Chapter 20

SCARLET

20

"Great, now we need to get the mirror fixed," Julian muttered, although my focus was on Tyrone as he stared me down.

I ground my teeth as he flicked his head for Julian to follow that psychotic brother of his.

"You can call Naomi shortly, I need to make sure the call will go through," Tyrone said once Julian was out the door. "Although, if you wish to end your life, so be it. I won't stop you, Scarlet." Those dark eyes swept over me, a strange look in them. "I thought you were stronger than that. Had more fire, more desire to live." With that, he turned and left, leaving me alone with the shattered remains of the mirror scattered across the floor.

I let out a shaky breath as I tried to regain control of my frayed emotions. The sharp shard had felt like my only chance at freedom, a twisted promise of release from this nightmarish existence. But Tyrone's words rang hollow - how could I trust the word of these monstrous men who had robbed me of my dignity time and again?

If Naomi could confirm it, then maybe that'd give me a lifeline in these watery depths of hopelessness that threatened to drown me.

I stormed back into the bedroom, my bare feet crunching on the broken glass. Kenny regarded me with those unblinking feline eyes, having made himself quite at home on my bed. A bitter laugh escaped my lips as I collapsed onto the mattress beside him, startling the tabby.

"Well, at least you're free to come and go as you please," I muttered, reaching out to stroke his soft fur. Kenny purred and nuzzled against my hand, his innocent affection a stark contrast to the depravity that surrounded us.

"You got it made, don't you?" I muttered. "Bet you've never had to fight for a damn thing in your life."

His tail twitched as he just continued to nuzzle against my arm, and I sighed.

Part of me was horrified that I went that far. But another part, that dark twisted piece of my soul, felt a savage sense of satisfaction. Good. Let them see that I wouldn't just roll over and take their abuse. I was not not some helpless victim to be exploited. There were ways out, although the one I'd chosen was a one way ticket, and Naomi would never forgive me.

Tyrone's words echoed in my head. I thought you were stronger than that.

Why did that piss me right off? I'd survived utter hell, my life had been no walk in the park. All of this, it was just another chapter in the shit-show of my life.

He had no idea who I was.

I clutched Kenny close, burying my face in his soft fur as his purrs vibrated against my cheek. The events of the last few weeks swirled in my mind like a vortex of despair and anger. How had I ended up in this nightmare?

A shudder ran through me at the memory of the shard of mirror pressed against my throat, the cool glass a tempting escape from this fuckery. But Naomi's face flashed before me, and I knew I couldn't do that to her.

We're in this together. The promise we'd made when we'd run away from home as teenagers was the reason I'd never given up. She was my chosen sister, we were bound by the trauma and shitstorms that we'd endured, leaning on one another to survive this life.

Pulling back, I studied Kenny's innocent face, his eyes half-closed in contentment. "How can such monsters have a pet like you?" I murmured, gently scratching behind his ears. My mind moved to Tommy, my stomach knotting. Did he feel any remorse for what he'd done? For shattering my heart and sending me spiraling into this abyss? He was the reason I was here.

The memory of his betrayal still cut deep whether I wanted it to or not, the image of him tangled with that waitress forever seared into my mind. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the emotions down. He didn't deserve anything from me, not sadness, anger, or despair.

As Kenny purred and nuzzled against me, I found myself wondering how Naomi was holding up. She always sounded fine on the phone, but our conversations were brief, and we knew they were monitored, so there wasn't a whole lot we were willing to say.

The bedroom door swung open, and Julian sauntered in, his typical swagger making me grind my teeth. Kenny perked up at the sight of his owner, hopping off the bed to wind around Julian's ankles.

"Where's Tyrone?" I asked, not bothering to hide the bite in my tone. Julian smirked as he bent to scoop up the tabby.

"Had to step out for a sudden meeting. I'm here to supervise your phone call with Naomi," he replied, giving Kenny a scratch under the chin. The cat purred loudly, seeming blissfully unaware of the hellish circumstances around him.

I scowled at Julian's nonchalant attitude. As if monitoring my conversations with my best friend, the only thread keeping me tethered to sanity, was just another mundane task for him. Anger flared inside me at how casually they stripped me of any privacy or autonomy.

"Well, I'm just honored you could fit me into your busy schedule," I spat, pushing off the bed. Julian's eyes narrowed dangerously at my tone, but I didn't back down, meeting his gaze defiantly.

In a few strides he was in front of me, his free hand fisting in my hair and yanking my head back. I hissed in pain, my scalp burning from the rough treatment.

"You'd do well to watch your mouth, pyro," he growled, his grip tightening. Kenny meowed in protest, squirming in Julian's other arm. "You've already gotten Cristian riled up, look how that went for you."

My heart raced as his dark eyes bored into mine, that ever-present threat of violence simmering beneath the surface. I refused to show fear, keeping my face impassive.

"Fine. I'll make the call," I said through gritted teeth, and he made a sound of satisfaction as he released my hair, and I rubbed at my head as I moved to fetch my phone off the desk.

He shifted to lean on the wall, focusing on Kenny as he scratched the now purring feline's chin.

I clutched the phone tight, my heart fluttering as I waited for Naomi to pick up. On the second ring, her familiar voice came through, instantly flooding me with relief.

"Noms? It's me," I said, glancing over at Julian who was casually stroking Kenny as he watched me impassively.

"Scar! Oh my god, are you okay? I thought you weren't calling until tomorrow," Naomi's voice was thick with worry.

"I'm fine," I lied as I sunk onto the edge of the bed, keeping my front to Julian. "Listen, Tyrone said something about their word being their bond or some shit like that. That once my sentence is up, they'll let me go. Is that true?"

There was a pause on the other end before Naomi spoke again. "Yeah, from what I've been able to dig up, that tracks. I've asked around, just to ease my own worries and to reassure you. It's hard to take someone's word these days." She clicked her tongue. "These guys, as twisted as they are, they seem to have their own fucked up code they live by."

I exhaled slowly, some of the tension leaving my shoulders. "So you think they'll actually keep their word and let me go after the month is up?"

"As hard as it is to believe, yeah, I do," Naomi said softly. "Just...just try to keep your head down and get through this, okay? I'm here for you, always."

A lump formed in my throat at her words. "Thanks, Noms. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Julian suddenly pushed off from the wall. "Time's up. You get five minutes tomorrow, today was just a verification call. I have business to attend to. Cristian will be here to keep an eye on you." He fixed me with a pointed look, and I scowled before his words sunk in.

I swallowed hard, a knot of unease settling in my stomach. Being alone with Cristian was the last thing I wanted after our last encounter.

"I have to go, Noms. I was only allowed to call to check that."

"Okay, keep your chin up, Scar. You'll get through this, you always do. We always do," she said with conviction, and a small smile touched my lips. I always had her, and that was my one main comfort in life, especially in times like this.

"Thanks, talk tomorrow."

With that, I hung up, and Julian set Kenny on the floor before striding straight back out.

At least he closed the door behind him, which I took some solace in.

Kenny rejoined me on the bed, and I curled up with him, hoping sleep would take me away from this hell.

I awoke from a clash downstairs, and even Kenny shot up beside me, his little ears straight up.

"What do you think's going on out there?" I asked him in a hushed tone. He didn't respond, as was to be expected, and I slunk out of bed. I checked my phone on the bedside table. One in the damn morning.

My curiosity and nosiness had landed me in countless situations in the past. You'd think I'd have learned by now.

I guess I was a slow learner.

I tiptoed to my door, leaning against it to listen for any other sounds, but only heard minor clattering downstairs.

The smart thing to do would be to return to bed.

Being smart was not really me either.

I turned the handle silently, slinking out into the hall and over to the stairs.

Someone was in the kitchen, and as I strained over the rail to look down into the section I could see, I wondered who had made the utter mess that was visible. It was like a bomb had gone off, utensils and bowls strewn all over the place.

Curiosity won out, and I crept down the staircase, pausing on the final step at the sight before me.

Cristian stood in the kitchen, completely nude, whisking furiously at a bowl like a goddamn madman. Flour coated the countertops and even dusted his tanned skin, while an open bottle of whiskey sat on the counter beside him.

"What the hell are you doing?" I blurted out before I could stop myself. He whipped around, those dark eyes widening briefly before he smirked.

"Baking, sweetheart. What does it look like?" He took a swig from the bottle, not even flinching at the burn of the liquor before he set the bowl down heavily. My eyes moved to the gauze patch over where I'd stabbed him. I wondered who had patched him up, maybe Julian.

"Like what you see?" He wagged his brows, and I scoffed at the absurd question.

I crossed my arms, averting my gaze. "You've got some issues."

He barked out a laugh. "Don't we all, kitten?" His eyes raked over me shamelessly. "Couldn't sleep?"

"You woke me up with all the noise," I shot back, forcing myself to meet his stare. He was still smirking, that infuriatingly cocky grin that made me want to slap it right off his face.

"Hmm. Right." He shrugged before turning back to the bowl, muscles rippling beneath his skin as he resumed whisking.

I couldn't tear my eyes away, a strange sort of fascination taking over. How could someone so beautiful be capable of such ugliness? It made no sense.

The things he'd done to me, followed by those weird moments, it twisted me into knots, confusing the hell out of me.

Right now, though, it was like he was another person. The raging, hurtful man from earlier now replaced with this rather intoxicated mess of a human.

"Aren't you worried about, I don't know, messing up your reputation as a big bad crime family?" I asked, knowing I was toying with fire by questioning him. "Baking naked and drinking doesn't exactly scream 'feared mafia boss.'"

He snorted, not even looking over his shoulder. "Tyrone manages the majority of the business dealings. Julian is pretty good at keeping things in order too. I'm more just a pretty face."

I rolled my eyes at his arrogance. And yet...I couldn't deny the appeal of Cristian's toned body, no matter how much I wanted to. Although one flash of his brutality in my mind had that stomped out. As for pretty faces, as much as I hated to admit it, all three of them were not too shabby. They had blessed genetics.

"Tess pulled a stunt like this once. When I wouldn't tell her I loved her." His voice was quieter now, almost wistful as he turned to me, still holding the bowl and whisking, his smile now softened.

"Who's Tess?" I dared to ask. He froze, staring down into the bowl as he ceased whisking, a strange look on his face. He swallowed, his smile vanishing as he shook his head. Pain and agony seared across his face, startling me.

Who exactly was Tess? Did she play a role in why he was a damn psycho?

"Did she hurt you?" I asked softly, moving closer to the kitchen. He didn't deserve my sympathy, hell, he deserved to be shoved out of the goddamn window, and yet, I couldn't help myself.

I watched as his expression contorted with raw pain, his eyes squeezing shut as if to block out some terrible memory. When he spoke again, his voice was strained.

"She did, more so than your fiance did to you."

A lump formed in my throat at the anguish in his tone. Despite the hell he'd put me through, in that moment, a flicker of sympathy sparked within me. Whatever had happened with this Tess woman, it had shattered him. It was visible in the lines etched across his face, his despair on show for the entire world, like he couldn't maintain the mask, not with the booze and his current state.

"It's been two years since she died. Two years today," he said, his eyes opening to meet mine with a haunted look.

My breath caught in my chest as realization washed over me. No wonder he was such an unhinged mess tonight. Not that that gave him any right for the shit he'd done.

He shook his head, as if to clear the memories, his gaze dropping to my hand. I followed it down to my engagement ring still glinting dully on my finger.

"You should take that off," he said, his voice flat now. "There's nothing left for you there."

I opened my mouth to protest, to tell him he didn't get to decide that for me, but his next words made me freeze.

"I can chop the whole finger off if you want."

My eyes widened at the dark suggestion, his expression unreadable. Was he serious? The violent glint in his eyes said he might be.

Instinctively, I curled my hand into a fist, shielding the ring from his view as I took a step back.

"I keep it as a reminder to never trust any man who says he loves you. To never love someone again," I shot back, my voice laced with venom.

"Smart woman. Love is like handing someone a loaded gun aimed at your heart and hoping they don't decide to pull the trigger one day."

Those words chilled me, and he gave me the saddest smile.

"But, sweet Scarlet, we don't get to decide who we love. Love just happens, and it fucks you up in more ways than one."