AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A yelp leaves me when someone grabs my hair, dragging me back, then throwing me to the sticky floor. My father's face glares down at me, his lip curling. I try to scramble away from him, but his shoe lands on my stomach. He lifts his foot, then slams it into me. I cry out, curling in on myself.
He kicks my shoulder, rolling me to my back again, then kneels on my chest, forcing the air from my lungs. I cough, fingers curling into fists as I fight for my next breath. His sharp blue eyes, the exact shade of Roman's, spew hatred, dripping onto me like acid burning its way through my body. Each drop is another memory of his abuse—the things Roman could never shield me from.
In all the years we've been here, he's never addressed me, never talked to me, never done anything to save me from the fate he shoved me into. Why he's attacking me now, especially when Dante is here, doesn't make sense. Unless that's exactly what he's going for.
"You're going to pay for his sins," he hisses, spittle hitting my face, and I cringe away from the vitriol.
Squeezing my eyes shut as the edges of my vision darken, my hands flutter at my sides as I fight for consciousness. Suddenly, the weight is gone, a roar ringing in my ears. I'm not sure if it's my heart fighting for the right to live or someone fighting for me. Dante's face floats behind my lids and my mind resets.
My eyes fly open as I gasp for breath. Byron's wide gaze is the first thing I notice, but he's not watching me. Everyone seems to have forgotten I'm here. I crane my neck to take in the rest of the room. Half the tables are still playing, music still pounding, women still dancing on the stage.
Dante's fist plows into Anders's shoulder, the one I suspected he hurt. My father crumples to the ground, his limbs twisting in ways that aren't natural. I blink, rolling my head around, and my vision blurs.
Dante leans down, grabbing my limp body, and slings me over his shoulder. My stomach rolls and I shudder. If I puke on him, he'll be forced to toss me aside. The public display would be too much to explain away.
"Don't pass out on me," he says when we reach the hallway.
I moan as I bounce on his shoulder. It doesn't help and neither does the fact that blood rushes to my head the longer I'm hanging here. I don't know what damage Anders did to me, but I doubt I'll be able to follow Dante's command to stay awake. He moves faster, then swings me into his arms as the hall lights vanish.
Darkness descends upon us, and I worry that I've done exactly what he told me not to. His heavy breathing says otherwise and I curl into his warm body, soaking up the safety. My head pulses, pain radiating down my neck. I don't remember anything other than my father kicking me, but maybe I hit my temple.
"What happened?" Jag's voice floats through my head. Then a door slams shut and Dante's warmth is gone.
The soft mattress envelops me, and I roll to my side, groaning. My stomach clenches and I swallow reflexively. Gentle hands grab my shoulder and turn me to my other side.
"Garbage can right next to ya," Jag says in his deep voice.
"Dante," I gasp as light pierces my vision, and I slam my eyes closed.
"He's getting shit from the bathroom. Your temple is bleeding."
"Run," I breathe. "Make him run."
His radiating presence disappears, and I can only hope he's warning Dante. Going up against my father, especially over me, will only put him in danger. Dante needs to leave, to disappear as quickly as he appeared in my life. There's no way he'll make it out with me.
The alley was our escape plan, but one of the guards mentioned how they put a bouncer on the doors along with cameras. Every other exit is blocked, mostly to keep us in, but also so the members can't steal us away from the Guild. We're their property and they protect their assets.
"Aelia, stay awake. I'm going to clean your cut," Dante says next to my ear.
"Go," I moan.
"I'm not leaving. They won't touch me. Anders is on thin ice with Jenkins as it is. I'm more important to him right now."
"Jenkins wants Synd." I swallow hard. "He'll start the Auction again. They'll kill you."
"I'm not running, Aelia. This might sting."
I barely feel the pain as he swipes a bandage across a wound I didn't even know I had. When did it happen? Did I pass out? Why isn't he running? Each question stabs at my temple, demanding an answer I don't have.
Pounding on the door has Dante's hand jerking away. I groan when Jag picks me up. He smells like gunpowder, and I wonder what the hell he was doing while I was getting the shit beat out of me.
"Sorry, but you're not going to like this," Jag says. "Gotta make it look real."
He lowers me onto the tiles in the shower, then turns on the water. The cold spray blasts me and I whimper. I was cold before, but this has my body convulsing. I tuck myself into the corner of the space. Pressing my cheek against the glass, tears stream down my face. Not that I notice as it mixes with the water.
"I'm dealing with her," Dante growls. "Get the fuck out of my face, Grant, or I'll rip off your dick and shove it up your ass."
The door slams and I jolt. The water warms slowly as Jag turns the knob and I shiver my way through it all. At one point I dry heave, but nothing comes up.
