52. CHAPTER 52
ARIA
T he car was waved through an iron gate to a rural estate, with a guard standing there peering through the window as it drove through and slowly came to a halt. My eyes flicked down to Jason’s hand on my thigh, which had sat there the whole journey, making my stomach churn.
He looked over at me. “I’m taking you back to Leeds.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but he interrupted.
“That wasn’t a question. That was an order.”
“I’d rather die.”
He dug his fingers into my skin. “That can be arranged.”
I sucked air through my teeth at the sting, and my fingers found my sleeve. I couldn’t go back.
I wouldn’t go back.
He moved my hair and leaned into my ear. “You used to like it rough.”
My whole body shivered, goose bumps forming on my skin as I tried to hold the sickness down.
I didn’t like it rough; I’d let him do what he wanted because the alternative would have been far worse.
“I’ve missed you.” He leaned in, kissing my lifeless lips, forcing me to heave. He pulled away, smirking. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure there's no trace of Sebastian left on you.”
My eyes widened as I started to retch again, forcing my hand over my mouth to stop it, but my body was shaking. He grabbed my other hand, dragging me out of the car.
Nicholas got out of the passenger side, and Jason turned to talk to him. My eyes darted around, taking in my surroundings. Men patrolled the perimeter, but there were woods not far in the distance.
This was my opportunity.
My heart pounded, my palms were sweaty, but the adrenaline ran through me.
I ran.
I’d rather be lost in the woods than be with him.
There was shouting, and I glanced over my shoulder to see Jason barrelling straight for me. My heart was racing, my breathing fast, and the cold air burned my cheeks with every movement.
Freedom—
A full force of hands gripped my arm, yanking me back to my fate. Jason’s palm met my face, and I pressed my hand onto my cheek as it started to sting against the cold, setting my face on fire. Jason’s hand rose again, hitting me across the other side of my face.
My body shook, forcing me to bend over, the pain finally releasing the sick feeling in my stomach, blood from my mouth mixing with it. I gasped as I heaved, spitting out anything left as tears ran down my face, burning my cheeks as they fell to the floor.
“Try that again, and I’ll post every part of you to your mum,” he hissed.
He grabbed my arm, pulling me fast, my feet stumbling as I tried to keep up with him. The corner of my lips throbbed and I touched it, looking down at my fingers stained with blood.
Jason dragged me back toward the car, where Nicholas was. I still didn’t understand where he fit in with all this. But instead of being pushed back into the seat, Jason grabbed my hair, pulling me and continuing. The stones in the drive crunched under my feet as I hurried to stay close to him.
When we reached an outbuilding, he opened the door, shoved me in, and closed it behind me.
“Jason, please don’t do this,” I begged, slamming my fists against the door.
All I heard was the lock engaging and footsteps crunching along those stones, getting quieter until I couldn’t hear them anymore.
I banged the door a few more times, even pulling at it, but I couldn’t get it to budge.
The knots in my stomach tightened. I gasped a few times to try and hold back the tears, but it was no use—they came flooding out.
I turned, resting my back against the door and sliding down it. I pulled my knees close to me, hugging them tight, resting my head on them as the tears continued. I shouldn’t have walked away from Sebastian. I should have spoken to him and told him everything.
If I had, maybe I wouldn’t be here, waiting to die.
I blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the winter sun seeping through the cracks of the pitch-black darkness I had been left in last night. The smell of damp mould filled my nose. I didn’t know how I’d managed to fall asleep—maybe it was just my brain trying to shut everything out.
I rubbed my face, wincing at the pain in my cheek. I shivered, wrapping my arms around me to try and warm up, but I could feel the cold draft swirling around the outbuilding I had been thrown into.
I slowly pulled my body up, dusting myself off. I hadn’t noticed in the dark last night that the building was bigger than I’d thought. There was an open door-frame that seemed to have a small corridor attached to it. I slowly walked towards it, avoiding the dusty boxes that were lying around.
Maybe there was another door, or a window—something to escape through.
I wasn’t going to let Jason kill me here.
I crept into the corridor, looking back one last time, keeping myself close to the wall as I reached the first door-frame. I took a deep breath before I peered in. Boxes and more dust.
The next room had a dirty mattress and yet more boxes. I sighed.
I took a few more steps and reached the last room.
It was a filthy bathroom, dust thick against the walls.
My heart sank into the pit of my empty stomach, and I dropped to my knees as they gave way.
My chest was heavy, tightening around my heart, and every part of my body felt cold.
My hands trembled as I placed them over my face, tears flooding into them.
My breath hitched with every intake, catching at that lump stuck in my throat with my silent cries, perched in my chest like a songless bird, begging to be heard but trapped deep inside.
I didn’t know how long I had been here, but it was still light outside. The night hadn’t arrived yet. I sat on the floor, my back against a box, staring at the door and praying someone would find me.
But no one knew where I was.
And after the fight with Sebastian, I wasn’t even sure he’d know I was gone yet.
They probably wouldn’t find my body after Jason was finished with me.
I’d just be some statistic in the system like I was before.
Faint footsteps crunched on the stones outside, drawing closer. They stopped as they reached the door. The lock clicked, and the door opened.
Jason.
Was this it? Was he going to kill me now?
He slowly closed and locked the door behind him, his lifeless eyes fixed on mine. He pulled me up by my hair, dragging me into the room with the mattress and throwing me onto it.
I scurried back into the corner of the wall it was pressed against, but it was in vain; he could still reach me. He crouched down, eyes still fixed on me.
“You know,” he said calmly, “I thought you’d come visit me in prison.”
“Are you delusional?”
He let out a silent laugh. “Aria, I know you put me there, but you were still mine. You’ll always be mine.”
His phone started to ring, and I peered over at the screen.
Callum.
He let out a heavy breath and put it on speaker.
“What do you want?”
“Jason, you need to get back up here. You’ll start a war.”
My heart started racing, my mind working overtime.
“It’s fine. Aria has agreed to come back. Tell him.” He shoved the phone in my face.
“Callum,” I said, my voice shaky.
“I’m sorry, my little Astra.” His voice was strained. “Do you know who she belongs to now? Fucking let her go.”
“I don’t fucking care who she thinks she belongs to. She’s mine.”
With that, he hung up.
“You can’t replace me, Aria. I won’t let you.” He tilted his head, his eyes burning with rage. “You will always be mine.” He reached out to touch my face.
I whacked his hand away. “Don’t touch me,” I shouted. “I love Sebastian. I always have and I always will.”
He gripped my arms, and my skin crawled from his touch. I didn’t want him anywhere near me. I kicked him in the chest, freeing myself from his hands, and bolted up—but he was quick, grabbing my waist and throwing me back on the mattress.
“I hate you! I HATE YOU! I hate EVERYTHING about you!”
He let out a laugh. “I don’t care.” I trembled as he tried to pull my lips to his.
“Get the fuck off me,” I shrieked, hitting him away.
His fist met my eye socket, the pain unbearable, and I dry heaved. He grabbed my face and slammed the back of my head against the wall.