Stopping, Aira groaned. She had to go back. She couldn't just leave him there. Just as she was about to turn, she felt a hand clamp over her nose and mouth, allowing no scream to escape as everything faded to black.
Clearing his head of all thoughts, JC grabbed his jacket to go after her and get her to forgive him. As he arrived at her apartment, he knocked rapidly trying to get her to answer. "Aira. C'mon� let me in. I'm sorry, ok?"
"She's not in there." He turned to see an older woman standing across the hall in the doorway smoking a cigarette. He looked at her curiously. "She never came home?" The woman shook her head. "Nope." He nodded. "Thanks." And he hurried off, toward his father's headquarters.
Aira awoke slowly, trying to rid herself of the remaining chloroform. Groaning, she struggled to move, but found her hands were bound behind her. She looked as the door opened and a cloaked figure stepped in. "Ah, we finally meet child." She shook her head. "I don't know who you are." He laughed, a deep throaty laugh. "That's where you're mistaken. I know you know of me. You dream of me at night, that same heart-wrenching dream, that you know just might one day come true." Her heart leapt in her chest and she gasped, as he removed the hood of his cloak. "Luca." She said, in a hushed whisper. He smiled. "Am I everything you thought I'd be?" She looked away in disgust, as she felt the fear rise in her. Kneeling down in front of her, he turned her cheek to look at him. Trying hard not to scream with everything in her, she gulped. "Get away from her, NOW." Luca smiled and patted her cheek before standing and turning toward the voice.
"Ahh, JC. Is that any way to treat your old man? I have repeatedly asked you to call me Dad, son." Aira's face paled, as she listened to the conversation unfolding before her. JC looked at her, eyes holding concern and remorse. "I'm sorry." He mouthed to her. She didn't say anything, just looked away. Luca looked back and forth between the two and a evil grin slid over his rough features. "Oh, I see now. You two� you're in LOVE?" He laughed his deep throaty laugh. "That's absolutely PATHETIC!" He swirled around to look at JC, while pointing back at Aira. "You DO know that she's a bounty hunter, right? And you do know that you have a pricey bounty on that stupid head of yours, RIGHT? And ya know what that means, dontcha? Well, here lemme lay it out for ya! It MEANS, Romeo, that it's her job to take you in to the people who either want to kill you or torture you THEN kill you." He turned around to face Aira. "And you, princess. That's right. Your precious little ears didn't just deceive you. He's my son. What do you think of that? The man that makes you wake up in a cold sweat, terrified that I might be hidden among the shadows of your apartment. And you're in love with him." He stepped in closer to her and licked his lips. "I know for a fact that if you had known he was my son, you would've left him to those punks." JC took a menacing step toward Luca. "I swear, if you don't get away from her�"
"You'll do what, exactly, sugar?" Aira looked up as a sultry blonde walked in, smiling evilly. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, running her hand up his chest. "Where were you last night, JC? I missed you. The bed was so big and� lonely. Don't you remember the fun we had last Friday?" Aira watched, eyes radiating with anger. JC shook his head, and pulled away looking at her. "Aira. Aira, don't listen to her. It's not true. You KNOW me." She shook her head, trying to keep her eyes dry. "First Elise� and now� I don't know who you are at all. And I don't even want to know."
Luca raised his eyebrows standing up. "Oooooh. Ya hear that, boy? Cinderella wants her beloved prince to take a hike. Amusing. Lora, darling. Why don't you keep Aira here, company while me and my son here have a chat? Maybe we can even send Elise in to join the fun."
Aira's head shot up and Luca grinned. "Oh, come now, Aira. You didn't honestly think Elise was ever your friend, did you? Oh, yes. She's been working for me ALL along. They all have, beautiful. It was all trap, you see. A trap to send you here, to me."
Eight