Page 71 of Hers To Keep

“Anywhere.” He runs his tongue over his bottom lip, gently grazing mine, a need to close the space between us shoots through me threatening to consume me.

“As long as we’re together, we’ll never be safe, Ace. He won’t allow it,” I whisper against his lips.

“Then what, you’re just going to leave? Work for him and ignore this, this force between us?” His solemn demeanor shifts to frustration as his tone grows more desperate.

“No, I think you should leave Hillcrest Hills, to make this easier for both of us,” I admit, hoping he’ll listen to my absurd pleas.

He desperately runs his fingers through his hair, for a moment turning away from me. “I’ve lived my entire life here, you’re the one who’s only just shown up. Snuck in and implanted yourself where you weren’t wanted. Yet you want me to leave?” His tone is now cold, but it’s exactly what I hoped for.

“You grew up in this world, grew to hate your place in it. Hate everything around you, hate everyone, hate everything about it. And I’ve grown to realize this is just what I needed, exactly where I need to be. So why should I be the one to leave, when you’ve spent your whole life trying to get away?”

“So you expect me to believe you’re asking me to go?” he asks, turns back to me, a baffled look clouding his eyes. But what I find under all the uncertainty moves me to say what comes next. Thereis a hope under all the anger and confusion, a hope that what I’m saying isn’t real. And as much as it pains me, as much as I’m dying on the inside, I need to squash that hope.

“Yes, because that’s exactly what I’m doing. Well, it’s more of a demand.”

He steps forward to meet me, our chests connecting as we come face to face. His scowl turns from confused to an awfully chilling smirk I feel deep within me as a shiver of fear courses through me. “Then fuck it, consider me gone.” He reaches out to me, gripping my neck with his angry fist. He lifts my chin to meet his, his teeth gently grazing my heated flesh, as he whispers against me. “You once asked me to fight for you, to never give up. No matter what obstacles were thrown our way, no matter what challenges we faced. No matter the evil that tried to keep us apart, you asked me to fight.” He looks down solemnly at me, the blue of his eyes glossy with tears ready to erupt. Angry tears, sad tears, tears of frustration, tears of surrender. “Well, consider me defeated.”

“There are some wars we aren’t meant to win,” I mutter, my voice barely audible as tears threaten to suffocate me, drowning me from the inside, begging to be set free.

“Baby, you’ll come to regret this decision, but that’s on you. And when you do, know that I will no longer be here.”

“That won’t happen, I won’t allow it. I learned exactly who I’m supposed to be. The weak-willed woman who crawled at your feet, who asked you to stay, to fight, this world changed her, corrupted her. Made her into what she should have been her whole life. It’s how I’ll ensure to never feel as much pain and agony as I have before. To become a monster just like him, and stop being a helpless victim. So if you want to blame anyone, blame yourself, for showing me your world, for showing me how much I fit in.”

He lets me go, shoving me as I lose my balance falling down against the sand. I crawl backward on my hands as he slowly bends to meet me. “Thank you, for showing me how much I didn’t.”

Part Two Epilogue

SCARLETT

Forgive me father for I have sinned…

Again.

The worst part is, I don’t think I can stop. I fell into temptation and like the sinner I am, like the addict I’ve become, I want more. I need retribution. I crave vengeance. There is a new evil around me. A darker, more malevolent force that will destroy everything in its path. Like a plague it’s ravishing the world around me threatening to end it. Any other way I’d be grateful to end the evil here, but this one threatens to take my family and me down with it.

You know that old saying "the devil made me do it", well it's just a weak man’s way of blaming others for their own wrongdoings. We are taught to always find someone to blame for our mistakes, never taking responsibility for our own actions. Don't blame the devil for falling for his tricks, blame yourself for trusting his charm. He's just doing his job, it’s you who needs to change.

This new devil, this more precarious being needs to bedestroyed. He is evil incarnate. All the worst qualities of the others in one, demonic soul.

Remember when I first thought I would be my own savior and would bring a reckoning upon this world? I didn’t have the slightest idea what I was talking about. Turns out I didn’t understand the meaning of true evil.

Now I do, and once again I will fall into temptation to rise above it all. To end this once and for all. In order to do just that, I need to turn my back on everyone I care about. Including him. He might hate me for this, but I love him too much to take any chances.

I always knew Ace Servite would be my downfall, but I’d do anything not to be his. Maybe one day he’ll understand.

But until then, I need to put an end to this evil that suffocates us, that floats in the air around us. By becoming his, I will do just that.

Franco Marchesi must be sentenced for his sins. Condemned to hell for an eternity of misery.

If the Devil once fell, he can fall a second time, and this time I’ll make sure he cannot rise.

In the end, this will be my awakening, because in the end will come my epiphany.

Part Three

Epiphany

“I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit.”