Page 34 of Don't Let Go

A cold sweat broke over my flesh at the mention of the mob boss’s name. It wasn’t good he liked me with Paolo. That meant I wasn’t under the radar. I had a giant red target on my back, and they were looking for ways to get me closer into the fold.

“We should get going,” Mamma said, attempting to tear me away from Paolo.

His arm snaked around my waist. “I can take her home. We had plans to hang out afterward.”

Now I knew what the rope in a tug of war felt like. Paolo and my mamma stared at each other, neither wanting to back down.

I sighed, crumbling to my fate. “I’ll go with Paolo. It’s fine, Mamma. I’ll see you later.”

She lost her hold on me. Her eyes bore into my soul. “Are you sure?” She was giving me a get-out-of-jail-free card. I knew I had to go with him. If I didn’t appease Paolo tonight, he’d have built up resentment toward me and become more aggressive at a later date.

My false smile twisted my lips again. “Yes. Thanks. I love you.”

She kissed my cheek. “I love you too, fiore mio.” After too long of a look, she left with Chloe and Cindi.

Chloe waved at me and flipped Paolo the bird when his head was turned.

“Finally, I got you to myself,” Paolo whispered. His warm breath on my neck made my stomach ache.

Paolo wrapped his arm around my hips and walked me outside to his silver Porsche convertible.

Paolo’s parents were away on business. He had the entire house to himself. Lucky me.

Sometimes, I couldn’t believe I lost my virginity to this monster. The first time we had sex, he was sweet. He wore a condom and kept asking if I was okay. It hurt, and I was sore afterward, but it felt like we were close. Like maybe Paolo loved me.

Now, sex was something to feed Paolo’s ego. He didn’t care about anything other than his own pleasure.

He took me to his bedroom and undressed me with his eager hands. Once nude, his fingers inched down my back toward my ass. My skin burned as if acid were slowly eating away at my skin.

Paolo sucked on my earlobe. I forgot to put my earrings back in. I instantly scolded myself to remember to keep my silver hoops in so he couldn’t do that anymore.

The cold, satin sheets on the bed twisted around my legs as I fell onto the mattress with Paolo on top of me. I slipped away from myself into a pit of darkness as he amused himself with my body. As he had his way with me, a piece of me broke inside. Soon, there’d be nothing left but jagged edges. Maybe a part of me will always be dead. At least I had tomorrow to look forward to, unlike that blonde girl face down in the pool.

I bit my lip to keep myself from screaming. It would be over soon. All this would be over soon. I needed to graduate high school and leave Phoenix forever. Until then, my mask had to remain in place without cracks or imperfections.

17

Tyler

After three hours of hanging out, Iris claimed she needed to go home and work on an important class project. I didn’t know her to care enough to dive into a project, especially one for science, but who was I to judge? Maybe without me there, she’s more into her studies?

Her lie exploded when I saw her Insta account later that night. She always had to check-in and post selfies to her social media, and Insta had her favorite filters. I clicked on the hashtag and learned my so-called friends were at Andrew’s party tonight.

Usually, when there was a party, there was a game. I looked up Lincoln High’s schedule, and sure enough, there was a game tonight, and Lincoln killed it, winning by twelve points.

So much for the mantra once a Lincoln tiger, always a Lincoln tiger.

I hit myself on the forehead with an open palm.

Fuck it.

It was time to crash that party. My boys and Iris needed to remember who the hell I was. If it wasn’t for me, Lincoln High would be nowhere near the championships four years in a row.

I changed out of my baggy sweats and pulled on some jeans and a black tee. I grabbed my keys and opened my bedroom window.

It had to be around eleven o’clock, and Sofia and Rory weren’t home yet. Everyone else was, and I didn’t want them questioning where I was going. My best option was to escape out of the window. I rolled my shoulders and jumped off the ledge. Rory was right. That jump was nothing.

I started my Rolls-Royce and backed out as fast as possible before the engine or headlights alerted anyone. The highway was mostly clear of traffic at this time of night. I went over the speed limit a little, though only enough to skate getting a ticket.

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