Giovanni Valerios

Playlist for this Chapter: Demons by Imagine Dragons

ONE YEAR AGO

I opened my eyes to a searing pain in my legs and bandages all around me. I blinked, adjusting to the bright lights and looked around. I was in a hospital alright.

I tried to remember where I was last and winced when memories came flooding back.

My car flipped over. I was stuck and saw blood... oh god so much blood.

There was a car following me and all those men in black clothes. What the hell happened?

As if on cue the door to the room opened and a man in a crisp grey suit came in and grinned at me. He gestured towards the doctor who did some check ups and nodded to the man who was leaning against the wall.

I was made to sit up and drink water and I looked at the man intently. He was quite handsome and had grey eyes, a sharp jawline and a slight stubble, and resembled someone but I couldn't put my finger on it. He was quite good looking, but no where near... him.

He looked me over intently and came forward, stretching his hand out to me. I took is hesitantly and he grinned at me.

"W-who are you? And where am I?" I asked him and he sighed.

"You're in the hospital. You were in an accident and some of my men found your car upside down on the road. They brought you here and informed me." He said and I nodded as he let go of my hand.

"And for your other question, my name's Giovanni Valerios." He said and I frowned.

Where have I heard this name before?

"Giovanni?" I asked him and he nodded slowly, looking at my expressions carefully to see any change, but I stayed the same.

"Do you know me?" He asked me but I frowned.

"No... but I feel like I've heard your name before somewhere... I just don't remember where though." I said and he nodded but my eyes widened in realization suddenly.

"Wait! I remember Jake saying your name!" I said and he frowned.

"Jake?" He asked me and I nodded.

"Oh um... he's a friend of mine.." I told him and looked at him once again... "Come to think of it... you look a lot like him. Are you by any chance related to him?" I asked he he squinted his eyes at me.

"Oh right, his name's Jake Knight." I told him and saw an emotion flick across his face but was gone as soon as it came.

"Jake Knight you say? Isn't he one of Nicholas King's most trusted friends?" He asked me and something tugged in my chest at his name. I cleared my throat and looked away.

"Maybe. I don't know." I whispered and sighed. "How do you know him anyway?" I asked him skeptically.

"Who? King?" He asked me and I nodded slowly and he chuckled darkly. It wasn't a nice chuckle, trust me. The way it sent chills down my spine made me want to rethink this Giovanni guy.

"Who doesn't know King and his reputation? I mean, he goes around parading girls and uses them like sex toys. He does illegal stuff, kills people and all that shit." He spoke in an unamused way, like he had a special thing against this guy.

"W-what?" I asked him and he looked at me amused.

"But you didn't know that darling did you?" He asked me and I shook my head.

"Illegal stuff? Kills people? Is this some kind of sick joke?" I asked him and he laughed. An evil one.

"Oh this is no joke darling... And I'm going to have a lot of fun telling you about anything and everything." He chuckled and I looked at him confused, as he took a chair and sat near me and starting speaking.

After nearly an hour, my face was pale as I listened to this unbelievable shit.

"N-no.. You're lying!" I said but he shook his head.

"I have no reason to lie to you, do I?" He told me as the weight of his words settled heavily on my heart. My head was spinning and I couldn't think straight.

Mafia? Italian Don? The hell does this mean?

"Why are you telling me this?" I suddenly asked him and he leaned back in his chair smirking.

"Ah, finally! I get to tell you the good part!" He exclaimed rubbing his hands together while I looked at him confused.

"My sources have seen you and King in each other's company many times. Is this true?" He asked me and I eyed him.

"Why do you want to know?" I asked him and he grinned.

"Just curious. I've never seen a girl with him for this long. So tell me dear, who are you to him?" He examined me carefully and I averted my gaze, the tears forming in my eyes.

"Nothing. I was just another conquest on his list. Another doll he broke." I said, wiping my tears with the back of my hand." I said and he got up, pacing the room.

"You know Ace, Jake and I used to be best friends." He suddenly said and I looked at him.

"Ace?"

"Nicholas." He corrected and I nodded. "We were inseparable, well until, five years ago when his father was killed."

"His father was killed?" I asked him in disbelief.

"Yes. He was brutally murdered. A bullet through the heart." He said and I tried to process his words.

"So Ace killed my father in revenge, thinking he killed him." He said furiously, clenching his fists and I gulped.

"He w-what? He killed?" I asked him and he chuckled darkly, turning to face me.

"Yes darling, Ace is a killing machine. Kills anyone who dares to come in his way. He even threatened to kill me thinking I was involved in the murder."

"W-what? But weren't you friends?" I asked him and he smirked evilly.

"Friends? He used me. He killed my father and held me at gunpoint. We had different views on life. He liked getting things done no matter the cost but I wanted to take the easy way." He took a deep breath and sat back on the chair.

"What does all of this have to do with me?" I asked him and he chuckled.

"See darling, that's where you come in. You're obviously important to him, so I'll be using you as leverage to do what I really wanted." I scoffed at him.

"Important to Nicholas?" I shook my head in disbelief. "He doesn't care for me. I'm no one to him. Just another slut he found to entertain himself with." I said and looked away.

"As sorry as I feel for you darling, I don't believe you. And I'm sorry for all the pain you're going through but it'll be worth it when I get the opportunity to put a bullet through his heart." He said and my heart sank.

"Wait... Those... Those men who were following me... they were yours." I whispered the last part and looked at him in fear and he grinned.

"Glad we're all caught up. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a few calls to make." He said and got up.

"N-no p-please don't leave me here! You can't do this please! Please you have to let me go!" I said but he just ignored me and went out and I heard the door lock.

Shit, he locked me in here.

"N-no p-please! Nico!"

I suddenly sat up straight, the tears streaming down my face as I felt two warm arms envelop me and I breathed in the familiar manly scent.

"Hush baby, I'm here... It's okay, I'm here now." He whispered, rubbing my back as I shivered violently and cried into his chest until my vision turned hazy and I saw black dots, slumping in his arms.

Please stay with me.