Deadly Vows Rewrite - Chapter TwentyEight (Patreon)

Elise

I wish the rain would stop. It dampens my mood even further, making me feel hopeless. I release a deep breath, taking a sip of my coffee. It’s nice to know for once the house is empty and I at least have the day to myself. But I dread Luca’s return. There’s no telling what he went out to do today after last night. But I do find comfort in him not acknowledging me this morning.

I flinch as a loud bang echoes from the front door, causing me to almost spill my coffee.

“Ouch!” I hiss as some spills on my hand. But I quickly wipe it against my shirt as I go to the entry area. The knocking continues, and it sounds desperate. My heart beats slightly faster the closer I come. No one knows we live out here, and Luca usually has security even if he’s gone.

I pull in a deep breath as I look out the glass next to the front door. It’s Enzo. He’s soaked and shivering as he glares at the front door with desperation in his eyes. He raises his hand to knock again, and I pull open the door.

“What are you doing here? Are you okay?” I ask, but he ignores me. He brushes past me as he mumbles to himself and I note he is moving in the direction of Luca’s office.

“Hey, Hey! You can’t go in there!” I shout.

Enzo’s footsteps falter when he sees the door to Luca’s office is slightly open.

“Where is he?” he asks.

“He left early this morning,” I say in confusion.

Enzo looks away, his dark hair sticking to him as he drips on the floor. 

“Did you walk here?” I ask.

He finally notices his state, and realizes his situation, his eyes widening.

“I’m so sorry… I didn’t know where else to go. Or who to call. My mom’s been different ever since… and it’s not like her to just disappear… and I know I wasn’t supossed to contact her anymore but…”

I gently place my hands on Enzo’s shoulders, rubbing lightly to warm him up and hopefully calm him down. He’s speaking in riddles, obviously in shock.

“Enzo… calm down. How did you get here?” I ask.

His eyes continue to dart around the room.

“Come on,” I say pulling him with me.

I take him to the kitchen, leaving him alone for a few minutes while I grab a towel. I wrap it around his shoulders and I luckily have boiling water waiting as I pour him a cup of tea, pushing the steaming mug in front of him.

He takes it quietly, staring at the liquid as he contemplates telling me what’s going on. It’s cruel, really, that we are both siblings and both more than likely aware of it. But because of our shared fear of the man I married, we both pretend to be strangers, tiptoeing around what we say to each other.

“Enzo, try to start from the beginning,” I say gently.

I watch him carefully as he opens his mouth, tears brimming his eyes.

“My mom is missing,” he says in a shaky voice.

“How do you know?” I ask.

“My mom is a unique woman. I know she goes on benders and I know she has friends who sponsor her life. But she recently got mixed in with people who she happily let use her in exchange for money. I know she’s difficult, but she would never disapper without a note,” he sobs.

“I can’t call the cops, and I’m not supossed to know where she’s staying. But this has never happened before. I didn’t know who else to come to. Mr. Pasquino has all kinds of connections,” he says.

I swallow the growing fear in my throat as my mind shifts to last night. Luca returned home bloodied and out of his mind. It can’t be a coincidence that Enzo’s mother, the woman who sold her own son to her late lover’s enemy, is now missing.”

“How did you get here?” I ask.

“I took the bus and walked the rest of the way,” he says softly.

That means he’s been walking for hours. We live nowhere near a bus station. And the nearest city is at least thirty minutes away, further showing his desperation. He’s really worried about his mother. 

“Luca left early this morning. I don’t know what time he will be back,” I say standing.

“In the meantime, I can have my driver take you home,” I say.

Enzo doesn’t respond. The look on his face is devastating. I don’t think even he knows just how fucked up his situation is. He only knows the desperatation of feeling loved by a parent who doesn’t love you back. And I feel that deep inside, making me push past my fears of Luca to protect my brother.

“How about I go with you? We can search the place. Maybe you missed something,” I say gently, placing my hand on his back for comfort.

He looks at me with hope in his gaze, making me crumble even further. If I take my driver, he will for sure notify Luca of my location, and who is with me. So, I head into the garage, grabbing a set of keys. I press the button on the fob and the sleek black Audi lights up.

Perfect.

Luca built this home himself, meaning he installed secret exit routes as well. It was one of the things I noticed in the beginning before Luca started keeping things from me.

“Come on,” I call to Enzo.

* * * * *

Enzo was right about one thing; his mother is unique. The apartment she lives in is clearly new, but it is filthy. It is obvious an addict lives here. There’s trash and discarded paraphenelia everywhere. Her clothes, while designer, are strewn about as well. The smell from the kitchen is stomach churning as I pass by the dining table.

There’s discarded mail here, all addressed to his mother. My gaze narrows as I recognize the handwriting on one of the envelopes, and I pull it from the pile. It’s addressed to Enzo’s mother, but it has no return information.

“Your mother lives here alone?” I call to Enzo.

He kicks through a pile of laundry, looking at me.

“Yes,” he says.

I sift through the mail, finding another envelope with her lease agreement. I look at the date, scoffing in disbelief. It’s around the same time Luca brought Enzo into this world.

“How is she affording this? Does she even have a job?” I ask.

Enzo doesn’t respond, confirming my suspicions. He must be one of the many people giving her money for this lifestyle she can’t seem to let go for the sake of her son.

“Where do you live?” I ask, and shock covers his features before he quickly hides it. He obviously hasn’t thought about a lie in his panic.

“Mr. Pasquino has a place for me,” he says.

I don’t push his explanation further.

“Well, maybe she left a note in an unusal place,” I say moving across the room to the bookshelf. I reach up for one of the higher placed books, my shirt lifting as I do.

“What the fuck?” I tense, lowering my arm just in time to see Enzo’s shocked expression. He steps forward slightly, his finger trembling as he points to my shirt.

“What was that?” he asks.

I look down at the book I managed to grab, opening it. There’s no note.

“It’s nothing,” I say.

“Elise, that looks like it was… carved into your skin—”

“I said it’s nothing,” I snap.

I was careless. I’m so used to being around people who are aware of this life. I move as far away as I can from Enzo to the hallway.

The door is closed.

“Whose room is this?” I ask, placing my hand on the doorknob.

“It’s my mother's. I already looked there before I left,” he says.

I push open the door.

“It won’t hurt to check her room for a note—”

My words hitch in my throat as I open the door to reveal the gruesome display. My eyes widen and I stumble back in horror, vomit lodging in my throat as I fall against the wall. I hear Enzo’s hurried footsteps as he approaches, and I quickly stumble to my feet.

“No, Enzo!” I catch him, gripping him tight as I pull him toward the door.

“We have to call Luca,” I say, panicked.

But Enzo breaks free of me easily, crashing into his mother’s room. His gasps turn to screams as he takes in her mangled form. I’m an idiot. I should have known better. I never should have come here, knowing who my brother and my husband is. I’ve put us in danger in more ways than one. Her body has obviously been placed here since Enzo came looking for her the first time.

Someone’s been here, and I don’t know if it’s an enemy.

I grip Enzo’s arm, pulling.

“Listen to me! We have to go. Our lives could be in danger,” I cry.

But Enzo isn’t listening. He’s pulling away from my grip, his grief overtaking his logic.

“Enzo, Please!” I shout.

He grips his mother’s body, shaking her in a panic as he tries to come to terms with things. And just as I’m about to step into the room, does someone roughly grab me by the arm, pulling me flush into a large body.