Page 24 of Desolation

Slapping me again, he reaches for some straps on the bed that I didn’t even see. Taking the left one, he twists me until he puts my left hand in it and secures it. He then flips me over and secures the right side. I am now laying on my stomach with my hands tied to the bed. I’m not going to be able to fight him anymore.

I’m crying. There’s blood everywhere from the cut on my neck and he puts himself over the top of me again. He’s naked now. He enters me violently from behind and begins to choke me as I’m screaming.

Please Drake, don’t leave me here, I think to myself as I black out from the pain.

CHAPTER 19

DRAKE

It’s been a year.

A year of thinking of her every day.

A year of missing her.

A year of trying to figure out a way to get her back.

Reba made it here after they let her go. They raped her and beat her badly. All in the name of getting Elodie to turn herself in to them, which she did. Reba spent several days in a medically induced sleep so that her body could try to heal some of theinjuries they gave her. The only reason they let her go was so that she could tell us Dominic forced Elodie to marry him.

When we found that out, we had to drop the plan to go in after her. We can’t start a war over him marrying Elodie. No matter if she was forced. She said the words, she made the choice. So we have to figure out a different way to do it and we can’t do that without being able to talk to Elodie. She has to leave on her own.

No one has seen her this whole time.

Reba went back to the diner after she healed up some and put it up for sale. It took a few months before she finally got it sold and not once during that time did she ever see Dominic or Elodie. She is staying with us now. She’s afraid to be alone.

I had Louis drive me to Elodie’s parents’ house one night and leave a very expensive, very strong bottle of whiskey at their door. It also had a sedative inside. They didn’t even bother to notice the seal was broken. Just like I figured.

When they passed out from the sedative, I lit their house on fire starting with the living room. They didn’t make it out of there. I watched it burn almost to the ground before the fire department finally showed up. They let it finish burning.

Ms. Bates gave me Elodie’s graduation certificate. She had all the high school credits needed to graduate early. But she lost her scholarship to NYU, since she was a no show.

I basically live like a zombie. I go to work, I go to class, I watch for Elodie outside the Petrucci’s building, I come home, I drink myself to sleep. Rinse. Repeat.

I barely speak to my dad or Anthony. I get it. Their hands are tied. But I fucking hate them and myself for just leaving her there.Thinking about what they are doing to her. Thinking about them breaking her, my beautiful little Bug. I fucking loathe myself.

I don’t deserve her. I can never ask her to be with me if we ever get her back. But Iwillask. Because I can’t live without her. What I’m doing now? It’s not living. It’s existing. I’ve taken to getting piercings, just tofeelsomething, even if it’s a little bit of pain.

I got a Jacob’s ladder. Six of them. One a month for the first six she was gone. The next four months I got a scrotal ladder piercing. Then one Lorum piercing. The most recent was a Prince Albert. Twelve altogether now. They were painful. But still not as painful as Elodie being gone. They also didn’t make mefeellike I wanted to. It was only temporary.

It’s seven p.m. and I’m standing across the street from the building the Petrucci’s live in. Every day I come. Every day I leave without seeing her. But still I watch. I will never give up on her. Never. The door men are two of my men I’ve placed in his employ. So far neither of them have been able to get to Elodie either. With them at the door I don’t have to worry about being seen out here.

The only way I was able to get them in was because the Petrucci Familia have been going through a lot of men lately for some reason. Apparently Dominic has been killing or firing a lot of his men. My guys know to do what they are told and keep their heads down. They have worked their way up to doormen. So far so good.

They both shake their heads when they see me. Melting into the shadows, I make my way home. Disappointed again.

CHAPTER 20

ELODIE

Drake.

I see him across the room.

Dominic brought me out to a huge fundraising event. Looks like all the large players are here. Though I haven’t seen Drake’s family, the Bianchi’s yet.

Everyone is wearing their finest ball gowns and tuxedos, jewelry glittering at the necks and ears of all the ladies. I have them too, mostly to cover the scar on my neck. Dominic is making his way throughthe room, holding my elbow in a death grip. I’m definitely going to have bruises tomorrow. Good thing I have long gloves on now. He’s introduced me to so many people tonight that I will never remember all of their names.

Sipping my glass of water, I surreptitiously look around me trying to see if I have missed Drake somewhere, when I finally spot them. Gio is shaking hands with the mayor of New York, Anthony and Drake at his side. My hands immediately start sweating. I’m sure Dominic will notice them soon and then I’m sure he will make it so I go nowhere near them.

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