Page 78 of Vow of Desire

When my father doesn’t give me an answer, that tells me everything I need to know. “He doesn’t know, does he? He probably thinks I’m just staying with you here until Matteo gets better. Am I right?”

He points at the food. “Eat.”

“I am right. Your silence proves that. Gabriel doesn’t know that you’ve kidnapped me.”

“I can’t kidnap my own daughter. You belong here.”

“Dad. Daddy.” I can see his back tense but still he doesn’t look at me. “You did kidnap me. When you locked me in this room. You’re keeping me prisoner. You have to know this is wrong. I know you just want me to be your little girl again but you have to let me go. You have to.”

“I don’t have to do anything. You are my daughter. You are staying here.”

“What happens when Matteo is better and he comes for me? Because he will come for me. You know it. What will you do then?”

“If he shows up at my house and causes problems, I will kill him.”

I huff. “You think Gabriel will be ok with that?”

“I think I’m past caring what Gabriel thinks. And if I claim its self-defense, then he’ll have no moral high ground to stand on. Let it go, Luciana. You are staying here where you’re safe.” He leaves the bedroom and locks the door before I can get another word in.

I take one bite of my cereal and let out a scream and toss the bowl across the room. It breaks, raining milk and corn flakes onto the ground.

I can’t believe my father is doing this to me. I always trusted him. I still love him because I know he’s only doing this out of fear. He wants me safe and I went through something traumatic. He’s scared something bad will happen to me again.

But I cannot remain a prisoner here.

My foot is doing better and I can actually walk on it for short amounts of time but I still have to use my crutches. I grit my teeth as I place the crutches under my arms and stand up. Limping, I walk to the door and try the door knob. For the past few days, I’ve been trying to pick the lock to no avail. But I’m not going to give up.

Grabbing one of my bobby pins from my dresser, I kneel down and get to work. I’ve tried turning the pin in so many different ways. I’ve tried hitting at the knob at the same time as I turn the pin. I’ve tried it all.

I’m still not going to stop though. Not until I get out of this room. Not until I make my dad see that I’m safe with Matteo.

I know my husband is alive and I regret not telling him that I love him when I had the chance. He needs to hear it. He needs to know it.

As I work on the lock, I hear the front door bell ring. My body tenses. No one has come by in the days since I got home from the hospital. Is it Matteo?

I press my ear to the door and listen, straining to hear anything.

“What are you doing here?” my father asks.

“I’m here to see Luciana.” Matteo. So he is here. I can just barely hear him and my father but it’s enough. Matteo came for me.

“Matteo!” I shout, pounding on the door. “I’m in here! I’m in here!”

“What’s going on?” Matteo asks, sounding closer to my door now.

“You need to leave,” my father responds.

I don’t stop hitting the door, not even when my hands begin to hurt. “I’m in here. In here!”

The door is wrenched open and I see Matteo standing before me. He looks tired. Bags under his eyes. He’s hunched over slightly like he’s still in pain.

Behind him stands my father… with a gun in his hand.

“Don’t!” I shout.

Matteo whirls around and goes still when he sees my father pointing a gun at him. “What are you doing, Rocco?”

“I am saving my daughter. She’s not safe with you. You put her in danger. I’m the only one who can do anything.”