Page 52 of Deadly Don's Savage Vows

Chapter 21

Isabella

Marcus takes his time with me.

He inflicts the most severe punishment I’ve ever been subjected to. Then he tosses me into the bathroom and leaves me lying on the cold tile floor.

My entire body is shaking from shock and pain.

He has made a promise that has caused me to throw up twice.

He promised that once we are married, he will take me the way I am meant to be taken. He will make me his and there will be no coming back from that.

Just thinking about it now again, I want to be sick. But there is nothing left in me. I can’t even roll over to ease the pain in my thigh and my left arm. I close my eyes. The cold tiles are soothing.

I’m in and out of consciousness for a while. I don’t know how long. Drifting between darkness and the bright, harsh lights on the ceiling - trying desperately to hold on to something.

The bathroom door opens, and two men walk in carrying a wedding dress. I blink, convinced I must be seeing wrong.

But I’m not.

They haul me to my feet and start ripping my clothing from my body. It hurts, everything hurts. The bruises and cuts sting and ache.

I scream, terrified about what they are going to do. Each layer of clothing they rip from my body is like a layer that was protecting me from them.

They don’t hurt me though.

When I’m in nothing but my underwear and they put the dress on me.

A white, gorgeous dress - that becomes sullied with my blood. The red stains show up in stark contrast to the bright white. I stare down at my body. This must be a nightmare. This can’t really be happening to me.

I’m asleep in my bed, safe at home, and I’m having a nightmare.

When I first ran away from Marcus, I had nightmares every night. I would wake up in a cold sweat, sometimes crying,sometimes choking on a scream. The nightmares faded over time, but they were just like this - terrifying.

I must be having one right now.

“She’s ready.” One man says, grabbing my arm and dragging me back into the living room. I stagger and do my best to stay standing.

This is very real.

This is no dream.

“Well, aren’t you a sight to behold?” Marcus looks me up and down and pulls a face of disgust. “Pity you didn’t obey me the first time, the wedding photos would have been gorgeous. This - “ he gestures over me, “is your own fault, poppet.”

Then he turns to his men. “Get her in the car. Let’s go.”

I’m so unstable and woozy that I can barely walk, and it annoys the men who are trying to move me. So, one of them lifts me over his shoulder and carries me into the elevator. His shoulder is digging into one of my ribs which I am sure is broken. I’m too weak to even try to shift my weight to a different angle, so I just do my best to ignore the jarring pain shooting through my side. Each step steals my breath away. It reminds me I’m very much awake, and this is very much real and happening.

I can’t even fight them. I have nothing left in me. Marcus broke my body like he promised he would.

But I’m still in here - I’m still not giving up.

The best thing I can do for myself right now is to breathe.

In. Out. Just breathe.

They throw me into the back of the car.

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