by T. L Smith
My father steps over and slaps me hard, splitting my lip when his hand connects with my face. My head snaps to the side, and I start screaming. As his hand comes up again, it’s stopped. I look with wide eyes, the taste of blood coating my mouth, and see Maso holding my father’s fist. He turns and pulls his hand free.
“You want to protect her again?” He laughs at Maso.
Maso looks to me then to the man holding me, he pulls out his gun and points it at him. “Remove your hands.” He does so automatically.
I grab my bag, not worrying about anything else and move away. Maso is standing in between our father and me, I kiss his cheek then I run.
The front is open and no one is standing there. I don’t have shoes on my feet, so the pebbles scrape into them as I run down the long driveway. I look back over my shoulder when I reach the end, and see my father standing at the door with a gun pointed at me.
He wouldn’t actually shoot me, would he?
I don’t stop any longer than necessary as I run through the gates and hope to God I don’t get shot in the back.
My feet are hurting with the cuts. I can no longer see the front of my house, and I have no phone. It’s a long walk to anywhere. We live in solitude for a reason, so no one knows what goes on. I chuck my bag on the ground as I reach the edge of the road, having put enough distance between me and that house and look through my bag. I start to curse out loud when I see all I have is two pair of panties and two dresses, plus what I have on. I should have had a bag packed way ahead of time. I thought about it on numerous occasions, I just never did it. My ass plonks to the ground. I throw my bag in front of me, wondering what the hell I’m going to do when a car pulls up.
“Elina…” a voice I know well says as I hear the car door slam. Hands go around me and lift me in the air grabbing my bag as he walks to the car. I’ve never felt safer than I do in this moment, in the arms of my sworn enemy.
Chapter 31
Kazier
You can tell just by looking at her she is on the verge of a breakdown. Her arms clinging to me like never before, her head tucks into my shoulder. I didn’t expect to see her. I didn’t expect to actually find her, least of all on the side of the road with no shoes and a bag. Her head down.
When I pulled the car up I noticed her lip is split, and blood coats her shirt. She doesn’t say anything when I place her in my car, she just let’s go and places her head back on the headrest.
When I was released, no thanks to our attorney and the power my father holds, I went to find her but she was already gone. They wouldn’t tell me who she went with, and I smashed my phone in anger screaming at the man behind the counter. So for the last few hours, I’ve been driving everywhere, her house being the last place. I was ready to walk into that house and find her, kill anyone who was there just to have her. I never expected to find her out front, a few feet down the road on the grass.
“Are you okay?”
She looks up to me and reaches her hand over to place it on my leg. “I’m never going back there.”
“Did he do that?”
My chin lifts to her broken lip, and she nods. “Maso got me out. Then I ran. I didn’t even pack shoes,” she says rolling her eyes and lying her back on the seat.
“I’ll buy you a whole new wardrobe.”
“I would hope so because I don’t even have my wallet.” She half laughs. “I tried calling you.”
“I smashed my phone when I found out you were gone.”
“The others okay?”
“Yeah, back at mine.”
“Fuck! You need to ring Death, he still has Pollie and won’t let her go.”
I stop the car at a stop light and turn to face her. “You’re joking, right?”
She shakes her head. The disbelief in me is strong. Why would he not let her go? He doesn’t even like women. Let alone an emotional one.
“I don’t have my phone. I’ll go there right now.”
She nods her head and squeezes my leg as I turn right to head to Death’s house, wondering what the hell he’s doing.
****
The house is quiet when we pull up, which is odd. Usually, music is screaming from his house. Elina walks behind me, her feet obviously sore but wanting to make sure her friend is safe. I stand at the door knocking, it takes up to three knocks till the door flies open and Death stands there with a look of disbelief on his face as he looks to me and then to Elina. He doesn’t offer us in, but I hear footsteps behind him.
“Are you going to let us in?”
He looks to Elina then to me, then pulls the door open wider as he walks inside and takes Pollie’s hand behind the door pulling her with him. Pollie doesn’t look upset. Actually, she doesn’t even look worried. At this moment I’m glad she can’t see, but I know she can sure as shit smell.
I wonder if she’s worked out that it’s people’s bodies being eaten alive by acid that she can smell.
Elina goes to walk to her friend and I hold her back by her hand. She looks back at me, a confused look crossing her face. I don’t know what’s going on, and I’ve never seen Death grab a woman’s hand before. When I follow him into the sitting room, he’s sitting and has Pollie’s hand clasped firmly in his. She fidgets with her dress with her free hand and has her head down.
“Pollie,” Elina says. Pollie lifts her head and smiles slightly.
“Why is Pollie still here, Death?” He knows he has to answer me, but I can see the struggle within him.
“I wanted to keep her,” he says, looking back to her then to me. I’m sure my mouth is on the floor right now.
“You can’t keep her, Death.”
“Why not?” he asks confused.
“She has a life.”
He stands bringing her with him.
“He hasn’t told me any of what he just said to you,” Pollie says, her head turns to Death. “Why haven’t you told me this?”
He watches her speak with fascination and doesn’t say a word to her. He just stares.
“Come on, Pollie, I’ll drive you home.”
She goes to take a step forward, but Death pulls her back and keeps her there with his hand clasping hers.
“Death, remove your hand right now. You’re scaring her.”
He looks back to her and drops his hand. Elina takes a step forward and reaches for Pollie’s hand when she steps forward. Death looks slightly upset, which is another odd feature on his face. I wait till the girls leave the house before I speak again. He watches the door, with a maddening look on his face.
“Why did you want to keep her, Death?”
He looks to me, pulling his eyes from the door. “I don’t know.”
“Don’t do it again.”
He nods his head and shakes it.
I don’t say anything else as I walk out and to the car. Elina is talking to Pollie, but Pollie doesn’t seem to be too upset considering she was held by my psycho.
“He didn’t hurt me, it was just weird,” Pollie says to Elina as I start to drive. I listen to them talk not bothering to speak. Pollie discusses about how he would hold her hand every time he walked her somewhere. How he said he didn’t want to let her go. And he kept on making her eat. That last one has me bothered the most. I know Death doesn’t like his dead bodies too skinny, he likes them to have meat on them so the acid takes longer.
****
Pollie wasn’t shaken at all, she actually smiled at us when we dropped her off. Though she did ask that we never take her to a public setting again.
I pull into my father’s house, Elina doesn’t ask why. She watches every turn and keeps her mouth shut. When we stop, Catara the evil cunt opens the front door. Her eyes land on Elina, who has blood on her shirt and then she turns to me. A look of disgust etches across her ugly features. She pulls the door open and walks into the house without saying a word.
Maybe she has learned after all to keep her mouth shut?
My father stands from behind his desk when I walk in, he lo
oks to Elina then back to me. Shaking his head.
“I get you out of that jail, and you come to my house with her?” His lip turns up in disgust at Elina. She doesn’t budge from his hurtful words.
“Yes! Now you will listen.”
His hands drop to the desk, and his head shakes back and forth. “This…” he says pointing between us, “…will never work. It didn’t work many years ago, and it won’t work today,” he finishes.
“Father, meet Elina Bartalotti, my fiancée, and soon to be wife.”
My father’s mouth drops, then he throws everything off his desk, sliding it all with one sweep of his hand. Laughing with anger as he does. I don’t wait for his reply, I walk straight out of there.
Catara is standing just outside of the door, she spits onto the floor at the sight of Elina. “Bad mistake! She soon to be your queen bitch?” Her eyes go wide as she looks to Elina.
Elina doesn’t even bother with a reply, her eyes stare straight ahead.
I think she may be in shock, I did warn her, though. That she would soon be my wife. Just thought I would let everyone else know since I told her first.
Chapter 32
Elina
Stunned? Is that the right word to even use? Shocked, maybe that’s better. Because I have absolutely no idea what-so-ever on how to express the feeling I’m having as he drives us to his house. He hasn’t spoken, he knows I need quiet. I’m afraid of what would leave my mouth if I tried to speak. Actually, I don’t think I could talk.
He climbs out of the car and grabs my bag as he does, before he can reach my door my bare feet are already hitting the ground. We walk up the stairs and he unlocks the door, I follow him in and walk straight past him to the bathroom, throwing my clothes on the floor and entering the shower. I stand under it wondering what I will say to him. He doesn’t leave me alone for long to think before he’s naked and climbing in with me. He grabs a wash cloth and starts patting my lip down, gently. Once he removes it, he leans in and places the softest kiss his lips have ever given mine, and I melt.
“Stop thinking too hard,” he says smirking. Of course, he’s smirking. “All your clothes arrived,” he says.
I give him a weird look, I only had one bag and that had little in it.
“I asked Freya to order you some. Well, actually, she went and bought out a clothes store and they all just arrived.”
“She hates me,” I whine. I don’t want her to hate me. Especially, since I’m the one who has fucked up her life. Plus, she’s close with Kazier, I want her to like me.
“She doesn’t. She’s just angry. She’s almost over it now.”
“We need to talk,” I say just as he rubs the washcloth over my stomach, inching lower with his hands.
“About what?”
I hit his arm and he laughs at me, his eyes pin mine and I raise my eyebrows. “Fine, you talk, I’ll fuck.” His hands wrap around my ass and he pulls my naked body against his. I push him away and grab the towel when I take a step out of the shower. I hear his soft whine before he turns off the water and follows me out.
He doesn’t bother drying himself as he follows me out completely naked. Kazier has no concerns regarding his body, he doesn’t need to. His cock is a perfect size, it hurts just that little bit when it first slides in, then once you ride it, and it continues to hit all those spots, you never want to give it up. His whole torso is completely covered in ink, even his hands. His hair is in a fauxhawk, which never needs to be styled, he seems to wake with it perfect. I’m not body conscious, far from it. I could walk around naked anytime I choose and not feel uncomfortable. I love my body, I even love me.
“You can’t pop that on me, and most of all in front of your father,” I say standing on the opposite side of the kitchen bench from him.
“I’ve told you it’s going to happen, not my fault if you choose not to listen.” He starts to walk to me, I go the opposite way. “Why are you walking away from me?” He stands there with not a care in the world.
“Because if you touch me, my brain goes to mush and I can’t think straight,” I say pointing to my head.
He shakes his head as he laughs at me. “Mush, hey?” he asks casually leaning against the bench.
Then before I know it, he’s running around the bench to me. I start to run, though I know it’s no use, he will catch me. We go in circles two times before his hands come around me and tear the towel from my body, making sure that our skin connects. I start to laugh, and when I open my eyes a ring is dangling from his finger in front of my face. My eyes go wide, the ring is ruby, and circling it is encrusted with diamonds. I gasp and pull away. When I turn to look at him, he goes down on one knee, reaching his free hand up to grab hold of my hand.
“It’s not meant to work, we both know this. Hell, anyone who sees us thinks it won’t work. But they don’t know us, they don’t know that when you’re upset you bite your lip. That when you’re angry, your left hand clenches and you dig your nails into your palm to calm yourself down. You embrace the storm in me, you don’t silence it. So Elina Bartalotti, I want you to be my wife. And I want you to fuck me every day for the rest of my life.”
I drop to the floor in front of him, both of us now on our knees. I sit and stare at his open hand, the one that holds my perfect ring, with my favorite red stone. He doesn’t say anything as he waits for words to leave my lips, he just stares at me.
“Can you handle only having me for the rest of our lives?” I ask looking up at him.
“Without a doubt. I don’t see anyone else. Ever. I’m sorry, love, but you’re it.” I nod my head. “Put the ring on, Elina,” he says reaching for my hand.
“You don’t want my answer? If I want you for the rest of my life?”
“I already know you do. It’s in your eyes, baby. Has been since the second time I fucked you, no matter how hard you try to deny it.” He grabs my hand and places my ring finger to his lips, he sucks it with his mouth and I watch in fascination as he does it.
“I think you should fuck me into submission. Make me say yes.”
His grin pins me, then he slips the ring on and pulling me to him. I lift my legs up and wrap them around his waist. His hand reaches down and starts massaging my clit, then his mouth comes down on my breast. He licks one then bites it, repeats it on the next, and soon I’m rubbing myself on him, trying to just reach that perfect spot. Because I can feel him between my legs, it’s just not in there yet, right where I want it. His hand leaves and he licks his fingers wetting them before he places them back between us continuing to repeat the process of driving me crazy.
“Stop playing,” I say smacking his shoulder. His hand moves from my tits, and his other hand stays exactly where I need it as he reaches down and slides straight into me. I gasp loudly, his mouth smashes against mine—teeth, lips, tongue all at once. Then I ride him like the fucking devil, and he makes me scream “yes,” more than ten times.
We lay there on the floor, our hands touching. He starts to roll the ring around on my finger, and I’m too tired to move or even tell him to stop.
“Who would have thought, hey?” he asks.
I look at the light shining on us from the ceiling. “I know. I no longer have a family. Well, especially not now.”
“You have Maso.”
“Do you think he would actually approve?” I laugh dryly at him.
“He loves you. So yes, he will come around.”
“What about Freya?” I ask more softly. She already hates me, and now I’m stealing her future husband. They were engaged after all.
“She’s set to be married to someone else.”
“Who?”
“Viktor.” A small chuckle leaves my mouth.
“Does he know of this?”
“No, but he will soon…” he pauses. “They will all be here tomorrow. I’ve had this planned for a while.”
I turn now to look at him, he’s already staring at me. “How long have you had the ring for?”
�
��A year.”
My mouth drops open.
No way.
No way in hell.
“You’re joking, right? How did you even know back then that I liked red? Let alone that you would marry me. You didn’t even know me.”
“I knew the moment I saw you I wanted to keep you. Now you’re mine. No leaving…” His body comes back on mine. This time he’s on top and his lips touch mine, and all thoughts leave me. Only allowing room for him.
Chapter 33
Kazier
She lays on her stomach, it seems to be something she’s always done. I remember falling asleep with her and she’d always be on her stomach, but she stays that way the whole night and doesn’t move once. I never knew that because she never wanted to stay with me.
We stayed up most of the night, hardly sleeping, and by the time we actually hit the bed the sun was rising. Now it’s late into the afternoon, we’ve slept the day away. She turns and rubs her eyes, then they search for me.
“Your brother is on his way.”
Her eyes go wide and she jumps from the bed. She starts ripping through her clothes and putting them on quickly. She doesn’t even realize when she pulls on her pants that she has thrown on one of my shirts. I start laughing. She looks to me with scrunched eyebrows then looks down at the shirt, rips it off and throws it at me. We hear a knock at the door and we both walk out. She stops before we open the door, and turns to me then places her hands on my body. At first I’m smiling until I realize she’s tapping me down for weapons. She pulls my gun from my waist and takes it into the kitchen then returns with a smile.
Maso stands at the door by himself. He looks back to me and scowls, then turns to his sister and smiles. She leans over and lightly hugs him before she invites him in. He’s hesitant at first then steps into the house. She does the same thing to him, tapping him down and pulls out his gun. He scowls at her now.
“She did it to me, too,” I say shrugging my shoulders.
His lips fight a twitch as he turns back to his sister when she walks back in. He notices her hand and he grabs it pulling it up to stare at the ring on her finger. He drops it and turns to me. “You can’t marry him, Elina,” Maso says.