthless.

"Stop it, Vincenzo! You'll kill him!" Ryder tried to stop him but he didn't seem to listening. "Vincenzo, look at Jane. She's safe now and police might be on its way to arrest that bastard. She needs you, Leonardo."

I'd been sobbing continuously when Leo finally ceased his assault on his uncle and looked at me with soft eyes that filled with tenderness.

He scooped me in his arms and walked out of the door.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as he gently laid me on the backseat of the car, "It was my fault. I shouldn't have let you go alone that night. Hit me, I'm a bad guy Jane. I'm a rascal."

I cupped his face and kissed away his tears, "Don't blame it on you when it wasn't anyone's fault but a psycho man who seeks revenge."

He smiled and leaned in to kiss me and then it hit me.

I reeked of Puke.

I pushed myself away from him that earned me a frown from him. "I stink, baby. I don't want you to kiss me like that."

He shrugged before locking his lips with mine, "Then consider it my punishment."

"A punishment with pleasure?" I giggled.

"A punishment with love." He replied and behind him I saw the vehicles of police.

The cops surrounded the farmhouse and few of them entered in with guns in their hands. After a while they came out with a handcuffed

Roberto. They dragged him to a car and threw him inside without sparing mercy.

"I'll be back soon." Leo said to me before hopping out of the car. He shut the door behind him and jogged towards the officers who arrested Roberto.

After few tormented minutes, he came back with Ryder. Seeing him a question crossed my mind—why did he help me?

"Are you okay?" Sensing my perturbation, Ryder asked.

I just gave him a nod of assurance that I was fine. Ryder got my answer and looked straight ahead as Leo ignited the engine.

There was a pregnant silence that was eating me. I had questions that I seek answers. Hence I had to break the silence.

"Why did you help me? Weren't you with like..Erica?"

Ryder looked at me through rear view mirror and smiled, "Why darling? Don't you like the idea of me saving you or the thought that you got two heroes in the end?"

Leo and I growled simultaneously at Ryder's poor sense of humour.

Ryder's eyes that holding something I couldn't comprehend stared at me through mirror and I gulped.

"You know the answer." He said and my heart skipped a beat, "I love you Jane. I always did. Seeing you with Leonardo I realised It was my fault that I couldn't treat you like you deserve. I should've been genuine with you. I'll always regret it. Jane, I've seen how you smile when Leonardo is around. You're never like this with me, and it was my fault. That makes me jealous though it doesn't mean I'll try to break you two apart. Nope. I can't repeat the same mistake again."

"Repeat? What do you mean by that?" I asked confused but furious.

Ryder's eyes widened in horror and Leo slowed down the car while joining the conversation.

"I-I n-nothing." Ryder fake reasoned wiping the imaginary drop of sweat from his forehead, "Phew. These days ridiculous things are just slipping out of my mouth."

"What the hell have you done, Winstone? Tell me or else I'm gonna throw you out of my car like a damn cigarette!" Leo barked.

"I-I was the one who spiked your drinks in italy."

The car halted and stopped abruptly in the middle of a highway.

Silence

And then I began laughing.

Leo also joined me afterwards. Ryder seemed shocked but soon he also started laughing with us.

***

When I reached home mom

flung her arms around me and almost crushed my bones. Later dad and Luke also joined us. They were so happy to see me back. Though mom wouldn't stop crying. She said she was crying because she was happy. Typical mommy.

Dad was very angry to see my bruises that he was ready to go to the prison where Roberto had taken to torture him in his way. But I stopped him. I didn't want to hear his name again in my house. Ever.

One weak passed in Savannah. My decision to spend some time with mom and dad was worth it. After that horrible incident, mom and dad couldn't come up to leave me alone. Especially dad. So I decided to spend a week or two with them despite of the fact that I was gonna die without Leo in that time.

I was making dough and humming simultaneously in my parents' bakery when doorbell chimed.

"Welco—" I froze. My heartbeat raced and the same familiar feeling ignited seeing him after a long time.

In this moment, I took a hold of his features. He appeared before me, in all his grandeur. A tailored black suit with a charming red tie. His chiseled jaw lifted with a proud, pleasant smile. His eyes were a mesmerising deep ocean blue, flecks of silvery light performed ballets throughout, and his soft, feather-like black hair brushed away from his brow. He was charming and smart. His voice was that of any rich boy, honeyed and proud. He had the kind of face that stopped you in your tracks. Despite of the opportunity to get fair shares of women who were ready to fall on their knees for him, he was a one-woman-man.

I couldn't stop the smile that spread on my face at the idea of him being a one-woman-man.

"Hey." He gave me his most charming smile that melted my heart.

"Hey." I smiled, biting my lip. He looked down and playfully raised a brow, "Uh, mom kept pushing me to take some cooking lessons from her until I agreed. Though I protested that I'm already a very good cook."

I noticed a crease between his brows and added, "Kidding!"

"So what my princess learned from her mother?" He asked as he leaned onto the counter.

"I made brownie." I grinned but soon regret as I remembered how my brownie looked like. "Forget it. You don't even want to see it."

"What?" He frowned, "Who gave you the impression that I wouldn't want to eat your brownie, love?"

My eyes widened surprisingly, "Y-You really want to—"

"Off course, babe. I can even take poison if it's from your hand."

I grinned and turned back to check the brownie which were in oven.

"It'll take few more minutes. You can have some cookies till th—" A loud gasp emanated from my lips as I turned around to see Leo on his knees with a red box in his hand. "Oh my god, what are you doing?"

"Ms Sanders," He smiled and opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring, "Will you marry me?"

Oh

My

God

Did he just....proposed me?

If I say yes then there's never going back. I have to stick with him and bear his pervertness. Forever.

If marry him means joy and long night wild sex then yes—I'm willing to do this.

I extended my fingers and exclaimed, "Yes!" Once he slid the ring in my ring finger, whistles and cheers emanated from the people behind him and I realised who they were.

My family—dad, mom Luke.

Ryder, Luke's girlfriend and Eva's family were also there.

And they were cheering for us.

Leo stood up and kissed me. He scooped me up and swirled me around with him.

Everybody cheered and whistled at this along with few customers.

It wasn't end.

It was the starting of my new life.