Page 14 of Merciless Queen
“Caterina Moretti.”
My body tensed.
From one monster to another.
“If you’re going to kill me, just do it.” My breathing picked up. “I’m not going back.”
Lizzy tightened her grip on me and my breathing evened out. “Breathe, Harlow. You’re safe.”
“He’s going to come for me.” I lifted my hand up, seeing the ring still on my finger. “I’m his. He wants me. I don’t think he’ll stop until he has me back. If he gets me, he’ll…” God, I didn’t know what he would do to me. “I can’t go back. He said I would be his wife or in his bordello. I took his bed and his ring, because being his wife is better than being trapped in that house.”
Lizzy caressed my arm reassuringly. “That’s where I was before you found me. It was a place we were sent to for punishment. When girls would try to escape, they would be gang raped and tortured until they died or begged to live. I refused. I was gang raped. Beat. Cut. Stabbed. Raped with random items, including a broken pipe.” I flinched, leaning into her more. “I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. He won’t get you. We’ll protect you.”
Caterina walked up to me and grabbed my hand, which made me jump, and removed the ring from my hand. “You aren’t his. He won’t touch you again.” She pocketed the ring and turned to Lizzy. “I’ll keep her here under my protection. Food. Medicine. Therapy. Whatever she needs, just like I did with you.”
“I don’t need a shrink,” I argued.
Lizzy brushed my hair back. “Yeah, you do. You know you do. Ten years is a long time to be with a monster likeVincenzo Mancini. It’s scary talking about everything you’ve been through, but you need it.”
I shrugged. “I-I guess.”
“You need to see a doctor, too. The trauma could mess with you internally as well.”
Caterina left the room, and Lizzy adjusted herself so she could be in front of me.
“I’m so glad you’re alive,” I said, still in disbelief that she was in front of me. “I’m so sorry. It’s my fault. I never should’ve gone with you.”
“It’s not your fault. I wanted us to be safe, but they were smarter. Never blame yourself. I would go back and do it again regardless of the outcome.”
“I watched you die.”
“Me too. I should be dead. I almost did die. They threw me in the river, but one of Cat’s men saw and fished me out. I was rushed into surgery, and it was bad. Sepsis. Organ failure. Multiple fractures. A skull fracture and a brain bleed. I fought like hell to survive to save as many people as I could from the trauma I endured.” She grabbed my hand, tears filling her blue eyes. “W-What did he do to you?”
My mind flashed back to that night. After they made me watch for hours, Vincenzo took me to his favorite room. “I—uh…he…” My thigh burned as I rubbed the brand. I pulled up the hospital-like gown, showing Lizzy where Vincenzo burned his name into my inner thigh. “He said I was his and he would make sure I remembered who I belonged to. He raped me in the middle of the club before taking me to his favorite room.” I shifted uncomfortably. “H-He kept saying it was my fault you died, why my mom died. He branded me so everyone would know I was his. He taunted me with death, but kept me alive while he tortured me. H-He made me beg to live when I wantedto die.” I wiped the tears from my eyes. “I still think death would be the better option than dealing with these demons.”
“You know, I thought the same thing. When I woke up, I wanted to die. I had nightmares. No one could touch me. I tried to kill myself by jumping out a window—well, trying to. I couldn’t get the damn thing to open, so I punched it. I’m not going to lie to you, Harlow. It’s going to be hard. It might be one of the hardest things you will have to endure in life. Scream. Cry. Sob. Do what you need to, but just never give up.”
“It’s not that easy, Lizzy. How can something be fixed when it’s completely shattered? He broke me. He took my mom from me. I’ve been trapped with a monster for ten years. How am I going to function as a normal person? I never even finished high school or went to college. The only use I have is what’s between my legs.”
Elizabeth pulled me into her arms again and hugged me tightly. She smelled like vanilla, and it tickled my nose. “You are worth so much more than that, baby girl. I never want you to think that you deserved what happened to you.”
She said it like she believed it…
CHAPTER 10
Harlow
Thud.Thud. Thud.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
His laughter echoed through the pitch-black night. Each bone-chilling cackle sent icy shivers down my spine as the darkness wrapped its smokey tendrils around my throat. I knew he was coming for me, but I ran, fighting the lurking shadows as the laughter closed in. He was taunting me. It was what he always did.
And then there was screaming, but it wasn’t from me. No. No. No. She wasn’t here with me. She was free. I saw her. She was happy. The screaming grew closer, more familiar, scraping across my eardrums like nails on chalkboard. I stumbled to the ground, sobbing as I covered my ears.
Make it stop. Please. Don’t hurt her.
“It’s your fault. It’s always your fault.” His voice hit me like a speeding bullet in the heart. “You’ll never be free. I’ll always be in your mind. I own you.” Vincenzo’s face finally came to light, more wicked and sinister than before.
