Aiden squeezes Elsa’s neck and she finally stops trying to reach out for me. She blinks a few times and looks at Aiden who whispers, “Don’t go there again.”
She nods and he hugs her as she buries her head in his chest.
“Make her go,” Elsa murmurs. “Make her go away.”
He glares down at me. “Leave.”
I stand on unsteady feet, ready to bring hell on her head. My face burns and I’m sure that bitch left bruises, but all I focus on is the damage she might have done.
The fact that she may have hurt my —
My gaze strays to behind them and all the words I meant to say disappear.
Cole stands at the entrance of the King mansion, camouflaged by a creepy angel statue. Both hands are in his trousers’ pockets and a smirk tugs his lips.
If you follow Aiden and play this game, you won’t like how I’ll react.
He’ll come for me. He’ll find me. And I’ll pay.
Blindly reaching behind me, I open my car door with trembling fingers, barge inside, and speed out of the premises.
I know it’s a matter of time before he finds me, so all I can do is run.
29
Silver
I plan to drive as far as my gas can take me.
Maybe I can leave and never come back.
I can go to an Eastern European country and live there alone forever. I can go to Finland. They have the most beautiful landscape I’ve ever seen.
Instead, I find myself in the park.
The same park I ran to when I was eight. The same park I run to whenever I feel like the world is closing in on me.
I ignore the rain and park my car, step out of it and head inside. The rain soaks me in an instant.
My hair glues to my face and my clothes stick to my back all over again.
I stand in the middle of the empty park, my breathing harsh. My face burns, but it’s nothing compared to the thing clawing and beating inside me.
It needs to be out.
Throwing my head back, I stare at the dark grey sky and scream.
I scream so loud, I think someone will call 999.
I scream for all of the accumulating emotions and the pain, none of it having to do with the burning bruises Elsa left on my face.
I scream because the option of going to another country is impossible. No matter how much I theorise about it.
Mum, Papa, Helen, and all my life are here. Even the bastard, Cole.
I place a hand on my stomach and let the tears loose. The thought of getting rid of the baby rips a harsh sob out of me.
It’s weird how I haven’t even taken a test, and yet, I somehow feel it. It could be my imagination, right? I could be making up a pregnancy because I’m going out of my mind.