Page 123 of Broken Empire

Ihate lying toMia, but if she knows the truth, she’ll probably hate me.Whatif she doesn’t even believe it wasn’t me?WhatwillIdo then?No,Ican’t tell her yet, becauseIhave no clue what the truth is right now.Theonly person who has that bit of information is the person who left the note for me.

Thenote said that in due timeI’dknow who it was, so as of right now, they’re just an anonymous entity, oneIhave no clue how to find or where to even look.

Fuck!Everythingis a mess!Itry to think about who in my past would come after me now and come up empty.HowwasNiccoeven pulled into the equation?

That’sthe part that is tripping me up.Whatdid they want withNicco?I’mnot sure what his connection is to anything or if there even is a connection.

Ifeel it in my soul, like acid burning through my veins that time is running out.Idon’t know what will happen when my time has run out, butIknow it won’t be good.

Niccocomes from a rich family and from whatIknow about the rich people here, it’s that they look out for their own and if you fuck with one of them, then you fuck with all of them.Whilemost families care about their kids, mine was happy to sell me off to the highest bidder.

Iknow thatNicco’sfamily will look for justice and they will leave no stone unturned with finding out what happened that night.

I’vebeen trying to figure out how to get answers to solve the puzzle myself, but it’s been difficult andIdon’t even know where to begin.Iam so not equipped for things like this.WhatdoIdo and who doIturn to for help?

You’dthink based on my track record,I’dbe equipped to handle situations like this… but, well, you’d be wrong.Iliterally don’t know whatI’mdoing.

Ijust wishedIcould catch aGoddamn break and the universe would stop giving me the middle finger.

Ilook at the clock and see it’s almost time to leave work andI’mabout ready to just go home and put my brain in rest mode beforeIdrive myself nuts with all these theories that only lead me to dead ends.I’mready for my walk home soIcan clear my head a little.

Ihaven’t been able to concentrate on school because my mind has been so preoccupied with everything else.I’malready failing at the new lifeIwanted to build for myself.

Ishould have taken a cab home because it’s windy tonight, butIdidn't.So,Ikeep walking and pull my jacket around me tighter.Thestreets are eerily quiet tonight, and that feeling of dread creeps up on me again.Ican’t seem to get rid of it.Ilook over my shoulder constantly, just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Isee our street up ahead and my heart rate calms a little, because nothing bad ever happens to anyone like a few feet away from their homes right?Ifinally reach the front door and quickly open the lock.Standingin the foyer,Isee that no one is home yet.Iflip the switch and nothing happens.Ikeep flicking it and still nothing.

Feelingdisgruntled,Iwalk farther into the house and go into the living room to try the switch there.Thisone is the same.Iguess the pow… no, it’s not the power because the light from the other houses on our street were on whileIwas walking home.

“Don’twaste your time,” a deep masculine voice says into the darkness.Iinstantly freeze because that voice sounds menacing and shivers run through me, and it’s not the good ‘he sounds so hot’ kind either.

Iquickly turn around and drop my bag.Ilook to see where the voice is coming from.Myeyes have barely adjusted to the dim light in the room, butIcan make out a man sitting in the chair we have up against the window.

Thelittle moonlight streaming through the open curtains illuminates his features andIcan make out some broad shoulders that easily stand out.Itlooks like he could eat me for breakfast based on the sheer size of this man.He’sprobably on steroids or something to look that big.

Hecan barely fit into the small chair he’s in.Whyhe sat there whenMiahas so many chairs in this living room beats me.

Helooks at me andIcan feel little chills break out all over me when he opens his mouth again. “Hello,Addison…”

ADELAIDE (17 YEARS OLD)

Death…

It’sfunny how you never think you’d ever wish for it to take you, but then you’re put through hell.Sometimes, it’s the only thing you end up wishing for because it would bring you peace.That’sallIwant these days because the lifeI’mcurrently living is one that no one should endure as a teenager.

It’sfunny how life can change in the blink of an eye and your reality becomes something you never dreamed of.

Thesting of the whip against my back brings me out of my thoughts and a scream rips out of me.I’velost count of how manyI’vehad so far today.AllIknow and feel is the pain of my torn skin as blood drips down my back from the force of her hits.

“Whereis it?” she asks for the millionth time.

“Ialready told you,Ido not know who they are, or where the papers are!”Ihiss as another lash of her whip catches me.

Rightnow, she has me in the middle of her torture room with my hands attached to the cuffs she has hanging from the ceiling.Shecuffed my legs as well, andI’mstanding here in my panties.It’seasier for her to leave marks and bruises on my skin.

I’msubjected to her humiliation almost daily andIwish this torture would just end.Sheshould just kill me and end it because ifIever escaped from here,I’dcome back and kill her.Shedeserves nothing less.

Iknow someday, my wish will come true.Ijust have to bide my time and wait for the perfect opportunity.Anotherscream rips out of me when she rains down more lashes.Myentire body aches.Idon’t know how longI’vebeen in this room today, but it feels like it’s been hours already.

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