Chapter 100 - It Was For Her Good

"What?!" It almost seemed as if a stone hit Victor hard in the head when he heard that. He looked at Marcel to see if he was joking but the unsmiling face told him all he needed to know.

"He's sending a message to me," Marcel told him.

Victor rubbed his temple, "What does he want...?" he remembered, "Arianna. It's her, isn't it?"

Marcel merely nodded.

"In that case, we should take Arianna and torture her, that would send our message to him as well,"

"That is not going to happen," Marcel growled, going against the idea immediately. He couldn't even stomach the idea of Arianna being tortured, not to talk of watching it on camera.

"You're against it?Why?" Victor huffed, "Because she's special after you've fucked her?!"

Marcel's eyes reflected guilt for a moment, then hardened as he warned Victor, "Stop it,"

"What? Stop it? What's wrong with torturing the little bitch, huh? It has always been our modus operandi? Or have you fallen for her? Tell me, Marcel!" Victor asked, staring him straight in the eyes. His back was rigid and straight, his lips trembling a bit from anger.

"Stop spouting such nonsense!" Marcel raised his voice on him.

"Oh God," Victor laughed sarcastically, "You're protecting her,"

"I'm not protecting- !"

"We lost four of our people all thanks to her!" Victor screamed at his face, "Ever since that girl appeared, she's been nothing but trouble! First, you kill for her, and now this! Gosh, Marcel, you of all people should know how dangerous emotions is for you!"

At once, Marcel grabbed Victor by the shirt and hitched him up, "And you of all people should know how to control your emotions. Torturing Arianna would do nothing but bring trouble for us. Elijah has only her to lose but I have everything to lose!" he screamed into his face drawing the attention of the policemen working on the scene of the accident. But they all looked away, pretending not to be interested in their quarrel. 

"We can torture Mimi then, Arianna can cry watching that and we can send the footage to Elijah," Victor still had a lot of ideas on how to get back at Elijah.

Although he wasn't close to the men who died, they were one of their own and the Luciano clan was good at protecting their people.

"Don't you get it?" Marcel shook him as if that would bring back his senses, "We would go according to plans and I promise you the instant we get our hands on Elijah, you can pour down your rage on him,"

It took time for Victor to accept that suggestion, nonetheless, he was beneath Marcel in authority and had to obey.

"Fine. So what do we do now?" he asked. 

"Sticking to the plans," Marcel said as he picked up his phone and called Kenith. 

The instant the call was answered, Marcel said, "Come and get her out of my sight," hanging up before the man could even say a word. 

After the call was done, Marcel met with the detective and gave instructions to keep the case under wraps. Even if it leaked, they knew how to handle it.

It was eight in the morning by the time they returned to the base and Marcel didn't dare to go into his room knowing that Arianna was there. He didn't know how to face her with the guilt in his heart. 

Marcel was burdened by his sense of duty towards the gang and his urge to protect Arianna. His people died because of her, he shouldn't care - and yes he didn't care - but he couldn't stand to watch her get hurt. Not while he had the power to stop it. 

Even while he relayed the news to his soldiers, he didn't dare to go into details of the accident and he saw the look of disappointment in Victor's eyes. If not done that way, Marcel was sure that Arianna would be assassinated right under his nose.

Some of his men had been friends with the ones who died and they would surely want to avenge them, feasting on the weaker prey aka Arianna. So he had to get her out of here as soon as possible before they figured it out or Victor ran his mouth. His cousin was angry now. 

Hence it came as a huge relief when he peered through the window later on and discovered that members of the Red Gang had arrived to take her. 

Soon, she'd be far away from here and he wouldn't have to worry about her ass anymore. 

Marcel thought so until he heard her scream and his heart lurched. It took him everything not to run out of the office he locked himself in and rescue her. 

"Marcel!" 

"I need to speak to Marcel!" 

He heard the desperation in her voice yet he hardened his heart. This was for her good, moreover, he warned her on time - it would come to this in the end. 

Marcel never knew he would have such self-control to block out a girl's cry. He always found crying and tantrums annoying, but with each scream from Arianna, it seemed to squeeze his heart, causing him pain. 

Why was he feeling this way? Arianna's fate was none of his business. They had an ill fate and it was his responsibility to put the needs of the clan above any other. He had sworn to protect it and one little redhead would not make him go against it. 

Thus, Marcel made up his mind until she was dragged outside and he was staring out the window. Call it coincidence, but their eyes managed to meet from that distance and his heart skipped a beat. 

Marcel watched as she fought furiously trying to reach him, his name never leaving from her mouth. Yet, he stood in his office, unmoving. He was doing the right thing. 

However, his eyes widened when he saw one of them slap Arianna causing his fist to clench immediately. How dare they?! 

But he didn't do a thing, no, he couldn't. Marcel stood watching as they overpowered and drugged Arianna yet she never stopped calling for him as if he was her messiah until she lost consciousness. 

"It was the right thing to do," Marcel kept on telling himself even when he felt a lump in his throat and a hollow feeling in his chest. 

He felt empty.