I can’t breathe.
I try sucking in.
Nothing.
I gasp, which makes it worse as all my oxygen leaves my body.
My head feels dizzy, cloudy.
This is it.
His mouth pushes to me again, his grip loosens, and he breathes into my body.
He’s not ready, yet. But soon, very soon…
“We could leave. Run away together. If we are both trapped, maybe leaving together would set us free,” I say. It’s a lie. I won’t leave my father even if Enzo allows me to live. And the look in Enzo’s eyes says he knows I’m lying too.
I push back, knowing my frail body can’t compete against his hard one, but he lets me shove him.
I relish the space between us and hate it at the same time.
I push again, and he stumbles through the open doorway.
I storm after him.
I push him against the railing, and my hands go around his throat the same way his did mine. I tighten, knowing he can stop me at any second, and I’m not even sure I’m strong enough to strangle him, even if I wanted to.
He lets me. I kiss him and squeeze his neck at the same time, cutting off his oxygen the same way he did to me.
I don’t see panic in his eyes, but I didn’t reveal my terror when he did the same to me earlier. Not because I didn’t think he would kill me, but because I’m stupid enough to trust I’m supposed to leave this world at his hands. I trust him to kill me in the way I deserve.
When his face starts to turn purple, I release.
And he inhales before releasing a tiny cough.
His eyes threaten mine. “Yea, we could run away and escape all of this. Or we could stay. I could protect you, make you my queen. Make you untouchable by any of my men.”
More lies.
Whatever hold Black has is more than Enzo will ever hope to gain. Enzo won’t give up his freedom for me.
His hand comes over my hair, removing the bandana, and letting my dark black hair fall to my shoulders.
He grabs my waist and pushes up the thin material of the spaghetti strapped shirt I’m wearing.
Yes, I moan inwardly. Take me, make me yours. I’d rather die belonging to someone than alone.
But then, we’ve changed positions. My body is arched over the railing as he clenches my bruised neck again.
“Why do you follow orders?” I whisper.
“Because I’m just as trapped in my life as you are in yours. I’m wealthy, I have more money than you could ever imagine, but that doesn’t mean I’m free to spend it on the life I want. I do horrible things that are asked of me because I’m a monster. And even if I’m set free, the devil within will never let me go.”
Tighter his hands move, just enough that the oxygen I pull through my throat to my lungs thins to a whispered breath.
“You don’t seem trapped,” I say—another lie. I may not understand it, but he’s as confined as I am. If he weren’t, he would have fucked me like any other boy our age would when given the chance.
He squeezes tighter, and his eyes close.