Damon

I was lying on the couch in the living room with Sophia in my arms, still unconscious. Zack has just left after checking up her. He said her blood pressure might have dropped. Seems like she is too overwhelmed he said, obviously she is after what happened in the dungeon.

The moment I reached her she melted in my embrace like a traveler reached home after a long journey.

Its only when I picked her in my arms her head falls to the back that I realized she has fainted. Zack came soon enough and checked on her saying she is sleeping peacefully "Let her sleep Don, she is dreaming" he said softly and left.

I kissed her forehead and my mind went to what all happened. So much has happened since we came back from the cabin. Even though its not more than a week, it felt like months have passed. I knew she wasn't happy with me fighting her brother, but he thought of taking her away from me. How can I overlook it? Never, I am never letting her go. She is mine. My arms gone tighter around her.

I could see the pain in her eyes when I was in the ring with her brother. How hard was she trying not to make a sound, not even a sniffle cry. I would not have gone through my threat and killed her brother because she made a sound. He is her brother I could never have given her a pain like this but seeing her trying to obey me made me feel contempt. It just gave me the surety that she is mine. I am not loosing her. She will not run. The belief that was weakend when I heard her brother talking about leaving.

I never could have imagined her coming to me after the fight. I was in the shower when I felt her hugging me from behind. She kissed me and broke down. All her pain she was keeping inside she let it out. I felt a pang in my heart as she slid down crying. She rested her forehead on my knees and I felt like burning this whole world which has given her such agony. But right then she needed me, my rage needs to wait, I picked her up and carried her in my arms. She cried and cried. She was letting it all out and I was taking it in. I wanted to tell her that she is not alone. She will always have me. I understand how much she needed that assurance but she is so innocent she always keep others over her. Even then she felt the need of taking care of my wounds more important than her pain. I had thought that she will fight with me for fighting her brother, I never have imagined that this girl who I have brought and kept in my house without her will and knocked off her brother, her only family and I guess the person she cared for the most will sit here sobbing on my wounds. The things I feel for her are beyond my understanding. I never felt the need so deep to protect anyone.

I kind of loose my breathe on seeing the glint of mischief in her big eyes the way she took off her clothes handing me the towel to help out her wetness. That playful smile, I could give up my world to see that smile, the only thing I couldn't give up was this primal need of control I have. I don't know what came over me, I was happy seeing her being all her naughty self riding me, taking her pleasure still it felt like I can't loose control not even for a second. I knew I haven't lost it still I felt the need to turning the table to tell her that its me who call the shots, how could she even imagine to run me. I pinned her down and I regret it so much looking tears in her eyes. She was scared that I was angry with her for wanting me trying to take her pleasure. Its her right on me of course I wasn't angry, how can I be angry on her desiring me. I am her's as much as I say she is mine. I was happy. For the first I regret making her cry while fucking. I need her tears but not like this. I cooed her assuring her that I am not angry. I filled her with ticklish kisses to bring her mischievous self back, and her giggles, they just sooth my heart.

I know how much she worries about her brother being tangled in the middle of my world. She is right to be protective of her brother. Who will want their family to be tied between the crosshairs of crime? I never wanted this life for Ric but I failed to keep him from becoming a killer. I understand her emotional chaos to stop this from happening taking care of not disrespecting me in the process. So I decided to free him and let him continue his studies but Ric was not happy with this. Ric was not against of letting off the debt or letting him continue his graduation, his concern is the Charles has seen a lot and he knows a lot about us to be free without being a threat. That is what I was discussing with Enzo, how can we can keep him away yet close. He is not wrong Charles obviously hadn't earned our trust and he does know a lot. Obviously I cannot let him off the radar. But how to do it without hurting my girl was the continuous commotion going on inside me.

That was the reason I took her to meet Charles and discuss the same. Charles courage to save his sister really impressed me. I have seen stronger guys giving up in front of me but Charles did hold his ground. But nothing came out of that meeting too. Instead I lost my temper. I just can't take anyone taking even a little pity on Russo. If I get the chance I would give him the same pain all over again to those sick heads. But I really need to catch a grip on my anger. I almost stabbed him if she hadn't came in between. I was shocked that I would have gone through with it. But I know I would have. My anger was beyond my control that moment. So I directed it where it was required. In punishing Marc.

I decided that I stalled it enough. It's time I bring him in. I called Enzo to bring him to my dungeon. I could hear Marc's protesting words and question he was throwing at Enzo as they descend the stairwell to basement. Everyone knows my dungeon is something no one ever want to enter. It's worse than death. You will be lucky if I kill you rather than bring you there. It's the stage for my demons and the Satan inside me dance on the music of their screams. It satisfies the sadistic side of me.

"Don why I am here?" Marc asked me as Enzo dragged him inside. I was busy preparing the stage for me. I was decorating the metal trolley with all my favorite tools. Some are for pure tourture some however are medical. You would be surprised how something meant to give you life can so easily give you death too. Like Sophia was surprised when I gave him water as punishment. But she understood soon enough that I was killing him.

"I will take it from here you can leave Enzo." I said without turning towards them. "Just close the door and lock it for me, will ya." Enzo left closing the door.

"Don wh-what happened?" I could feel the fear without even looking at him. That is just the ammo my demons need.

I moved towards him and dragged him with his collar. I tied him up with the shackles right in the center." The nail pointed shackles started digging his wrists already."D-DON why? What have I done? Don please" he started begging me without even knowing what was he being punished for

"Adrien Lockwood, does the name ring any bells?" I said in a calmer voice circling him. His eyes widened and he knew what I was talking about. "Now you know what you did, no more questions, right? I thought so" I said to him. "D-Don whatever that whore has told you-" my fist met his jaw before he could complete his sentence. "She is not a whore call her whore one more time and I will cut off your tongue" I said with voice lacing with anger. How dare he called her a whore?

Within seconds my demons were ruling me. I was burning him with my rage. I whipped him, stabbed him beaten him. His body covered in his blood and so was mine. I even broke his leg. It came to my mind to free him to fight but I wasn't fighting him I was punishing him. And punishment is meant to be taken not to be fought. I don't remember how long I tortured him. I stopped only when he lost his consciousness.

When I reached our room. The fear in her eyes has made me realized the difference between us. She is an angel and I was the Devil. I can never be what she deserves. I am a monster and I will always be the monster. What I do in my dungeon quench the thirst of my demons. This is my primal nature. I can't leave it. Not now. I am way too broken to be repaired.

I don't know how she took step towards me instead of backing off. But I couldn't. I couldn't see myself like this in her eyes. So I disappeared in the bathroom avoiding her.

I don't know why but sitting in the shower reminded me of her, Laiela. Whenever anyone mentions Russo it bring that pain again of loosing her. The pain she bore and how I failed in protecting her. I don't know how the tears started flowing. Her face, her laughs, her playfulness all was coming back to me. It's been so long now since the day I lost her. Still it hurts just like it hurt that day and it will until I will punish Russo. That rat escaped me when I was delivering my wrath on his cartel who took my Laeila from me. But somehow he escaped but I will catch him and he will pay for it just like his cartel paid for hurting her. But right now Marc needs to be punished for what he has done to my Sophia.

No one will hurt the love of my life and see another day. Just then I felt her hand on my shoulder. "The water is too cold" her voice made me realize that yes the water has gone icy cold. She turned off the shower. I expected her to leave but she sat right there with me. That silence was so soothing. She was comforting me even without touching me. But then she asked "Who is Russo?" The one question I know must be bugging her since she came here. She never asked me. Never pried in my life. Never pushed me to tell what I do not want to tell. But today she asked. And she deserved to know. But I couldn't muster the courage to tell her. I was not ready to confront my demons in front of her. I cannot loose her. I cannot stand her hating me and right now the priority is avenging her, not my battle.

So I left the shower and went to closet. I planned on leaving for the night but her sudden scream made me run to the opposite from the door. I entered the bathroom seeing her holding my wet shirt in her hands and screaming. The tap was open, she has already washed my jeans that was kept aside. Even the shirt was clean. But why was she screaming. I reached her shook her. Her response when I asked her why was she screaming made me realize how selfish I was to leave her behind. How much it must have affected her killing someone. Recent events must have brought everything back to her. Feeling of blood on your hands is not something I am unfamiliar to. Everytime when you take a life you loose a part of your soul too. It brings your inner demon on surface and then every killing becomes it's food. You keep feeding it and one day you become that, like I became. But hallucinating Adrien, no I can not let her go down that rabbit hole. I will pull her back, I will save her.

I assured her that I am there with her always. She need not to be scared.

I tried to take her fear away and she took mine. I never feared anything. Being a Mafia Don fear does not have any place in your life not even in the back corner of your mind. But since she came a fear crept up my heart. Fear of loosing her. Fear of seeing hatred for me in her eyes. Last night that fear was at it's height. And I was fearing it at that moment seeing me drenched in someone else's blood would have done it. And though Ric has told me how she confessed her love for me to her brother still I was sure she must be having second thoughts now. She is too innocent to be trapped with me. Though I was fearing the answer yet I asked her and her response "Satan is not evil, Satan punishes evil". For the first time I felt that someone is out of there who can understand. Who is not judging me. "I know you will never kill an innocent. You are not alone too Damon. You too need not to be scared. You need not to run from your demons. I am with you to face them along with you. I love you. I will always love you. Trust me. And I will wait till you accept me enough to open up and let me in. No matter how long it takes"

In that moment I knew she is mine truly mine. And not because I am kept her but because she loves me. She understands me in a way no one ever understood me. So I decided to tell her what she deserved to know. I told her that I have Marc and I will avenge her. That's why she was there with me in the dungeon to punish her tormentor. But she will not go through it. The turmoil of punishing and fear of becoming a sadist. The fear of becoming the sinner while punishing sinner. Having justice and punishing the criminal with your own hands are two different things.

She will be the decider and I will be her executioner. And she did punished him. Punished him good. His every confessions was boiling my blood. I wanted him to give the pain he gave her ten times more. And I gave. Shooting that bullet was more peaceful than any forgiveness I ever gave, if I ever gave. I don't do forgiveness everyone knows.

Her shuffling broke my train of thoughts."Hey Doll, someone decides to wake up, huh" I said kissing her head. "What happened?" She asked sleepy. "Nothing baby you just slept" "Here"? She asked sitting up. I smiled at her and trailed my fingers to untangle her messy hair "No Doll you slept in my arms". She smiled and so did I. I kissed her. "I love you Doll". I said against her lips. "I love you Damon. Thank you for giving me justice" and I hugged her.