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Lorenzo shook his head, his lips turning down at the corners. “He can’t come here. If you’re being watched—which, by the way, I’m pretty sure you are because there was a suspicious car parked at the top of the street when we got here—then it’ll tip Gio off.” He paused, his dark eyes moving to me. “And that’s the last thing we need. We’re gonna take this fucker down once and for all. Capiche?”
I nodded in agreement. I wouldn’t just take Gio down though. I’d make him hurt. I’d make him scream. I’d make him wish he’d never been fuckin’ born.
CHAPTER 12
BAILEY
The engine vibrated throughout the car as we drove down the country lane, seeming to hit every bump in the road. Mom and Dad were in the front, just like they were every time we were all together, and I was in the back, the middle seat, my belt securely wrapped around me.
There was something different about this car journey though, something off…
Bright lights flashed directly into the car. Dad swerved. Mom screamed. But all the while, I sat there in silence, watching in horror as our car flipped, blood splattering everywhere. And when the metal casket finally stopped in its upside-down position, I just stared at the two people who had brought me into this world. The two people who were no longer breathing.
Gone. They were gone.
My shaky hand dropped to my lap, wetness hitting the skin immediately. I didn’t look down though, already knowing that it was blood seeping through my clothes.
The creak of a car door gained my attention and I slowly turned my attention back toward the road. Two black boots hit the ground, leaving the door open behind them. They moved closer to me, only stopping when they were directly in line with the smashed back window.
Seconds ticked by as I held my breath and then the person crouched down, bringing their twisted face into view.
“Told you that you’d always belong to me, didn’t I, Bailey?”
I gasped, trying to catch my breath as I shot upright, my eyes snapping open. Everything was a blur as I came around, the only thing I could see clearly was Mr. Pozzi’s face as he looked into the window of the car wreck. It was all I could make out, all I could feel. How was he there? How had my two nightmares verged together to make one ultimate nightmare?
Clawing at my neck, I stood on shaky legs, needing…I didn’t know what I needed.
“Help,” I croaked out. I didn’t know who I was calling out to but it just felt like the right thing to do as I paced around the living room. Each step felt like my feet were stuck in the mud along with the buzzing in my ears threatening to take me down.
I’d barely slept for the last four days since Romeo had gotten me out of that evil place. And even though he’d been here every night with me, I hadn’t been able to close my eyes and get any sleep. The only time I managed to get any kind of rest was when the sun was high in the sky and Romeo left his brother guarding the front door while he was gone.
My chest felt like it was caving in, my body going hot and cold. I extended my arm, calling for help a second time, and as if the gods had heard me, the front door opened at that exact moment.
“Bailey?” His rough, deep tone had calm washing over me, but it wasn’t enough. It was never enough to make it all go away. “What happened?”
I shook my head, my mouth opening and closing, words not able to escape. So many times, over the last few days, Romeo had helped me calm down—helped me catch my breath—but he couldn’t always be here. There would be a time when he was no longer around and—
I hated that thought. I hated the idea of he and I being apart. We had a connection forged through pain and darkness. But it was ours.
“I…I had a bad dream,” I croaked out, stepping toward him as he closed the door.
“What can I do to help?” He looked like a lost little boy, trying to find his way home. And I imagined that was how I looked to him as well. Damaged souls always found space with other damaged souls, trying to piece each of them back together. But it only ever made one whole soul. And maybe that was how it should have been. Maybe merging together would fix everything…
“I need you,” I blurted out, diving at him. My arms wrapped around his neck, my face coming closer to his. I’d use him to take all of this agony away. I’d use him to make myself feel better. It was the least he could do, right?
“No,” he growled out, reaching behind his neck and unhooking my arms, then stepping away from me. “I won’t do it to you again, Bailey.” His face turned ashen, his eyes so damn sad that it hit me like a freight train right in the chest. I didn’t like that look on him. In fact, I downright hated that look on him.
“Don’t do that,” I whispered, closing my eyes for the barest of seconds. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Look at you like what?”
I shook my head, a lone tear falling down my cheek. “You can’t look at me like that, Romeo. I need…I need you to look at me like you didn’t hurt me. I need you to look at me like I’m any other girl.”
A growl ripped from the back of his throat as he stood taller, his shoulders pushed back. “You’re not any other girl though, Bailey.” He stepped forward, his fury taking over him. Good, anger I could handle. Anger I could deal with. “You’re the girl who I…” He stumbled on his words, his eyes glazing over as he stared at me. “You’re the girl who…”
“Who you raped?” I answered for him. “The girl who you stole her virginity from?” He opened his mouth, then promptly closed it again. Good, because I wasn’t finished. “I get it, Romeo.” I placed my hand on his chest over his black T-shirt. He was always wearing dark colors, probably to match his mood. “You didn’t have a choice that night. We were both trapped—we’re bothstilltrapped. But we have to move on.”
The words were coming out of my mouth, but if I was honest with myself, I wasn’t sure I ever would be able to move on. He may not have hurt me in the way Mr. Pozzi had, but he’d still hurt—
