Page 25 of Pain and Possession

Here's my way out.

"I'm twenty-one." I say, matter-of-factly. He just stares at me as if he's still waiting for the point, "I'm closer in age to your baby sister than you. You're what, twelve years older than me?"

“Fourteen.” He corrects and my cheeks flush as he continues, "I know how old you are doll, I know everything about you, what's on paper at least. I know your parents were murdered when you were a baby, they caught the man responsible. I even know where he's incarcerated. I know every name of every foster home you were at until you ran away when you were a teen, you lived on and off the streets after that. In and out of shelters until you got a job at the restaurant you work for now; I'm assuming they took you in. The shitty apartment you have now is the first place you've had on your own. You were arrested and held once or twice for petty things, mostly public intoxication with your little friend. Always let out the next day."

I just stare at him, my mouth gaped... I feel so, so fucking exposed.

So violated.

"After I leave here, I never want to see you again Noè Arcuri."

The smile leaves his face, and he frowns, "Olive you know who I am, what I do. Why wouldn't I do a background check on the girl I develop feelings for?"

"That wasn't just a background check Noè! That was… fucking invasive."

He nods his hazel eyes searching mine as if he's considering what I'm saying, "You're right. Please forgive me." He steps back towards me putting his hands on my flushed cheeks. His actions throwing me off, yet again. Always throwing me off, keeping me off center. It's nauseating.

I jerk my head away a little too hard, earning me a sharp pain in my neck, "You said there's something you needed to show me, do it."

Without another word he loops his arm around mine and pulls me from the office. My anxiety spikes, remembering where I am. Deep in the lion's den, being led around by the lion himself. I don't know what I expected, but this place looks more like a country club than a criminal headquarters. The people we pass in the halls nod towards Noè muttering sir before continuing past him, yet another reminder of the fucked-up situation I'm in. He's in control, in his element. When he's around his people the way he holds himself, how he speaks it's all different in miniscule ways.Commanding in a way only a man like him could be. A man who has never known a life without power.

We walk for what seems like too long in the same building, down three flights of stairs and past several locked doors. We finally hit what looks like a communal area, a huge flat screen TV and five or six guys crowded around it playing something. I've always liked video games, but I've also always been too broke or homeless to really fuck with them.

A blonde man with shaggy hair looks up, as our eyes meet, he flashes me a friendly smile before I can return it my eyes go wide as Noè's hand finds the back of my throat, "You would do well to keep your eyes to yourself little doll. A lesson you're about to learn the hard way."

My heart begins to pump painfully as he goes down another set of stairs leading into a small dimly lit corridor. A large metal door sits halfway open, the monstrous man that sits beside it somehow managing to be even more intimidating than the dark room full of unknowns itself. Ironically enough I feel… safe with Noè. At least from everyone but him.

"Leave us." He orders, the large man complies immediately giving me a disdainful look as he passes us.Noè reaches out his hand pausing on the handle as he looks back at me, that sinister bone chilling look back in his beautiful hazel eyes.Ruining them and me along with it.

"You keep telling me no Olive, running from me. Playing with my feelings for you. That has consequences. You are mine and I do not share my things."

He turns back to the door opening it before walking inside. It's a large unfinished basement, the concrete stained with dark colors I don't allow myself to focus on for too long. Large metal poles acting as supports for the unfinished ceiling. Apprehension and fear force my body backwards stepping far away from whatever this room is used for. Noè turns to me again his eyes the cruelest I've ever seen them, "I hated it you know? Every second was hell for me, watching him stick his tongue down your throat in that car."

That stops my retreating steps, my heart bypassing my throat all together and wedging in my desert dry mouth.

Trent. God I'm a selfish bitch, he's barely crossed my mind.

"I don't owe you anything Noè. Definitely not my fucking loyalty!" I yell, my anger and bravado short lived when he closes the distance slamming me into the cement wall of the hallway.

He chuckles, but it's dark, laced with abhorrence. He grips the back of my neck crashing his soft lips into mine, forcing my tongue into compliance before abruptly pulling away. I pant trying to catch my breath as Noè jerks me from the wall, dragging me with him into the room.

No…

I dig my nails into his arm trying to free my neck from his grasp. For a moment his hands leave me, for a moment I think it worked.

I was so fucking wrong.

His hand grips my chin forcing my head in the direction he walked earlier. My lips part as my mind tries to make sense… tries to understand what I'm seeing. I mean I've seen a dead body before, a few living on the streets of New York but it's never been someone I knew. Just meaningless, cold blank stares. The horrified pained expression on Trent's unmoving face makes my blood run cold, he's definitely dead and has been for a while. His large body slumped on the floor behind a sink still filled with water. His normally warm dark skin is ashen and waxy. Everything lookswrong.

"What…? W-why did you do that?" I whisper as my body shakes violently, tears filling my eyes.

"Don't play innocent with me doll. I've seenyou.The real you, the you that didn't give a fuck about death, the part of you that took in all the bad parts of me that night. You fucking reveled in it!" He shouts, jerking my head back to him.

"Why did he have to die Noè? You didn't have to do that!”

"You sealed his fate the moment you got inside his car. I'm not mad at you baby." He says, softening his voice as he trails his thumb over my quivering lips, "I couldn't be mad at you; you didn't know you were mine yet. I just... couldn't let him live knowing he touched you, tasted you. I needed him gone, out of our way."

I shake my head, shoving hard at his chest as his words sink into my shell-shocked brain.

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