Page 1 of Beautiful Scars: Unshakeable

The Consequences

Chapter One

Sunny

The darkness is absolute. It presses against my eyes like a physical weight. My head throbs with each beat of my heart as consciousness creeps back in. Cold metal bites into my wrists and ankles and the concrete underneath me steals my warmth. What little there is of it.

Sharp fragments of memory flash through my mind. Levi's face contorting in horror. Rough hands dragging me through the club's back door. The sharp sting of a needle. Then nothing but darkness.

I want to scream, call for help, but my throat is sandpaper and my tongue is dry and swollen. Thoughts drift in and out, flowing one into another over and over, making it impossible to know how long I've been here.

A metallic click echoes through the room, and harsh fluorescent lights blast on searing my retinas. I squeeze my eyes shut against the assault.

"Well, well. Look who's finally awake." The voice sends ice through my veins. "Did you miss me, Princess?"

Heavy boots scuff across the floor and stop in front of me. I force my eyes open, blinking against the glare. Garrett looms over me, his blonde hair longer than I remember, his face harder, older. But those cold, dead eyes—they're exactly the same.

"Seven years is a long time to play look but don't touch, baby." He squats down, reaching out to brush my hair back. I jerk away but the chains leave me nowhere to go. "You've grown up so pretty. But then, you always were beautiful. My beautiful, sweet princess."

"Don't touch me." The words come out as a croak.

"Aw, you think you have a choice. That's cute. You thirsty?" He produces a water bottle and takes his time unscrewing the cap. "Open up."

Pride wars with desperation. Thirst wins. I open my mouth and let him tip the water in, hating how good the liquid feels sliding down my throat.

"See? I'll always take care of you." His fingers trail down my cheek. "We were doing just fine before those assholes showed up, weren't we? You got the chance to build up your little life just the way you wanted. And did I interfere? No. Not once. I let you believe you had all the freedom in the world."

My stomach churns. "But I didn't. You were always there. Watching."

"Of course I was. You're mine Sunny. You belong to me. That’s never changed." His grip fastens on my jaw.

"I don't belong to anyone."

"Still so stubborn. You're mine or you're dead. Remember?" He laughs, the sound sharp and cruel. "You know when I got the call that you were in the hospital, alive, I knew I'd been given asecond chance. A chance to do it right. I was content to keep you in my glass jar, tucked away safe on your little shelf. But..."

“Why? I don’t understand any of this. What you did to my father? To my mom? To me?”

“Oh Princess. It’s simple.” His voice is soft, almost gentle, as he stays crouched in front of me, his eyes locked on mine. “I did it, because I could.”

Garrett reaches out and slides his knuckles down my cheek. “Your daddy, who, by the way, never deserved you or your mom, had a lifetime contract for his services. He knew the terms when he took the job. He wanted out. I simply reminded him what the word 'lifetime' meant."

He tilts his head as he speaks. “Your mom? She was payment for the balance left on his contract. And you? Well, you sweetie, you were my bonus. The icing on the cake for a job well done.”

"They'll find me." The words lack conviction even to my own ears.

"I doubt it. They haven't yet." Garrett stands, towering over me. "But if they do somehow manage it, there won't be any doubt about who you belong to. I don't plan on leaving any scraps around this time."

Fear claws up my throat as memories flood my mind—nights spent trying to disappear into myself while his hands moved over my body. The same hands that killed my father. The same hands that almost killed me.

"You're crazy." I struggle to keep my voice steady. "I'm not that scared little girl anymore. I don't belong to you."

"We'll see." He kneels, face inches from mine. His breath reeks of whiskey. "I think you might feel differently in a couple weeks."

His fingers trail down my neck and graze over the ink at my collarbone. He traces over the thick line of scar tissue there. Iwant to scream. To fight. To show him how wrong he is. But my body betrays me and I freeze.

"We're gonna have so much fun making up for lost time." He stands again, heading for the door. "And if those knights in shining armor of yours finally show up? Well... I've got plans for them too."

The lights click off, plunging me back into darkness. His laughter echoes off the walls as the door slams shut.

---