Page 95 of Misconducts & Temptation

"I don't think he wants?—"

Stephanie stopped dead in her tracks as we entered the living room. There stood her stepmother leaning against the doorframe with a smug expression.

"Now really," Marion drawled, her voice dripping with condescension. "Stephanie, so dramatic. Elodie is perfectly fine?—"

"Fine?" Stephanie's voice cracked. "He was going to rape her on our sidewalk! The only reason he didn't is because she fought back and I helped. But you… you were going to let it happen."

My fury reached its boiling point. I turned to Marion, every muscle in my body tensed with rage. "You better give me an address before I fucking burn your world down, you cold, withered cunt."

Marion sneered but there was fear in her eyes now. She could see the threat was real, that I wouldn't hesitate to make good on it.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with," she hissed, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her bravado.

"Try me," I growled, stepping closer until I could see the lines of age and malice etched into her face.

Her eyes darted to Stephanie and then back to me. For a moment, she seemed to weigh her options before finally breaking down under the weight of my stare.

"He's taken her to the old warehouse by the docks," she spat out. "He owns it."

Without another word, I turned on my heel and headed for the door, every step fueled by a singular purpose: getting Elodie back.

The engine roared as I sped through the empty streets, the town lights blurring into streaks of white and yellow. My heart pounded against my ribcage like a war drum, and for the first time in my life, I felt real, gut-wrenching fear. The kind that claws at your insides and leaves you breathless.

I couldn’t lose her. The thought of Elodie in William's grasp twisted my stomach into knots. I pressed harder on the gas pedal; the speedometer creeping higher as I navigated through the maze of streets leading to the docks.

"Mom," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the roar of the engine. "I need you. Please help me."

I hadn’t prayed in years, but desperation had a way of breaking down walls you didn’t even know you had. Memories of her flooded my mind—her gentle smile, the way she’d tuck me in at night and tell me everything would be okay. I clung to those memories now like a lifeline.

I couldn't imagine a life without Elodie. The thought of it was unbearable, like a part of me being ripped away. She’d become my anchor in a stormy sea, and I wasn’t about to let her be taken from me.

The town gave way to industrial buildings and warehouses as I neared the docks. The air grew colder, carrying with it the salty tang of seawater. My hands tightened around the steering wheel, knuckles white with tension.

The old warehouse came into view, a hulking shadow against the night sky. I pulled up to the entrance and killed the engine, my breath coming in ragged gasps. This was it. No turning back now.

"Mom," I whispered again, closing my eyes for a brief moment. "Give me strength."

With one last deep breath, I pushed open the car door and stepped out into the cold night air. My mind raced with a thousand thoughts, but only one mattered: getting Elodie back safely.

As I approached the warehouse door, concern gnawed at me, but determination burned brighter. I'd do whatever it took to save her—even if it meant confronting every demon that had ever haunted me.

I didn't think. I didn't hesitate. The second I stepped inside, the sounds hit me—struggling, grunting, a cry of pain that sliced through the air and straight into my gut.

My blood boiled, rage taking over every rational thought. I knew I had no weapon, but I didn’t need one. I wanted to feel bones break under my fists.

I moved through the darkened hallways of the warehouse with a singular focus, every fiber of my being honing in on the main room. As I got closer, the noises grew louder, more desperate.

And then I saw her.

Elodie was half-naked, fighting back with everything she had. Her face was bloodied, bruises already forming on her skin. But she wasn't giving up. She was swinging, kicking, doing whatever she could to keep William at bay.

Seeing her like that snapped something inside me. There was no thought, no plan—just pure, unfiltered fury.

I rushed William with a speed and force that surprised even me. My shoulder collided with his side, knocking him off balance and away from Elodie. He stumbled, eyes wide with shock as he hit the ground hard.

Before he could react, I was on him. My fists flew with a violence I didn’t know I possessed. Each punch landed with a satisfying crunch, the sound of breaking bone echoing in the room.

William tried to fight back, but he was no match for my rage. His nose shattered under my fist; his lip split open like a ripe fruit. Blood sprayed with each blow, but it wasn't enough. It would never be enough.

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