Page 3 of Save Us
“Besides, you don’t even know what she looks like, so this whole conversation is pointless. Stick to the plan, K!” I snap.
“I know what her bodyguard looks like. I’ve seen him before,” he argues, “and I will take my vengeance if the opportunity arises, no matter how long it takes. He slaughtered my future so I will kill his too!”
“Who are you talking about, K, Steele or Law-”
“Both!” he growls before I’ve even finished my question. “Both have taken from me, so both need to suffer, then die!”
“Then we are on the same page. No rash movements and leave Angela Steele out of it!” I warn him.
“I’m not promising anything to a Mayfield asshole,” he replies with a shrug. “But, for now, I’ll try to cool it. Don’t talk to me for a while, Fox, or I might just take my wrath out on you. What the hell do I have to lose?!”
With that, he storms out of the café while I shrug off his threat, leaving him to have his period of mourning. However, I seriously hope he keeps it together enough for us both to get vengeance on my former best friend, as well as the man he chose over not only me, but also over both his soul and his sanity.
Chapter 1
Beth, five years since her ‘death’
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Rosalie,
Happy birthday to you!
“Happy fifth Birthday, baby,” I whisper into the expanse of our master bedroom, still tainted by darkness as the sun slowly makes its ascent into the grey, cloudy sky outside. I deeply inhale her little baby hat from the confines of my bed, being careful not to wake Oliver who has his arm heavily draped over my waist, all the while he snores gently from behind. Even in sleep, he does all he can to prevent me from leaving, from running, like I’ve wanted to do every single day since I was forced to say goodbye to my daughter.
My husband needn’t worry though, for their safety is all that matters to me. For that reason alone, I stay. I don’t run, I do as I’m told, and I play the dutiful wife like he expects me to. He makes me cheat on Xander daily, sometimes more than once, taking equal pleasure in not only the act, but also in the knowledge that he is possessing me that little bit more each and every time.
Stretching out the faded pink cotton between my fingers, my heart breaks a little when I realize it no longer smells of anything anymore. Her scent is long gone; the best that I have are vague memories of those few moments we had had together. Already five years old and growing up without me; sharing a life with her father without me; being happy without me…I hope.
I begin to wonder through all the things I might have done for my daughter today if I had been given the chance to be there with her. Would I have arranged a party? Woken early to decorate the house with balloons and streamers? And what would I have bought her? What would she be into? What are her passions, her interests, her wants, and needs? Would I have baked a cake or gone to a fancy bakery to buy one, and if so, what design would I have ordered for her? So many unanswered questions swim around the confines of my head, torturing me with the never-ending possibilities.
For a moment longer, I close my eyes and indulge in the party scene before me; a long table covered in food, all her favorites, napkins adorned in her favorite TV characters, and party blowers that would have driven me and her father crazy by the end of the day. She laughs when her grandparents come in with yet more gifts and giant grins all over their faces. A bouncy castle sits in the backyard, waiting to be destroyed by a dozen or so five-year-olds who are all itching to leap about like wild animals on top of it.
She falls asleep early that night, completely spent after all the excitement and chaos of her party, but happy. So, so happy. I kiss her goodnight on her forehead, even though she’s already in the world of dreams, smiling while she cuddles her teddy close to her. It’s one she’s had since birth when her mummy wasn’t stolen from her. I leave the night light on, like I do every night, and tip toe out into the hallway, gasping when I turn to see him standing there, waiting for me.
Xander.
He grins mischievously and crooks his finger, bidding me go to him, to let him do whatever he wants with me because we love each other, we trust each other, and we want each other. We don’t even make it to the bed before we’re tearing away at each other’s clothes, lost in the hazy atmosphere that seems to engulf us during times like these.
“I love you,” he whispers and kisses me so deeply, I fall to the mattress behind me, while running my fingers through his dark, soft, hair.
“I love you more,” I reply, then tug on his lip as his hand swipes through me, where I’m already wet and ready for him.
“Let’s make more,” he says with a grin before nipping at my neck and kissing all the way down to my collarbone. Once there, he enters me so suddenly, I gasp, only to then giggle over his animalistic urges.
“Consume me, Xander,” I whisper as he thrusts deep, slow, and hard inside of me, “make me yours!”
“You are mine,” he growls before moving quicker, building up a punishing rhythm that makes me bend to his will, arching my back to try and get even closer. “Always mine!”
“Xander…” I scream as I reach the point of explosion, “don’t leave me!”
And then I’m back. Here in this room. Where it’s even greyer, more suffocating, and is slowly pushing me to the brink of insanity every.Single.Day.
I begin to feel like I can’t breathe, as though I could scream so loudly the glass would shatter all around us. On a deep intake of air that doesn’t feel nearly enough, Oliver groans in his sleep, so I get out of the bed, being careful to hide Rosalie’s hat beneath the mattress, just as I always do. I then slowly walk over to the window, which has a light layer of condensation spread over it. I wipe my hand over the beads of moisture so I can stare out onto the street. The tall lamps are still lit from night, looking desperately sad as their glow becomes barely visible in the daylight hours.
I adjust my eyes so I can only see my reflection staring back at me in the glass panel, and I realize just how hollow I’ve become. Before I lose myself completely and give into doing something so final, it would threaten my loved ones, I lean my forehead against the cold pane to stop myself from looking at the drained expression on my face. My hands spread out wide over the pane of glass above me as I sigh long and deep, just readying myself for another long day of servitude to Oliver. He isn’t even working today, so there’s no escape, no respite from his grueling possession of me.