Chapter 67 - Fire in the Heart

Skin that is littered with scars, burns, and bruises.

“Yes.”

Marcel? It sounds like him, but it is a voice void of emotion.

“No! Dad, save Mom!” I seem to scream again, and it is then that I realise what this is.

A memory. Not just any memory, but one that belongs to Leo. I am in Leo’s head.

My heart is pounding as Marcel approaches, pulling open the barred door and grabbing me by the collar.

“You need to learn to control yourself, boy,” he growls.

“Dad! Please help her!” He begs. Marcel shakes his head, his eyes blank as he drops me, or should I say, Leo, onto the ground.

“Lock him up,” he growls.

“Please! Help Mom!” Leo’s scream breaks into a sob, and then something strikes the back of his head. Jarring pain seems to split my head open, and my eyes snap open.

My heart is pounding violently as I look around. I am back in the bedroom at Marcel’s mansion.

That woman was Endora. The one on the ground with daggers in her wrists and ankles was Leo’s mom. I feel sick. What had Leo been through and seen as a child…

I sit up, staring at the clock on the wall, unseeing, with only one thought in my mind.

What else is Leo going through? Thefact that that memory or nightmare came to me means Leo is still having nightmares of his past. I pull my legs up, tucking them against my chest and wrapping my arms around them. No matter what I do to calm my erratic heart, I am unable to, feeling tenfold more restless.

Suddenly the restlessness seems to ease, and I realise that it had been Leo’s feelings. It is hard to differentiate between my emotions and his. But he must have put his walls up just now.

Leo?

What is it? His reply comes after a moment.

Can we meet? I need to talk to you, I say quietly. I don’t know why I said it, but the emotions I just felt were intense… I need to see that he is okay. Silence follows, and just when I think he won’t reply, he does.

I’ll be there in ten.

Okay.

I slip out of bed, unsure of what I will say when I meet him, but I don’t think I am going to be able to sleep anyway. I guess here goes nothing…

Battle of Wills

Azura

Ilook in the mirror ten times before convincing myself that the shorts and sports bra are totally okay to go out in. I put on Kiara’s strappy black heels, not wanting to rummage in the bag that had been retrieved from my apartment in case Kia got disturbed. Damn, I love this woman’s heel collection. Last year I had liked a pair of snakeskin knee-high boots of hers, and she had told me I could keep them. Selfless as always. After zipping them up, I make my way to the door just as I see my phone screen light up. I am sure it is from Sky, she is the only one up at this time, but I’m not going to cross the room when I have just reached the door. I’ll get back to her later.

I slip out of the room silently, making my way down the dimly lit hallway, tip-toeing down the stairs. I can see the light in the lounge is still on. Are Marcel and Al still awake? Okay… I don’t want them to hear me leaving. Wait, Al has, like, supersonic hearing; he’ll know either way, and I have nothing to hide. Right? Right.

I still open the door super quietly and slip out, only to catch sight of the glowing tip of Leo’s cigarette. He is standing in the shadows across the huge front lawn, leaning against a tree to the side. His eyes are fixed on me, and when I walk towards him, I feel very conscious of the fact that my tiny shorts barely covermy ass. Maybe I should have come out barefoot. I don’t think the heels help.

What am I going to talk to him about? Why did I even ask if we could meet?

His eyes are no longer on my face but rather skimming over my legs. A look of hunger flashes in his eyes before he looks away smoothly. My heart thunders, and the moment his scent hits me full force, I want to close my eyes and inhale it.

“Were you awake?” I ask.

Dumb question. Obviously he was because there was no block or force preventing me when I mind-linked him.

“Yeah.” At least he didn’t mock me.

He is wearing a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt that clings to his body, emphasising his every ridge and groove. I force myself to stop staring and look into his piercing blue eyes.

“What did you want to talk about?” He asks. His voice is so ice-cold that I’m taken aback. He means business. Okay…

“What happens from here? Like, what Emmet did. I know you suspended him, but he -“

“Is in prison awaiting trial. I was a witness to what happened to you, and Jackie will talk.” His voice is murderous, and the way he says ‘will talk’ makes a shiver run down my spine.

“So, you believe that he did beat her?”

“I believed you before, but now he has several more crimes added to that fucking list. Don’t worry, Emmet will not be getting away with this. Although I won’t kill him… I will make sure he can never hurt anyone ever again.”

“Great.”

I run my fingers through my hair.

A silence falls between us, and the nightmare returns to me. I wonder if he had been dreaming about it… It isn’t really my place to ask, but I won’t deny that I’m tempted to.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asks quietly. I know what hemeans. About the baby. I look him square in the eye, frowning.

“Why should I have? You left me, remember? Rejected me, too.”

“If I knew you were pregnant, I would have made sure -“

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