Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
ELSIE
4 weeks later
Dark circles surround my eyes, my pale skin had somehow managed to look even paler, and my clothes were starting to hang from my body. For once, my mother was right. I should have ran with Scar. Part of me wished and begged that his club would seek revenge and kill my father, mother, and especially Layton. I slowly apply some heavy make-up to hide my dark circles and the fresh bruise on my cheek before I style my hair to try and cover what I could of the mark. Though my mother and father both knew, they must have heard, especially after the engagement party. Layton didn’t like that I was talking to some associate of theirs, said I was being too friendly and that I was acting like a whore. He slapped me hard in my father’s office, so hard that I fell to the floor just as my father walked in. He took one look at me sobbing on the floor and one look at Layton, said nothing, and then left, closing the door behind him.
When I had walked out of the office clutching my cheek, my mother had merely smirked and muttered ‘I told you so’ under her breath as I passed. I had contemplated topping myself, figured I could just take the full bottle of my mother’s anti- depressants, and then all this hell would be over. I would be free, but something in me still hoped that one day I would be free of them.
Layton walks into my room, never knocking. He walks up behind me and wraps his arm around my waist as he kisses my neck. My stomach recoils. “You look beautiful,” he compliments as he places a velvet box in front of me. “A gift for my beautiful fiancé.” He smiles.
I look at him in the reflection of the mirror and force a smile before I open it. My huge diamond engagement ring sparkles up at me like it’s mocking me. I hated looking at the constant reminder. As I open the box, a diamond necklace shines up at me. It was beautiful, but I hated it because it was from him.
He takes it from me and places it around my neck. “Now you’re even more stunning.” He smiles.
I swallow and look at him in the mirror, playing the dutiful fiancé. “It’s beautiful, thank you,” I beam.
“Glad you like it. You know that I don’t mean to be so forceful, but if you would just behave like you are supposed to, then I wouldn’t have to discipline you,” he sighs, like I’m the fucking problem.
I grit my teeth and smile. “No, it’s okay. It’s my fault. I will behave better.” My voice is sickly sweet and Layton smiles pleasingly at my tone.
I would give anything to stab you in the balls right now, I think to myself while still smiling sweetly at him.
“Right, I have some business to see to. I won’t be back until tomorrow. Can I trust you to behave?” he asks, like I’m a toddler or some kind of pet.
You’re a fucking prick.
“I’ve got a few appointments to try on some wedding dresses and I’m going to view a venue later this afternoon,” I tell him. He smiles and nods, happy with my answer. Even though he won’t be here, he’s happy that it will still revolve around him.
“Keep your cell on you so I can track where you are. You need someone with you?” he asks.
I raise my brow, lifting up the small gold handgun he had got me as a gift for our 4 week anniversary. He knows my father trained me to use a gun, but if he had bothered to get to know me at all, he would also have known that I despise guns. My whole life, I had never wanted to cause harm to anyone, well the exclusion of Layton, and now my father and mother. Hatred for them was growing and growing, and I wondered how long it would take until I finally snapped. I would happily blow this house up with us inside it if it meant ending their lives, mine included. Shaking my head, I quickly rid myself of those thoughts. This place, this life was consuming every part of me, destroying me minute by minute.
“Good, take that with you. We can’t afford to put a man on you right now as the business we are seeing to is dangerous,” he states, meaning that his life is more valuable than my own. I quickly act concerned and place my hand on his, while wishing that I demanded a man follow me around if it meant I had more chance of him getting killed.
“Be careful,” I whisper.
He nods, his eyes searching mine. “I know how we started wasn’t the conventional way, but I’m glad you came around to seeing just how right we are. I will be king one day, and the king needs his queen,” he says with a deep sincerity. If he carried on beating me black and blue, this queen would soon be dead, but that didn’t concern him. Why would it?
I nod. “I’ve accepted the role I was always meant to take in life, and I’m thankful every day that it is with you.” I almost retch at the words leaving my mouth. As I look down at the gun, I knew that I could just shoot him right now. One bullet between his eyes is all it would take, and I would be free. Except I know I wouldn’t. I would be free of him but living my life in jail. There is no way my father would help me, and if anything, he would kill me himself for shooting his right hand man.
Layton turns me to him and cups my face. “You will be my perfect wife, and once we are married I will get you pregnant with my son.” He smiles. Has he lost his fucking mind? It was only a month ago he knew I was helping Scar out, then he threatened me and raped me! He now truly believes that I’ve gone full circle and I am happy to be his woman, and want to have kids with him. Right now, I pray that he’s firing blanks, or I’m barren and can’t have kids, because I would never want to bring a child into this.
I open my mouth, not sure what to say, but thankfully I’m saved by his cell ringing.
He sighs and kisses me on the cheek. “I will see you tomorrow. Be good,” is the last thing he says before walking out of my room.
I sag with relief and finish getting ready to go wedding dress shopping for the wedding I didn’t even want.
“You see how the fabric swoops elegantly down, it really flatters your shape.” The saleswoman smiles as I look at my refection in the huge mirror they made me stand in front of. No smile, no emotion. This dress felt like hand cuffs.
I cleared my throat. “It’s great, I will take it,” I say with a nod, not caring what it looks like. I just know it’s a type of dress Layton would approve of and that was all that matters. My life was his.
The woman looks surprised but soon masks it, quickly realising that she’s made a sale and to take my money. I quickly change, wanting the dress off of me, feeling like it was burning my skin. As I hand her my credit card, well Layton’s credit card, I’m sure he would get the notification of the transaction and be happy to see that I am doing what I said I would be doing. The woman smiles kindly, and she pauses for a moment, looking at my face. Concern flickers in her eyes and that’s when I realise I’ve tucked my hair behind my ear. Even though I have applied heavy make-up, the dark bruise is still visible. I quickly untuck my hair and give the woman a tight smile.
“Thank you.” I smile as I snatch the card from her hand and turn and leave before she can start asking questions.
I walk quickly down the street, heading to my car. As I hear a deep rumble in the distance, I look up and see motorbikes approach. I freeze at the side of my car, just watching them.
Is it him?
My heart, my entire body freezes as I watch them get closer and closer. Waiting, wanting it to be him, needing to know he made it back okay. Even now I don’t know if he made it. He could have collapsed and died in the woods for all I know. Hell, my father could have found him and killed him without me knowing. I would just like to see that he’s alive. That’s all I need.
The bikes turn left to a diner just ahead of me, and it’s then that I notice their club patch on the back of their cuts. Black Hearts MC. A sob almost escapes my throat as I squint, trying to see if it’s him. I can’t tell as the sun burns my eyes. They all enter the diner and I move, not even thinking to check the traffic as I walk straight across the road. Car horns sound but I don’t care. I need to know he is okay.
Opening the door to the diner, I see them sat in the far corner. My feet shuffle me forward and as I approach, one of them looks up. “You okay, darlin’?” he asks.
The others turn around, and it’s not him. I tense, my heart feeling like it’s about to shatter.
“Sorry, I thought, er... I thought you were someone else,” I mutter, giving them a small, embarrassed smile. I quickly turn to leave and hit something hard. “Shit, I’m sorry,” I whisper, keeping my eyes cast down. I just want to get out of here. The damn of tears felt so close to breaking and I needed to get back to my car.
“Angel?” his deep voice rasps, as if he can’t quite believe what he’s seeing. I lift my eyes to look up into his, and that damn breaks as a sob rips from my throat. I cover my mouth as tears fall, but my smile is wide. He moves quickly and picks me up in his arms. I bury my face in the crook of his neck, letting the tears fall as I breathe him in.
He’s alive. He’s here and he’s alive. It’s not been for nothing.
“Lizzie, you got somewhere private?” I hear him ask.
“Straight out back. Use my office,” a woman offers.
I feel him moving, but I don’t look up or let go. Fear coursed through me that if I did, I would realise that this isn’t real. I hear a door shut and Scar places me down on my feet. Leaning back, I look up at him. He grins and I smile back.
“You’re alive,” I whisper.
He nods. “I’m alive. Thanks to you,” he states warmly.
I sniff, still unable to stop smiling. Reaching up, I wipe my cheeks. “God, your friends must think I’m totally insane,” I scoff. “I’m so sorry for losing my shit out there. It was, well it was such a surprise. An amazing surprise.” I beam, feeling happiness for the first time in a long time.
“You got time for a coffee?” he asks.
I nod. “Yeah, I’ve got time.”
“Good, because clearly you’ve been busy,” he states, nodding down to the huge engagement ring on my finger.
I internally groan, not wanting to talk about Layton.
We stand there for a moment, just looking into each other’s eyes. He looks good, healthy. My heart swells at the sight of him, and seeing him here right now makes all the pain, the hell it’s been worth it.