11. Colton
Chapter 11
Colton
I pull Mary through the narrow hallway, adrenaline pounding in my ears. As we move, I can’t shake the feeling that every shadow is watching us, waiting—waiting for my father to unleash his own personal brand of hell upon us. The tense atmosphere is almost suffocating, a reminder that this is no longer just about our secret; it’s about survival. That sick fuck won’t stop until he has her.
“Colton, where are we going?” Mary whispers, glancing over her shoulder as if the darkness itself might come to life. Her eyes are wide, filled with confusion and something else I can’t quite decipher—fear? Trust?
You wish.
“Just...trust me,” I reply, trying to keep my tone steady even as my heart races. The distant echoes of footsteps reach my ears, and dread coils in my gut. He’s already searching for us. “We have to move. Now!”
Mary nods, her resolve hardening as I lead her deeper into the house’s hidden veins, my familiarity with the passages now our only advantage. I block out everything else, focusing solely on the task at hand: keeping her alive. I can hear my father’s voice in the library, a sound I’ve come to dread.
“Find them. They’re here, somewhere. Colton knows the house well, so check the passages.”
I stifle a growl at the tone of his voice, so casual, so unbothered by the chaos he’s inciting. It fuels something dark within me. I refuse to let him control her—or me—any longer.
“Colton!” Mary gasps suddenly, gripping my arm as I pause to listen. “What if they find us?”
“Then we fight,” I respond through clenched teeth, instincts flaring as we tear down passageways I used to hide in as a child. It’s almost a comfort, this familiarity, but I refuse to let it cloud my judgment. Every corner we turn could lead to danger.
“There’s a room up ahead,” I say, trying to exude a confidence I don’t fully feel. “It has another exit. We can make it.”
Mary’s breath quickens beside me. “And what if we run into your father’s men?”
I shove away the thought, unwilling to think about what they’d do to her before they deliver her to my father.
What they’d try to do.
“We won’t let them catch us,” I reply, forcing a grin that barely touches my lips. “Stay with me.”
I grab her hand, and she stumbles after me. I glance back at her, the determination etched in her brow slicing through the uncertainty swirling in my mind.
“You’re scared,” she observes softly, that sharp insight of hers hitting home.
“I’m not scared," I scoff.
“Then what are you?”
I have to pause, not entirely sure what I am. High on her presence? Alert? On edge?
“I’m focused. Let’s just keep moving.”
She frowns, reflecting the fear she’s trying to mask.
I turn back toward the narrow passageway, leading the way as stealthily as I can. The corridor stretches, dimly lit, shadows clinging to every stone.
“Do you think he knows?” she whispers, her voice lost in the silence that envelops us.
“He always knows, even when it seems he doesn’t,” I reply grimly. “That’s part of the problem.”
The sound of footsteps grows closer, and my heart surges into overdrive as I lead her into a smaller nook to our left that I hope will buy us a few extra moments.
“Stay quiet,” I breathe, peering around the corner and spotting one of my father’s men pacing the hall, a distorted figure approaching steadily, eyes scanning, hunting for us.
“Colton, what do we do?” Mary’s whisper is barely audible, but the tremor in her voice is unmistakable; it sends a ripple of urgency through my veins.
“Just breathe.”
My instincts flare as I block out everything—except her.
I can’t let my father win. I refuse. He can’t have her; she’s MINE.
I push through the narrow corridors, adrenaline coursing through me as I pull Mary along. My mind races, plotting a course away from my father’s eyes and closer to the hidden room I had discovered long ago—one that I hoped would provide refuge.
“Colton, where are we going?” Mary’s voice trembles, and I realize she’s afraid. Of course, she fucking is—she was a maid until ten minutes ago, and now I’m dragging her down dark passageways.
But her fear excites me, I can’t lie.
Because you’re him!
I ignore the voice and focus on responding to Mary, my innocent little doll.
“Just trust me,” I insist, my grip tightening on her hand as we navigate the winding passages.
At last, I spot the barely concealed entrance to the hidden room. The door is old, and I shove it open, praying it holds the sanctuary I need. Mary and I slip inside, and I shut it behind us, sealing us away from prying eyes.
It’s dark inside, the air thick with dust, and I feel a familiar stirring in my gut—a mix of dread and defiance. In the far corner, a dim light flickers, illuminating a small figure huddled in the shadows.
“Who is that?” Mary gasps, her voice barely a whisper, as her eyes dart to the figure.
Ah, fucking hell!
My father has moved his captive again , the useless sack of shit.
“Her name is Emilia,” I say flatly, stepping closer to the dim light. “He’s been moving her.”
As we approach, I can see the girl’s eyes widen, glistening with recognition. Her frail frame trembles as she takes in the sight of me, then Mary, shock filling her gaze.
“Don’t hurt me!” Emilia whimpers, holding her hands in front of her face.
“We’ll get you out of here,” I say, forcing confidence into my voice.
“Out?” Emilia whimpers, the pain in her words striking at my core.
“Emilia.” My voice softens, the weight of regret settling over me like a shroud. “I can’t leave you here.”
“I can’t go,” Emilia hisses, drawing her knees to her chest. Her entire body trembles.
“What the fuck?” Mary interjects, her eyes glancing between me and Emilia, confusion and fear drawing lines around her features. “Colton, we can’t just leave her here!”
I don’t have fucking time for this.
“We’re not leaving her,” I snap, stepping closer to Emilia, urgency filling the room with tension. “You need to understand—you have to leave. My father—he’s sick and depraved...” My voice trails off, hoping she’ll fill in the blanks.
“Do you have any idea what he’ll do to me if I try to escape?” Emilia asks, her voice weak, pain lacing through her words. “Your father won’t stop hunting me. He’ll never stop.”
“I know. That’s why we need to move. Now,” I reply, my voice hardening with annoyance. “I’m here to protect both of you.”
One of you, for my own sick purposes.
Mary takes a step closer to Emilia, her gaze sharp with purpose. “You need to trust us. If we’re going to fight back, we can’t leave you behind.”
I nod, liking the fact she’s playing along. “We’re leaving now.”
Just then, a shudder reverberates through the door, and the faint sound of voices echo from just outside the room. My blood runs cold, realization coursing through my veins.
“His men are closing in,” I murmur, my heart racing as I usher Emilia and Mary closer to me. “We need to find a way out. Quick! Follow me!”
I lead them deeper into the hidden passages from her room, my heart pounding in sync with the footsteps drawing closer. I make sure Emilia is at the back, just in case I have to kick her down as bait to slow them down.
“Colton, wait!” Mary’s voice trembles as she struggles to keep up. “What if we can’t get out?”
“Then we’re fucked,” I admit, dragging my hand down my face.
“What?!” Mary hisses, smacking me on the arm.
I stare down at the mark she’s left, my lips tilting. “Oh, darling. You shouldn’t have.”
The footsteps grow louder, almost mocking. Moving like vultures, the men start to spread out, searching for their prey. I press the three of us closer into the shadows, my eyes scanning frantically for an escape route as I feel Mary’s anxious breathing beside me.
There!
So hidden in the shadows, I almost missed the door that indicates the end of the line. It opens close to the woods at the rear of the manor.
“Colton,” Mary whispers, eyes wide, fear creeping into her voice.
I glance over at Emilia and sigh. I could throw her out, give us time to run. Then Father will be distracted...
It’s not the best idea, but it’s all I’ve got.
Mary will hate me for it.
So? She’ll be yours then. Only yours.
“Emilia, stay here,” I command the naked girl as she stares up at me, her eyes as wide as saucers.
Mary scowls at me, but I grab her arm, yanking her after me. “Mary, we need to split up. Emilia, good luck.”
“But...” Emilia chokes as I lift Mary into my arms, her fists battering my back as I run into the woods that surround the estate.
“Sorry, sweetheart,” I tell her as I set her down. I lean down to scoop a stray rock, turning and aiming at Emilia's hiding place. “But my concern is you, and you alone.”
Then I toss the rock, shattering the glass window above where Emilia is hiding.
“Colton, please!” Mary gasps as I yank her harder than necessary, pulling her closer, my grip bruising her arm. She stumbles but doesn’t protest.
Good. She’s learning.
But why can’t she just follow me without resistance?
The ground is slick from the earlier rain, and my feet slip as I navigate the uneven terrain, each moment amplified by the dread that courses through my veins.
“Colton, what did you do?” Mary pleads, feet catching on the roots that snake through the underbrush.
“Just—keep moving!” I bark out, urgency propelling us forward while my mind reels from the chaotic choices I’ve made in the last few minutes. I can hear the muffled shouts of my father’s men growing fainter, their focus shifting to the broken window, the distraction I knew would buy us time.
“We can’t abandon her!” she snaps, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear, and it stings more than I want to admit.
“Right now, we have to focus on saving you!” I respond. Nothing can happen to her at his hands; she is mine to break. Mine to play with, mine to fuck, mine to do whatever I want with.
Not his.
I tighten my grip on her hand, and she cries out, a sound that goes straight to my dick. Who knew all these years of torment and torture would give me a penchant for the sadistic?
Fucks sake. I’m screwed.
Mary falters, looking back towards the mansion as if she’s somehow connected to that cursed place. “Just because we’re running doesn’t mean we can forget about her! She’s in danger, and we can’t just?—”
I grip her shoulder, forcing her to meet my gaze. “Mary, for fucks sake! Forget about her! I told you to fucking trust me!”
I don’t have time for this.
Every second we waste here puts us closer to him catching up. But she’s standing there, frozen, and I can feel my patience unraveling. She doesn’t understand—she can’t understand—that I’m doing this for her. She needs to just fucking listen. Why is she so damn determined to fight me when I’m trying to protect her?
Why can’t she see that I’m her only way out of this?
She shakes her head, defiance blazing in those fierce blue eyes. “No! I’m going back...”
Her words become a blur, the sound of her voice feeding the rage boiling inside me. I can’t— why doesn’t she understand?
My hand moves before I can stop it. The sharp crack of my palm against her cheek echoes in the quiet forest, and the shock on her face freezes me in place. I didn’t mean to—but she wouldn’t stop. She wouldn’t fucking stop...
She gasps but twists onto her front with an agility I’ve never seen a girl have before.
Never.
Who the fuck is she?
The sound of the slap echoed in the air, louder than I’d intended. Her gasp tore at my insides, a flash of guilt searing through me, but I couldn’t—wouldn’t—back down. I grab her and hold her to my chest, my arms tightening around her.
“Mary…” I whisper, my hand still burning from the contact. But the words die in my throat. What can I say? I’m just like him. Just like my father.
“You’re a monster; you left her!”
“She’s not my concern,” I reply, panting. “You are. Please, let me save you.”