God, I needed to save them all. And my only chance was tomorrow. It was either we died or we would fucking have our freedom back. For the first time in my miserable and pain-filled life, I decided to do something that my mom taught me all those years ago.
Prayed and hoped.
Damian
Ken died a quick but painful death. I wouldn't have been me if it were any other way. I knew Sapphire wouldn't be able to watch me kill him, so I didn't have any restrictions to play nice. The fucker remembered Dom and rage filled me. After he took his last breath, I wrapped him in the black tarp, drove to the swamp, and watched his body slide into the dirt, hoping some alligator would eat him, even though it was doubtful. Animals and fish had more dignity than touching festering shit like him. The area of my dungeon was secluded enough, and I owned the majority of the land that was a few hours away from the city. I didn’t have to be worried about anyone ever suspecting me of doing it.
Once I was back in the house, the sun was already down. I took a shower in a special room so the blood washed off, and not one ounce of evidence remained on me. Plus, I didn’t want Sapphire to see me covered in blood; she’d lose her shit for good. The strong part of me hated to admit nervousness rushed through me when I stepped into the living room, unsure of my welcome or her state of mind. She’d heard more from Ken than I expected. She was smart enough to figure out the things left unsaid.
I found her sitting on a stool, flipping through a magazine. Her mug was at her feet, shattered. Her hands had small bruises like nail marks on them, and dried blood on her knuckles.
“What the fuck did you do to your hands?” How dare she harm the body that belonged to me? She didn't even flinch, her attention still on the magazine, but by the way her eyes chaotically ran through it, she probably didn’t see a word written in it.
“The mug shattered on the floor. It annoyed me. I hit my fist on the counter. No biggie.”
She was in a state of shock. I took a step toward her, and she hastily hopped from the stool, her eyes wide with her hands in front of me to stop any movement.
“Don’t come any closer,” she almost screamed, breathing heavily. “Dominic is dead.” Tears ran down her cheeks. “My dad and their stupid organization killed him, and you decided to destroy them. Dominic could have been a great guy, but I’ll never know. You endured the same torture. I understand why you kill everybody. Really, I do.” She frantically nodded. “But what I don’t understand is your desire to keep me against my will. To play with me like you did a year ago. It wasn't a coincidence, was it?”
My head shook; the lies between us were over.
She laughed humorlessly. “Yeah, I actually put two and two together. The contract on the desk and all the events were your great plan.” She sobbed through her tears, but continued talking. “You destroyed my life, and then decided I should be yours. Although it beats me what you found so irresistible about me.” She wiped her cheeks and took a deep breath. “Tell me, Damian. How are you different from all those men and my father? When essentially, you did the same to me?”
The room froze in silence.
She compared my obsession, possession, and my desire to give her everything, to something as hideous as my years of captivity in the cell? She was mine and I was hers. Didn't she agree on this in her father’s study? How could I have been wrong about it?
No!
Swallowing the sour taste in my mouth when memories of all those clients flashed through my mind, I looked down at my hands as they clenched into fists. Was my touch repulsive to her? She didn't crave it?
“Damian—” she started, life coming back into her empty eyes, but I didn't give a shit. I was ready to give her everything when she had nothing, and she threw it back in my face?
Fuck this.
“Goodnight, Sapphire. I won’t bother you with my unwanted attention anymore.” I turned and left the fucking house, hoping like fuck that my bike would give me clarity through the soul-piercing pain she inflicted with her words.
Sapphire
Studying my reflection in the mirror, I wondered for the hundredth time about the events earlier.
After Damian fled, I snapped out of my shock and cleaned up the mess my actions created. Afterward, I found a first aid kit under the sink in the bathroom and applied soothing cream to my bruised flesh. Instead of talking to him about his past and the things that led him to this life, I accused him of the worst things possible. Like it or not, whatever I did with him was completely consensual. Who was I kidding? I fell for the guy a year ago, and my heart had belonged to him ever since. Dominic wouldn't have been on my radar had I not felt Damian and my connection underneath it all. Finally, tired of self-loathing, I decided to take a bath with the hope it would calm me down.