by Selina Marie
The shorter man takes several steps closer to Melody until he is only two feet away and I am instantly on high alert.
“There isn’t much use in lying to her.” My hairs stand on end, an outbreak of goosebumps all over my body. And my breathing falters when I hear the next voice—the same voice that has haunted me for years, the voice that belongs to the man who put his hands on my body so many times that I wanted to scrape off every layer until there was no trace of his touch ever on my skin.
I used to count the number of bruises he would leave after he was done with me, and I would take it all again for him to leave Melody the fuck alone. He moves closer, his dirty and defiled fingers brushing over Melody’s bare shoulder and down her arm. I watch her visibly shudder at his touch. She knows what he used to do to me. I’m certain Mel can’t move very much either because I know that if she could, Robert wouldn’t be breathing.
Mel growls when he pulls out a knife and slices the material of her jumpsuit from her ankle all the way up to her thigh. She hisses through her teeth when he cuts her skin a little. He then moves to the other leg to do the same and fear and rage reverberates through me to my bones. Mel struggles to move away from him and the murderous promise in her eyes gives a whole new meaning to the term death glare.
“Robert, I swear to God if you touch her, I will rip your fucking dick off and make you choke on it!” I seethe.
I hear a snigger from the taller man and another high-pitched cackle coming out of Alexis’s mouth.
“I think you might be a little compromised right now… you know, not being able to move and all.” I want to smack the bitch into next week.
The taller man still stands a few feet away from me and clears his throat.
“Everybody out, I need a minute alone with her,” he orders, stroking his razor-sharp jawline with his fingers as Alexis and Robert do as they’re told and walk out. Good little dogs. For a brief moment I’m grateful, because at least Robert is gone, for now.
I should be terrified—any normal person would be, but I’m not. I know how these people work. I’ve had to endure them for most of my life. Granted, everything with Alexis was unexpected but Robert, I am not afraid of him anymore, only of what he might do to Melody. The one thing that makes me nervous though is the reason—why we are here, and why he is here—with Alexis of all people.
It’s so dark in here that it’s almost impossible to make anyone’s features out. The only way I knew it was Alexis and Robert was from her idiocy and Robert’s voice.
I know this man’s voice though, it’s so familiar—almost too familiar but I don’t let my mind take me on that path because that’s impossible. He takes a few steps closer, looking over his shoulder making sure we’re alone and the thought of being on my own with him rattles my nerves.
“What do you know about your father, Emilia?” The question confuses me. I frown in response.
“I never met him,” which is the complete truth. As far as I’m aware, I have never met my father and when I flashback to the memory I had the other night, I know that I never want to meet him.
His arms fold across his chest, his biceps huge from what I can make out in the shadows.
“Do I know you?” I ask, my curiosity winning out over any logical emotion—such as fear, which is what I should be shaking in when I am in a literal hostage situation. I’m unsure why, but I don’t feel like this man will hurt me, I feel like I know him.
His laughter jolts me out of my head and back to the dingy, cold and empty space I’m sitting in. The lightbulb hanging above me starts to flicker and with each blink of the light, he is a step closer. He leans down and brings his hand to my face, his thumb gently sweeping across my cheekbone. The touch so tender my mind races, my pulse picking up until I feel it thudding in my chest.
“Mm, I know you… but it’s been a while.” His voice is too familiar, and when he removes his hood, he cracks my heart open, splitting it to the core.
The word leaves my mouth and I pray that I’m wrong, that I’m still hallucinating as a side effect of the drugs.
“L… Lukas?” I croak, silently praying that it isn’t him, this man standing right in front of me in the shadows, with the sharp jawline and cheekbones, the dark hair, almost black in the dim light. The man who is the doppelgänger of the one who holds my heart.
He tuts, his lips turning up at the sides, “Close, but not quite. I’ll give you a hint… Have you been taking care of my locket?” I try to think, try to piece it all together—my mind moving a mile a minute, but it’s interrupted.
I hear a loud bang as the door is thrown open cracking against the wall. Alexis charges in, looking like a deranged maniac, her eyes demonic as she takes in his proximity to me, his fingers lingering close to my skin, his lips only a few inches away from mine.
“You can’t have him! You can’t have them both!” she screeches, charging toward me. Alexis moves fast, and that’s when I see the barrel of the gun pointed straight at me.
They move in slow motion and all I see is Mel and Alexis. Melody twists her body and moves to her feet, still struggling, her limbs floppy. She grabs Alexis by her arms yanking her back, swinging her body in front of her, all I see is her back. Lukas comes closer to me as if he is shielding me. He hovers over me and suddenly the puzzle pieces fit into place, the locket. It belonged to Lukas, and…
“Elijah?”
My back connects with the cold, hard concrete. Pain ricochets through my body as two shots ring out, echoing in the eery silence...
And the darkness turns to black.
To be continued…
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Oh fuck! So that just happened. I honestly have no idea where to start, so I guess I’ll start at the beginning. Last year (2020) during the pandemic, Emilia and Lukas would not leave me alone until I wrote their story—well the first part of it—And I truly would not have been able to write this book without my bestie Jessie. You listened to every single idea, problem, crazy plot twist, and all of the extremely enthusiastic voice messages at 3am. You’ve been my go-to girl since the moment I knew I was going to write this book, and I couldn’t have done it without you. I’m pretty certain we are the same person and are always on each other’s wavelength which made this entire process the absolute best! I love you.
To Emma, my wifey. Thank you for all of your advice, you are the best business savvy queen and such an amazing friend, author, and Godmummy to Bella.
To Betty who helped me so much with this entire process, even though you’re a new author yourself, you still did all you could to help me, and I appreciate you so much babe, thank you!
To my Beta readers, Janell, Haley, Betty, Sim, and Jessie – THANK YOU! Honestly you guys have no idea how much you helped me with this story. I appreciate every second of your time spent reading my first book, all your feedback, and your threats (Janell, I’m looking at you! LOL). I am truly touched by your passion and your love for these characters, who I adore so much, and who have become such a huge part of me. I’m so excited to continue working with you for the next book and all the rest to come!
To Sarah Plocher, my amazing editor! Seriously, without you this book would be a hot mess! I am so grateful to have been able to work with you, you’re a magician LOL! I appreciate you and look forward to working with you soon.
To my awesome proof-reader Amy briggs, who saved my life last minute and was able to fit me into her busy schedule and even worked on this book during her vacation! I am so grateful to have found you. I look forward to working with you in the future!
To Ramzi, thank you so much for the incredible work you did formatting my paperback. I totally manifested you, and you have no idea how much of a godsend you are by helping me with this as I'm not too tech or design savvy! I appreciate you and look forward to all of your amazing books to come. Hopefully we can work together again soon!
Last, but most certainly not least, thank you to my beautiful readers. To have you take a chance on m
e and my storytelling means so much! I am so overwhelmed with the support this community has shown me, and as a new author it truly means the world to have you put your faith in me. I hope you enjoyed the first part of Emilia and Lukas’s story. This is only the beginning…
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
SELINA MARIE
Author of The Secrets We Keep (Secrets and Revelations Book one).
Selina Marie is a British author of New Adult & Dark Romance. She lives with her two daughters, fiance, and kitten in the South of England. Selina drinks way too much tea and loves to gently torture her readers with plot twists that will make you want to throw things at her face. Selina brings you angsty, sexy, dangerous bad boys with a twist, and badass heroines you'll fall in love with.
Thank you for joining me on this wild ride! I hope you enjoy!
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