AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“The security company Luca works for, is run by a guy I worked with overseas. I trust him with my life, Blake, and he assured me we can count on Luca. You’re safe with him,” Declan spoke up, as though he could read my turbulent thoughts.
“No offense,” I said as I looked to Luca, “But I don’t know you, and I…I…c-can’t trust someone I d-don’t know.”
“Understandable after everything you’ve been through,” he nodded as he spoke.
“How d-do you know what I…I’ve been through?” I asked, horrified this complete stranger knew way too much about me.
“I had to give them your records so they could do a thorough investigation, sweetheart,” Dad sighed as I looked to him with anger. “I’m sorry, Blake, but I will do whatever is necessary to keep you safe. I will not fail to protect you this time. Not again.”
“Your records were only seen by myself and my partner, Forest. He’s working from the offices right now, working the investigation, but you’ll meet him too at some point. Everything we have will be kept between the two of us, unless we need to take it higher to our boss, but that’s unlikely, “ Luca told me.
I nodded and picked up my fork, like I was going to start eating again. Thankfully, everyone followed suit and started to eat their meals again, the focus taken from me for the moment.
As I pushed food around my plate, my thoughts got darker and darker as I realised all was not as happy and hopeful as I had been thinking. I knew it was very likely whoever was doing this, was linked to what those rich students had done to me in that cellar. Yes, maybe it was Abby. She seemed to have the resources and she had been there that night, but to me, she didn’t seem quite that crazy. Yes, she was a little unhinged and very much a bitch, but to try and kill me? It seemed too extreme even for her.
No, this had to be those monsters, or someone they had hired to finish off the job. They were rich. They could afford to pay someone to kill me. A hitman, right? Even though the investigation against them had pretty much been quashed, they still had to be worried about the fact that I was still breathing and able to identify them.
I had known, during the days I had been trapped with them, as they raped and tortured me over and over, that I was not the first woman they had done that to. They had been too good at it, too organised and methodical. They had clearly had some practice and I was sure I had not been their first victim. If they planned to continue on, as I was sure they did, the last thing they wanted was one of their ‘projects’ alive and roaming the earth. Even though the police hadn’t acted on my statement, I was still a threat to them, someone who could identify them all and tell the truth about what they did if another investigation ever came up. It made sense that they would want rid of me.
What if it was actually them? What if the three of them were right there, in San Diego? What if they found a way to grab me again? They wouldn’t just kill me straight away, I knew that much. Those sick fucks would want to have their fun first. Then they’d kill me.
“Blake?” Grey questioned as I stood from the table so fast my chair went flying backwards and crashed to the floor.
“I…I just…” I couldn’t even speak. I turned from the table and ran for the closest bathroom as my stomach churned and my mouth filled with saliva.
I was only half way across the living room when nausea hit me hard and I clamped a hand over my mouth to hold it back as I ran for the front door, knowing it was closer. I just made it outside before I couldn’t hold back anymore. I dropped to my knees on the block pave driveway just outside the door and threw up over and over.
By the time it ceased, tears were running down my face and I was shaking so hard my teeth were knocking together. My bruised ribs were throbbing angrily and causing blinding pain to radiate through me. I hadn’t noticed until that moment, but someone was behind me, holding back my ponytail and running a hand in soothing circles on my back.
I forced a huge gasp of oxygen into my lungs, between the sobs that were slipping from me, despite my fight to keep them in.
“That’s it, baby girl. Breathe, big deep breaths,” Grey said in a soft, calming voice, alerting me to the fact he was the one knelt on the floor behind me. He released my hair and slid his hands around me, one under my back and one under my thighs, then stood, lifting me away from the mess I had made of the drive.
“I’m going to get you inside, okay?” he asked as he looked down to me. I nodded and tucked my head against his shoulder, just wanting to hide and block out reality.
I had been so hopeful that things were starting to improve for me. That I had a future to look forward to and that I was going to find a way to leave all of the pain and all of the darkness I had carried with me for so very long, in the past.
I was an idiot. I should have known better. I was doomed to live my entire existence in the darkness. If I hadn’t learnt that by then, then I never fucking would.
My past was coming for me, determined to finish my life exactly the same way it began – torturously. The only thing I had achieved by starting that new life there in San Diego, was to make sure I had good people, who I cared for and loved, who I could drag right down with me.
All I could think as my guys and my family surrounded me, their voices of worry and fear seeping into my mind, was that I had fucked up epically this time. I should have stuck to my plan. I should have died before I allowed any of them in. Now they were all at risk because of me and my fucked up past. And me, I had stupidly surrounded myself with people I now was terrified to lose. And that, the idea of losing any of them, was more terrifying than anything I had ever faced before.
CHAPTER 5
LIAM
It fucking killed me to stay sitting at the table while Grey had gone out after Blake, but Nan had ordered us to stay in our seats when Blake ran away, telling us our girl didn’t need us all crowding her.
Tom and Dec looked pissed and worried too as they sat looking to the door anxiously, but we all knew Grey could handle whatever Blake was going through – likely vomiting after another anxiety attack – judging by the way she ran from us.
“Does Blake have a lot of anxiety attacks?” Luca asked, looking to Simon.
“I’d say they’re warranted after what she has suffered, and with all that is going on,” Simon snapped protectively, and I was relieved he was standing up for her.
No way I’d allow anyone to say a word against Blake. She was so strong, and she did so well every day, always pushing forward and trying to fight through the huge, dark fucking hole that was her past, which was constantly trying to suck her back in.
“I didn’t mean it like that. Of course her anxiety is warranted. I just wanted to know what I should expect,” Luca explained calmly.
