Page 99 of Promise to Break

"I don't want to go home, not yet."

"I'll kill him for you, regardless of who he is."

"Don't… I'll be far away soon enough."

The pain in her blue orbs pains me. They're his eyes, his beautiful eyes.

"Babe, don't you dare disappear on me. Do you hear me?"

I say nothing. I don't think I can.

"Mari. Chica? You're scaring me. Are you okay? I take that back. Stupid question. Baby, I need you to speak to me. Please?"

I want to talk, but I can't. Everything hurts too much.

"I don't understand," I finally get out.

"What, sweety?"

"Why does it hurt more than any fist from my father?"

"Because love sucks."

"I don't want it then."

"I don't think it's for us to decide." She sounds pained. Mad on my behalf. For the first time, she's truly here for me. "Where do you want to go?"

"Take me to the House of Dreams." The look of pity on her face gives me the urge to fight her, and I probably would if I had the energy.

"You will let me ruin you, my little girl." I did. It was my choice, and I did. I try to see all the crumbs he left me along the way. I can't breathe. It's too much.

"I promise you that if I ever have a wife, it will be you. Only you," he said to me that same night. I refused to let him confess his feelings. I made promises as well. We talked about his fear of water, about my father, Lila… Lila, his future wife.

A sob escapes me. "It hurts."

"I know, chica, and it will hurt for a long time. But your life will be big. You'll have everything you want, and nothing will tie you to this place."

"Serena—"

"She'll understand. And you can visit her. Fuck, girl, you're breaking me. Cry, react, fight me for protecting him. Do something."

"I can't."

~~

"Pedro's here," Raven announces. "He'll take us to the House of Dreams ."

I nod and get in the car, sinking into the backseat without even greeting Pedro.

"Mi princesita, estas bien?" I want to tell him that his princess is never going to be fine. Not anymore. "Miss Raven?"

"She's heartbroken."

"The young lord?" Because, of course, he saw it coming.

I nod weakly. Never, even when my father was beating me to death, I lacked a witty retort. Why can't I laugh this hurt off? Every single touch, every demand, kiss, and stroke feels like poison now. A poison that refuses to kill me.

"Princessa, we are here."

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