28. Luella
Chapter 28
Luella
I wake up feeling like I’ve been hit by a truck. My head throbs, and as I blink away the blurriness, confusion sets in. The ropes and handcuffs that had been restraining me are gone. I sit up slowly, wincing at the dull ache between my legs.
What the hell?
Colton’s nowhere to be seen, but the locked door tells me I’m still his prisoner. Fragments of erotic dreams featuring him flicker through my mind, making my cheeks burn. I shake my head, trying to clear the fog.
Is that why I’m aching down there? Craving that sick fuck?
I stumble to the shower, letting the hot water wash over me. As I soap up, my body feels hypersensitive, almost needy.
Christ, what’s wrong with me?
This is Colton we’re talking about—the guy who’s keeping me captive, who’s hurt me. But my traitorous body doesn’t seem to care, tingling at the mere thought of his touch.
Disgusted with myself, I turn off the water and step out. That’s when I hear the door open.
“Luella,” Colton calls out, his voice oddly flat. I peek around the bathroom door to see him setting a tray on the bed. The smell of food hits me, and my stomach growls loudly. “Eat.”
I dry off quickly, throwing on whatever clothes I can find, and make a beeline for the bed. It’s just canned soup and bread, but right now it might as well be a five-star meal. I dig in, barely acknowledging Colton as he watches me wolf it down.
When I finish, he takes the bowl without a word. It’s only then that I notice he’s left the bedroom door wide open. My heart races.
Is this a test? A trap?
I dress fully, my mind whirling with possibilities. Then, cautiously, I step into the hallway. I find Colton in the living room, pacing. He looks up when I enter, his face etched with worry.
“What?” I ask, unnerved by his expression.
He runs a hand through his hair, a gesture that’s becoming familiar. “My father called,” he says, his voice tight.
My blood turns to ice. Xavier. The man I came here to kill. The monster who destroyed my sister.
Colton’s grimace deepens. “He said he knows where we are.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I stumble back, gripping the doorframe for support. “How?” I manage to croak out.
Colton shakes his head. “I don’t know. But if he’s coming...”
He doesn’t finish the sentence. He doesn’t have to. We both know what Xavier is capable of.
I look at Colton, really look at him. For the first time, I see genuine fear in his eyes. It’s a harsh reminder that as fucked up as Colton is, his father is so much worse.
“What do we do?” I question, hating how small my voice sounds.
Colton’s eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I see a flash of something—determination, maybe even protectiveness. “We leave,” he replies firmly. “We leave in ten minutes.”
As he turns to go, a thought strikes me. “Wait,” I call out. He pauses, looking back. “Why are you helping me? Why not just hand me over to him?”
His expression darkens. “Because you’re mine,” he states, his voice low and intense. “And I’m not letting him take you from me.”
With that, he’s gone, leaving me to wrestle with a cocktail of emotions: fear, confusion, and something else I can’t quite name. As I start gathering what little I have, one thought echoes in my mind.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
I stand there for a moment, frozen, as Colton’s words echo in my mind. “You’re mine.” The possessiveness in his voice should repulse me, but instead, it sends an unwelcome shiver down my spine. I shake my head, trying to clear it. This isn’t the time for whatever twisted Stockholm syndrome bullshit is going on in my head.
Focus, Luella. This is your chance.
I move quickly, gathering what little I have. My mind races, trying to formulate a plan. Escaping Colton is one thing, but now that Xavier’s in the mix? It’s like choosing between the devil and the angry blue sea.
I catch sight of myself in the mirror. The girl staring back at me looks haunted, desperate. But there’s still a fire in her eyes that I recognize. The same fire that burned when I killed my father. The fire of survival.
I hear Colton moving around in another room, probably packing his own things. My heart pounds in my chest as I realize this might be my only shot. If we leave together, who knows where he’ll take me? But if I can slip away in the chaos...
The question is, where would I go? I have no money, no ID, nothing. And Xavier’s out there, hunting us both. The thought of him makes my skin crawl, memories of Sophia flooding back. No. I can’t let him get his hands on me. I’d rather live with Colton for the rest of my life.
Colton.
For a wild moment, I consider staying with Colton. At least with him, I have some measure of...what? Safety? The thought is so ridiculous, I almost laugh out loud. There’s no safety with Colton. Just a different kind of danger.
I step out into the hallway. Colton’s there, a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. His eyes lock onto mine, and for a moment, I see something flicker in them. Concern? Fear? It’s gone before I can place it.
“Ready?” he asks.
I nod, not trusting my voice. As we move towards the door, I feel the weight of the decision pressing down on me. Stay with the devil I know, or risk it all for a chance at freedom?
Colton reaches for the doorknob, and I make my choice. In a split second, I grab the nearest object, a fire extinguisher from behind the door, and swing it with all my might at Colton’s head. The thud it makes when it hits him is chilling, and Colton crumples to the floor with a groan. My heart is pounding so loudly in my ears that I can barely hear anything else.
I stand there for a moment, breathless and shocked at what I’ve just done. Then, a rush of adrenaline propels me forward. I drop the fire extinguisher and start rifling through Colton’s duffel bag. I find a bundle of cash, a set of car keys, and a handgun tucked inside. I pocket the cash and the keys but hesitate when I see the gun. Part of me wants to leave it, but the looming threat of Xavier is too real. I tuck the gun into the waistband of my pants, grateful for the protection it offers, even if it’s a fleeting one.
I glance back at Colton, who is still unconscious on the floor. A surge of panic hits me, but I shake it off. I need to go. Now.
For a wild moment, I consider staying with Colton. But no—no more. I refuse to be anyone’s prisoner.
I turn and slip out the front door, running as if my life depends on it—because it does. The bunker is isolated, surrounded by the roaring sea and a winding driveway. I fumble with the keys as I approach the car. I slide into the front seat, my chest heaving. The first doesn’t fit.
Shit .
I try another—finally, the engine roars to life. I hit the gas, the SUV lurching forward. The roar of the engine breaks the silence of the night, and I floor the gas pedal. Tears blur my vision, but I blink them away, determined to keep going. As I speed down the driveway and onto the main road, I feel a brief sense of relief. But it’s quickly replaced by a wave of panic.
Where do I go now? What do I do?
A low moan leaves my lips, and I keep checking the rearview mirror, convinced I’m going to see Colton chasing after me.
I don’t have a plan, but I know I need to put as much distance between myself and both Colton and Xavier as possible. The road stretches out before me, dark and winding. I grip the steering wheel tightly, focusing on the path ahead.
I drive for what feels like hours, taking random turns and avoiding any signs of civilization. The fear of being caught keeps me alert, my senses on high. Every passing car sends a jolt of panic through me, and I can't shake the feeling that Xavier is somehow watching, waiting.
Eventually, I pull over into a deserted gas station, my heart still racing. I need to think, to come up with a plan. My mind is a whirlwind of thoughts and fears, but I force myself to breathe deeply, to focus.
I have cash, a car, and a gun. That’s a start. But where do I go from here?
I think back to my original plan, my meticulous preparations for revenge. Killing my father, infiltrating Xavier’s home, becoming Mary . But all that is gone now, shattered by the chaos of Colton’s influence and Xavier’s imminent threat.
I look down at the gun in my lap, its cold metal a reminder of the life I’ve lived and the choices I’ve made. I can’t go back to being “Mary,” the obedient maid. I can’t go back to the Luella who was broken by her father’s abuse and her sister’s death. I have to find a new path, a new identity.
With a sigh, I put the car back into drive and pull out onto the road, determined to keep moving forward. The destination is unclear, but the goal is crystal clear: survival.
As the miles pass, I formulate a plan. I need to disappear, to blend into the background. I need to disappear. Change my hair, my name. Make him forget I exist. My hands tremble on the steering wheel, but I count my breaths like I did before, urging myself to be calm.
You’ve got this.
I’ll keep my eyes open and my ears alert. Because Xavier Blackwood is still out there, hunting for me. And I won’t let him win. I won’t let him take what’s left of me.
I’ll become the one thing he fears most: invisible. A ghost, a shadow, always one step ahead. And when the time is right, I’ll strike. Not as Mary, not even as Luella. As someone new, someone he never saw coming.