Page 119 of Shattered Souls
My heart pounds in my chest, each beat loud and desperate, as I take in the terrifying scene in front of me. Bertram’s hand is still firmly clamped over Aurora’s mouth, his fingers digging into her soft cheeks. Her wide, terrified eyes are fixed on me, and I can see the tears welling up, the panic seeping into her tiny body. The sight of it shatters something deep inside me.
“Please,” I plead, my voice trembling as I hold out my hand, willing him to see reason, to stop this madness. “Please, Bertram, she’s just a child. You don’t want to hurt her.”
“That’s entirely up to you, Riley,” he snaps, his voice sharp and fraying at the edges, lacking its usual cool confidence.There’s something different in his eyes, something wild and unhinged, as if the careful control he’s always prided himself on is slipping away.
I swallow hard, trying to keep my voice steady, my mind racing to find a way out. “I’ll do whatever you want,” I say quickly, “Just... let her go, and I’ll come with you. I won’t fight you, I won’t try to escape. Just don’t hurt her.”
Bertram narrows his eyes, studying me as if trying to gauge the truth of my words. He’s quiet for a long moment, and I can feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating, as I wait for his decision.
“Promise me you’ll be a good girl,” he finally says, his voice tight. “That you won’t try anything, otherwise she’ll be the one to pay for it.” He shifts his grip on Aurora, his fingers digging into her small shoulder as he slowly removes his hand from her mouth. Her chest heaves as she gasps for breath, and I can see her lower lip trembling, but she doesn’t cry out. She’s too scared, too stunned to do anything but stare at me, silently begging for help.
“I promise,” I say, nodding fervently as I drop our belongings and step closer. “I won’t try anything. I swear.”
Bertram’s eyes flicker over me, searching for any sign of deception, but I force myself to remain calm.
“Where’s your phone? Leave it on the sink.” With shaking hands, I do as he says. He gives me another sweep before nodding, satisfied, and jerks his head toward the bathroom door.
“Let’s go,” he orders, dragging Aurora along as he moves toward the exit. My heart seizes in my chest, but I force myself to follow, my mind screaming at me to do something, anything, to get Aurora away from him. But I know I can’t risk it, not now, not when he’s so dangerously close to losing control. I need to bide my time, to wait for the right moment.
As we step out into the corridor, the noise from the game hits me like a wall, the cheers and shouts of the crowd filling the space around us. I glance around, searching desperately for Royce, for anyone who might help, but there’s no sign of him—of anyone. With only a few minutes left of the game, everyone is inside, counting down the minutes. As for Royce, I don’t know if he’s still outside talking to Grayson or whether he’s returned to our seats to find them empty. I never got a chance to message into the group chat to tell them where we were.
Bertram keeps a tight hold on Aurora, his other hand gripping my arm in a painful vise as we make our way through the stadium. The odd person we pass doesn’t look twice at us, and I don’t dare call out for help—not with Bertram’s fingers digging into Aurora’s little legs as he carries her, or the painfully tight hold he’s got around my waist.
The cold air hits me like a slap when we step outside, and I shiver, but it’s not just from the temperature. It’s from the fear, the sheer terror of not knowing what Bertram plans to do next.
A black car idles at the curb, the engine running, and Bertram heads straight for it, his grip on us unrelenting. My mind races, trying to come up with a plan, a way to stall him. I scan our surroundings, praying desperately for Royce to be out here. To see us.
“Mommy.” Aurora’s trembling voice has my gaze snapping to hers. She looks at me with wide, terrified eyes, and all I can think about is keeping her safe and ensuring she makes it out of this alive.
“Everything’s okay, baby,” I try to soothe, noticing how my voice wavers unconvincingly.
We reach the car, and Bertram opens the back door, shoving Aurora inside before turning to me. His eyes are wild now, his breath coming in harsh, ragged gasps as he grabs my arm again, pulling me toward the car.
“Get in,” he orders, his voice tight with barely restrained rage.
I glance around one last time, praying for some miracle, some sign that this nightmare is almost over. But all I see is the empty street, the car waiting, and the man who once held all the power in the world over me, now on the edge of losing everything.
And then, I get into the car.
Bertram closes the door behind me, and I hold Aurora close while she cries into my chest, and I cling desperately to the thin thread of hope that the guys will find us before it’s too late.
I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Aurora alive until they do.
When I think this night couldn’t possibly get any worse, the car slows to a stop outside my worst nightmare. I squeeze Aurora tighter against me, but the words of reassurance I’d been muttering the entire journey shrivel up and die as I stare unblinking at the mansion now looming before us, its grandeur undiminished by time.
The sprawling, elegant estate stands tall, its pristine white facade gleaming in the spotlights set to illuminate its resplendence. Tall, manicured hedges line the driveway, leading to an ornate front door flanked by massive stone columns. Everything about it screams wealth and power.
Everything about it is a torment.
Memories flood back, each one more painful than the last. This is where it all began. Where my nightmares took shape. I can almost hear Bertram’s tender voice whispering in my ear, feel the suffocating grip of fear that choked me every day. My heart pounds in my chest, a relentless drumbeat of terror.
How did I end up back here? Of all places, whyhere? The sight of the mansion sends a shiver down my spine, my skin prickling with goosebumps. My knuckles have turned white from fisting my hands so tightly. It feels like a cruel twist of fate, dragging me back to the one place I swore I would never return to. My hands tremble, and I force myself to breathe, each inhale shaky and uneven. The fear is palpable, a heavy weight on my chest.
The car door is a welcome barrier between me and the past. One that is wrenched open all too soon.
“Out,” Bertram grunts, already reaching out to drag me out of the car. My arms tighten protectively around Aurora, even as I stumble, my knees weak at the thought of being back here.
“W-why are we here?”
