Page 13 of Saviors

I didn’t know what to do. This wasn’t the nice, but boring guy I’d dated. The friend of my brothers I’d been set up with. My boyfriend. This was the monster he’d hidden behind the mask.

Fear made my mouth water. I tried to claw at his hand again. A nail ripped off as I connected with his ring. A scream tore from my lungs, dying on his palm.

“Hmm.” He hummed in appreciation. The vibrations sent a wave of nausea through me. “Your brothers told me you were a fighter. I like that. They’re more fun to break.”

He pushed open a door to a bedroom. With one hand, I reached for the doorjamb. My fingers scraped along it. They gripped the wood frame. I held on with everything I had. Panic twisted in my gut as I tried to get away.

A pathetic whimper left my lips as I scratched towards safety. He clutched my waist tighter and, with a hard jerk, broke my hold. My breaths became shallow as I saw the bed.

This couldn’t be happening. Things like this happened in movies or documentaries. I never thought it would happen to me. I had a boring life. A normal life.

“Please! Please!” I begged as he lifted me from the ground, carrying me towards a closet. “People will notice I’m missing. My brothers know I’m here here. You’re the first person they’ll check with.”

“Then I’ll just kill them, sweetheart.” My heart plummeted to my knees. Bile rose in my throat. “I’ll even let you watch.” He chuckled, and the sound was pure evil.

It was an empty threat. It had to be. But my movements slowed ever so slightly. My legs swung, but I didn’t connect with anything. My fingers groped along the closet door, but found nothing to hold on to.

The next thing I knew, I was being tossed onto the floor. There were no shelves for clothes or racks of shoes. It was empty, except for a cot with a thin blanket. He planned this.

My arm smacked into the hard flooring. The pain radiated through my body. The breath whooshed from my lungs.

I watched in horror as the door was slammed closed. I was plunged into darkness. Even through my whimper, I heard the sound of a lock clicking.

And I knew I’d left everything normal behind.

7

Violet

I’d been right. There was no normal anymore. I was broken.

I would never recover from the things he did to me. Made me do. Now, I knew how dark the world was. What kind of evil walked among us. Hidden expertly with the shield of money and power.

My heart smacked my ribs as the car pulled into my parents’ driveway. My palm was sweaty as I gripped the handle, pushing the door open. I couldn’t breathe as I ran towards the house.

Lights from the windows cast squares across the perfectly manicured lawn. If I inhaled deeply, I could almost smell roast, the lingering scent from the usual Saturday dinner. Everything was just the same as when I’d left.

I was home. I was free.

Tears pricked at my eyes as I rushed inside. “Mom! Dad!”

My head spun. The relief that overwhelmed me was too much. Or maybe it was the lack of sleep. Or food. When was the last time I’d eaten?

Strong hands gripped my biceps as I swayed on my feet. My gaze flicked to Connor, holding me up. Maverick and Reid were right behind him, standing in the doorway. I was so excited to be home; I hadn’t realized they’d followed me inside.

“Thank you for taking me, but you don’t have to stay.” A tiny piece of my soul flaked away. I’d never see them again. These men saved me. There weren’t enough words to express how grateful I was.

“We’ll wait until we know you’re safe.” Reid said.

“I’m safe. I’m h-home.” My voice wavered as the anxiety poured from my veins. “Mom!”

I stepped further into the house, turning right, passing through the dining room and into the spotless kitchen. The fight I’d had with my mother was fresh in my mind. I’d been so mad. It all seemed silly now.

“Dad!” I passed through the kitchen into the second living room.

“Violet?” My mother turned to me, setting the book she’d been reading down on the couch next to her.

“Mom.” More tears burned my eyes as I rushed towards her. Confusion was written in her features as I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, practically collapsing into her embrace.

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