I’ve never felt this kind of fear before.
There was my parents’ murder which I was too young to understand at the time, there were the times Lucien would call me down to his office with Marcus, then the night he pushed through my bedroom door. But this is something more.
It’s the fear of knowing where I’m going to end up, the fear of knowing that once he takes me, I’ll never see my family again. It’s the fear of knowing that no matter who comes for me, they’re going to end up buried in a shallow grave where the only way to find them are by the vultures circling above. But what’s more, it’s the fear of knowing that Blake and Slade will stop at nothing until they find me.
I’m fucked. We’re all fucked.
Hands come down on my shoulders. “Come on, Virago,” Slade murmurs. “The blood is gone.”
I shake my head, still able to see it as clear as day. “No. I need to keep scrubbing,” I tell him. “It’s not clean. I need to get rid of the blood.”
Slade grabs hold of me and pulls me up from the floor until I’m standing right in front of him with my eyes on his. He draws me into his arms and holds me tight. “It’s going to be okay, Sky. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
“I don’t think you’ll have a choice,” I tell him as my eyes grow watery, thinking of the many, many ways a man like Lucien could convince me to do exactly what he says. “All this time I keep saying how I’ll be ready to fight, but I’m not. What am I supposed to do? I don’t want to go. He’s going to hurt me and force me to marry Marcus. I can’t. I…I can’t.”
“Shh,” Slade soothes, curling his hand round the back of my head and holding me to his chest. “It’s going to be alright. You’re not going anywhere, you hear me? I am not done with you yet. You’re my girl not his and I will not let you go.”
“He’s three times the size of me, Slade.”
“I know,” he murmurs. “Size means nothing. You have your knife and first thing in the morning, we’ll get you a gun.”
I hear Shay whimper from the kitchen, clearly listening to our conversation and terrified of the idea of me holding a gun, but the fact that she doesn’t object speaks volumes. Hell, I don’t even know the laws of me owning a gun but I can guarantee that it’s not legal at seventeen. Right now, I don’t even care. I’ve never been one to care for guns. I wouldn’t have the first clue of how to use one but in this situation, I think Slade is right.
I nod against his chest. “I don’t know how to use a gun.”
“I’ll teach you. We’ll go out to an open field and we can practice, but nine times out of ten, just the threat of a gun is enough. You might not even need to shoot.”
I shake my head, unsure if I’ll even be capable of shooting another human being. The thought terrifies me. It’s one thing facing down your demon, but taking a life? I don’t know if that’s something I’ll ever come back from even if it is Lucien Valentine.
“Whatever it takes, Sky, but just know, that until this shit is over, I won’t be leaving your side, not even to take a shit.”
My heart rate starts to ease as I listen to his soothing tone.
Deep breath in. Slow breath out. Repeat.
Deep breath in. Slow breath out. Repeat.
Maybe he’s right. Maybe I’m overreacting. Lucien isn’t here right now and freaking out isn’t going to get me anywhere. I’ll have my knife in my hand tonight and come tomorrow, he’s going to make sure I have what I need to defend myself.
I’m going to be okay. He’s not going to take me.
Deep breath in. Slow breath out. Repeat.
I just have to play this smart. I’ll keep my phone on me at all times so I can call the police the second I see him. Everyone I know and love is being extra cautious. I have police stationed outside my home and Blake is being looked after. We’re going to be alright.
After a long five minutes of standing in his arms, focusing on breathing, I finally raise my head off his chest and meet his loving eyes. “You’re right,” I whisper. “Well just fight each day as it comes.”
“Exactly,” he says. “Now come on. We’ll finish cleaning so Shay can go to bed. Lucien’s already made his point tonight and with two cops sitting out front, we’ll be safe. He’s not coming for you tonight.”
“Are you sure about that?”
His lips pull into a tight line. “Let’s hope so.”