“But I’ll wait. For you, I will wait.”
He was perfect and said the sweetest words. It was hard to resist him.
I could feel myself slipping, forgetting about his punishment. I could feel myself reaching for him, but he was already stepping away. “Go to sleep, Angel.”
Nodding, I laid down under the covers as he turned off the lights, only the lamp beside me casting a soft glow around the room. I faced the couch and saw Alessio lying down, crossing his arms over his chest. In the dark, I couldn’t see if his eyes were closed or not.
Maybe he was too big for the couch. He really was. The couch appeared dainty with Alessio laid down on it.
I burrowed deeper under the comforter and pressed myself into the soft mattress, willing myself to stop worrying and just sleep.
Hours later, I was still not asleep. I glanced at Alessio and wondered if he was already asleep. Without thinking much about it, I quietly got out of bed, making my way to Alessio.
My feet stopped in front of him to see his eyes closed, his face calm with sleep. He was so beautiful like this. When I looked at Alessio, I didn’t see the cruel man, the killer or the monster. All I saw was him, the man who called me Angel. I saw the real him.
I pulled the bed sheet over his body, my heart accelerating just a little bit. I hoped he wouldn’t wake up. When he didn’t, my hands moved to his head, my fingers lightly brushing his forehead as I pushed the strands of hair away.
I caressed him, almost soothingly, wishing he was awake to feel my touch.
“I thought we weren’t supposed to touch.”
At his voice, I snatched my hand away. Alessio cracked one eye open, sending me a smirk of his own. Scoffing at his teasing look, I crossed my arms over my chest. “You were awake this whole time?”
“Yes,” he replied, looking down at the bed sheet covering his body.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” I mumbled under my breath.
“And miss the opportunity of you touching me?” he shot back.
“Well, that’s cheating,” I replied.
“You are the one who touched me.” He raised an eyebrow before shutting his eyes again.
“Go to sleep.” This time it was me ordering him around. His chest rumbled with a low laughter, and I smiled back. Two days. We could do this.
With renewed confidence, I got back in bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I closed my eyes and waited for sleep to come.
It was dark. Raining and foggy. My body quaked with each harsh shudder. The wind blew violently around me. It was dark. So dark. Why was it dark? Where was I?
I couldn’t see anything. Just darkness. Were my eyes closed? I tried to open them…but they were already open.
Help. I tried to shout, but no words came out.
And then I heard his voice. His sinister voice. My skin crawled, my back stiffened, and a shiver ran down my spine.
No. No. I wanted to scream.
I now understood why it was only darkness. I was back in hell. He got me. The devil had me and wouldn’t let me go this time.
I wanted to scream again, but my voice was gone.
“Did you really think you could escape?”
His voice was right next to my ear, but I couldn’t see anything. I only felt him. A small part of me died as I felt his breath on my neck.
“I will always find you.”
I recoiled from him, but his hand clamped down painfully on my arms, and I screamed. This time, I heard it. My voice came out hoarse, and my scream rang through my ears.
“Scream. Scream all you want. Nobody will save you this time. Not even him.”
Not even him.
Alessio. No. Alessio, where are you? I wanted to scream, but my voice was gone again.
And then I saw him. Even through the darkness, I saw him. He was walking toward me. My savior. My peace. He was here. He would save me. He would save me from the devil and this nightmare.
But all I saw was rage in his eyes. They glowed with it. So much anger. So much hatred.
I gasped when I realized it was all directed at me. I tried to shake my head, tried to explain, but I was numb.
He stopped in front of me, his big body looming dangerously over mine. Instead of feeling safe, all I felt was fear. I could feel all his fury and hatred for me. They were vibrating off his body, letting me know exactly how he felt.
I betrayed him. And now I had to pay the price.
“I hate you.” He hissed the words, shattering my heart in a thousand pieces. “You deserve what you got. Your soul belongs to the devil.”
No. No. No. Please. Believe me.