Chapter-2

JANE

"Baby, come out, please. We need to talk."

I went to the closet and found the coat that I was wearing last night hanging on a coat stand. I picked it up and wrapped it around myself before tying the front. All the other pieces of clothing I had were torn and tossed away last night.

"Get me a ride home, right now, or I'll leave alone, only in my coat," I shouted from inside, and he went radio silent.

When I didn't get any response for a minute, I walked forward to check. I pressed my ear to the door, trying to listen to what he was doing, but everything was silent.

"Are you getting me a ride or should I leave?"

"Jane, please don't go. Hear me out first. Then you can decide if you want to stay or go."

I ground my teeth, my gaze burning a hole in the door.

I schooled my voice to sound calm, taking a deep breath, I spoke,

"Please, let me go for now. I want to stay alone for some time. Please," I said as softly as I could.

"Okay, Baby. If I let you go now, you'll hear me out when you are ready, right?"

"Yes."

"Promise me."

"I promise I'll listen to you when I am ready." 

I'll never be ready, and there is nothing that can change the fact that you killed my father, and you don't even regret it. 

We were over. But I couldn't tell him that right now, or he wouldn't let me get out of here.

"Okay, come out. I'll just get some clothes and breakfast for you. Then I'll drop you home."

"No, Dominic. I am fine. I don't need any more clothes, and I'll have breakfast at home. I don't want to be around you right now. Please understand. Arrange a driver to drop me off. Please."

"But…"

"Please."

"Okay, come out first."

"If you try anything, I'll run away."

"I won't do anything. Please, come out."

I opened the door and he stood up hastily from the floor by the door. His hair was dishevelled and his eyes red, but he was fully clothed now. My heart twisted, and my resolve weakened for a moment, looking at his dishevelled state.

"Did you arrange a ride for me?" I asked, as I made my heart remember what I heard a few minutes ago. 

"Yes." He came forward to hug me, but I stepped back, and he stopped, his shoulders sagged. 

If it was any other time, I would have felt bad for him, but this time, I didn't feel anything. It was as if my heart had turned numb to all the emotions except anger.

I slipped into my heels and walked ahead, he followed me like a puppy following its master. As we climbed off his yacht and passed by his soldiers, everyone looked at us like they had seen an alien.

"The white one," he said when we crossed the dock, and I looked ahead to see a white Mercedes parked a few feet away.

I nodded and was about to go when he held my elbow and turned me to face him.

"Amore mio. Please, let me drive you. We can talk on the way."

I wanted to jerk my arm away but for some reason, I didn't want to embarrass him in front of his soldiers who worked for him and looked up to him. 

Also, somewhere deep, a small part of me wanted to feel his touch again. But that part was very, very small right now, and it could never overpower my rational side. 

"I said, no. Just…." 

I was interrupted as his phone rang. He looked at the screen before shoving it away.

"Baby…."

The phone rang again.

"Take it."

He looked at me and with a defeated sigh, he received the call.

"What? " he spat.

He listened to the person on the other side and his frown kept deepening.

"The fuck!" he shouted.

"I'll kill everyone who betrayed me, with my bare hands." His hand curled into a fist as he glared at the ground.

"Okay. I'll be there by tonight."

He shoved his phone away and raised his hands to hold me but stopped mid-air, changing his mind, he pushed them back into his pockets.

"I need to leave for New York in an hour. There is an emergency. I am sorry I couldn't drop you off myself. But wait for me. This doesn't end here." He moved his finger between us. "This will never end."

I nodded and turned to the waiting car.

"Don't assume things without knowing the full story," he said but I didn't bother replying.

I got into the car, wearing only a long coat, heels and nothing underneath. I could feel his gaze on me as I sat inside and the car started rolling. I didn't turn to look at him and give him that satisfaction.

But I owed myself one last look at the man whom I had given my heart and soul to. So, I glanced at the side view mirror and caught a glimpse of him, standing there with a defeated look, slumped shoulders, looking nothing like the mafia lord he was. My chest tightened as he vanished from my sight.

My breaths started coming in shallow gasps. I leaned my head back on the backrest, shut my eyes and clutched my chest as if it could physically stop the pain.

I can't go home like this. Mom will know something is wrong.

I fished my phone out of the coat pocket and dialled Amber's number. She was part of my girl gang. 

Sofia, Sheena, Amber and I, we met each other more than five years ago, when I came here from New York and had been best friends since then. Sofia and Sheena were billionaires. 

Amber wasn't filthy rich like the other two, but she was a renowned doctor and her husband Josh happened to be the head of the security of Sofia's husband, James Anderson. 

He earned decently, and it wouldn't be wrong to call them millionaires. While I was the average Jane from an average middle-class family, trying to make ends meet.

But these girls were too nice, not like the regular rich, snobbish women. They accepted me with open arms and never treated me like I didn't belong.

"Good morning, Jane," Amber spoke in a groggy voice. It was dawn, of course, she would be asleep at this hour. 

"Good morning, Amber. Sorry to disturb you at this ungodly hour, but I need your help." I tried my best to keep my voice from breaking.

I didn't know how long I could stop myself from crying and screaming my lungs out but I was trying.

"Yeah, sure. Tell me. How was your birthday?"

A sob escaped my lips but I clamped my mouth shut.

"I'll be at your place in fifteen minutes. Please, don't say no. I won't disturb you both. You can do your daily routine and go to work. I'll just sit on your couch and mind my own business."

"Hey, hey. Stop. What happened? You don't need to ask. Come. I am waiting."

I let out a relieved sigh.

"Oh, thank you so much. And please, can you lend me something to wear? For now."

"Okay. Don't fret. But I am worried, Jane. What happened to you? You don't sound like yourself?"

"I can't tell you right now. Please, just help me and don't ask questions."

"Okay, okay. I won't ask. Come over."

"Thanks." I ended the call and a drop of tear slipped from my eye.

"I need to go somewhere else," I told the driver.

"Where to, ma'am?"

I told him Amber's address and sat back, but then I saw the dazzling ring on my finger and my heart skipped a beat. 

I pulled out the ring as my bottom lip quivered. I bi

t my lip to stop myself from crying and slipped the ring into my pocket. 

And that was it. The dam broke, and hot tears streamed down my face.