⚠️TW: domestic abuse (starts at the stars) ⚠️
The city centre was busy and by the time I've managed to park it is already 11:15. My phone started blowing up 20 minutes into the journey and hadn't stopped since but I hadn't had a chance to look at the messages yet.
Laughing, I weave through the streets as I scroll through the messages. Props to him for figuring it out so soon.
Cagacazzo Baldracca:
10:55 where the fuck are you?
10:68 If you wanted my attention you could have just asked. You didn't need to steal my fucking car.
11:06 I'm late to a fucking meeting because of your antics, I swear I'm going to murder you when I see you.
11:10 fuck the meeting. You can run but you can't hide forever especially from me. Watch you're back. I have some very inventive ideas of ways to punish you.
I gag at the last message. How the fuck does he go from pissed off to sex maniac? Men and their logic make no sense to me.
Giggling at the thought, I power my phone off so he can't track me and push through the crowd until I reach my favourite place in this damn city.
Fatir Delicious. A small 24 diner that a nice newly wed couple owns. Alexandria had come across it when we first came here and it quickly become her go to place for a recovery breakfast. It had somehow become my favourite breakfast place too. I wasn't sure when it happened but it had.
I practically prance into the diner which earns me weird looks. Not that I care. My gaze is focused on the open plan kitchen where Inaya is chopping up vegetables.
Inaya beams at me when she sees me standing across the room and abandons her job. She sweeps me up in a hug and I stiffen in her arms. She does it every time she sees me and every time I freeze up.
"You've done something" she states when she pulls away, "you have that mischief glint in your eyes? Do I want to know?".
"Probably not, I wouldn't want to bore you" I shrug, as we make our way over to my usual booth by the kitchens.
"Hmmm okay. You having your usual?" She laughs after a moment of studying me.
"You know it" I reply, not even bothering to look at the menu. Inaya's falafel, fool and hummus with pita bread breakfast board is to die for. I would go as far as saying that it was the best fucking meal that I have ever had.
She nods and makes her way back to the kitchen (where her mama was frowning at her). When Layla sees me her expression instantly changes and she waves enthusiastically at me. I return the gesture and laugh lightly.
The diner is owned by Inaya and Abbas- her husband- but her mama helps out 4 days a week and runs a tight ship. You would never guess that she was just a worker.
I hear Inaya mutter an apology and I shake my head at the amusement in her voice.
I pull out my new book from my bag and let the world around me fade around as I'm transported to a world.
When I was younger, I had fallen hopelessly in love with books. They allow me to live a hundred lives and love a thousand loves without the risk of getting people hurt. Reading taught me had to be okay with the silence.
None of my siblings understood despite me trying to explain it to them multiple different ways.
Reading for me was like hacking for Alonso, soccer for Addi and makeup for Railyn.
Suddenly, my book is being ripped out of my hands. Shit. Zeke found me way sooner than I anticipated... I had just got to the good part of my book.
The villain had just admitted that they had fallen for the hero even though they were enemies. They were consummate the declaration of love in the library. In lots and lots of detail.
"la tatakalam alearabia" I say innocently, shaking my head to prove my point. Zeke just rolls his eyes and holds up his hand.
(Translation: I do not speak Arabic)
Slowly, I get up and fish his keys out my back pocket. If he reads the page then I will never hear the end of it.
I hold his keys out and he reaches for them. I rescind them just before he can grab them and he glares.
"I am not messing around. Give me the damn keys".
"Only if you say please" I smirk, trying to keep his attention on his keys and not the book in his hands.
Whilst he is distracted, I take my chance and lunge at him to try to grab my book. In my rush, however, I forgot that he is a trained assassin too.
He quickly moves the book out of my reach and instead I go crashing into his overly muscular chest. I reel back and hear a laugh from the kitchen.
"What she's reading? We're all curious" Abbas calls out and my glare turns on him. He just winks at me. Fucker. Inaya was the one that gave me the book so he was well aware of what was in it.
I go to grab the book but Zeke wraps his arm around my waist before I get a chance to move away. I still in his arms as memories wash over me.
My face pales and my hands start to shake at my sides despite my attempts to calm down.
***
His hand hits and I fall with the force of it. The first slap, five years ago, had been the worst. I hadn't expected him to be so strong but there was weight and strength enough to stun.
Lorenzo is a bit of a drinker. It's how I get all my bruises, through my siblings all think that they are all from training. I let them believe the lie because they would all kill Enzo if they knew and I love Enzo. I love Enzo so much. Despite his punches and slaps and the way he hurts me when we make love. I know that he loves me too.
He hurts me to make me better. I deserve it. He wouldn't hurt me if I didn't, he reassured me of that enough times that it must be true.
"Were you trying to embarrass me in front of all my friends? Does it make you feel better that they all known that you get higher grades then me in that class? That even if you are two years younger you got a better grade" He spits, griping my waist tight enough that I know bruises will form by tomorrow.
I hadn't even thought about telling his friends that I got an A on my report card when they asked. It hadn't seemed like a big deal until they all laughed and taunted him because he only got a C. I knew then that I was in trouble and had done my best to mentally prepare myself for this.
He is doing this because he loves me, I remind myself, as he pulls me back against his chest and leans down so his head is on my shoulder.
"I asked you a question. I expect an answer" he whispers in my ear and I bit my lip to hold back the whimper when his free hand comes around my body. His fist slams into my rib and I nearly crumble at the blow. His arm is the only thing holding me up. My rib aches and I curse in my head. Third broken rib this month.
He is doing this because he loves me, I remind myself again.
He loves me.
I love him too.
YOU ARE READING
Precious Sins
Romance"You act like you're indestructible, but you're not". "Guess you'd know best, huh?" - - - Elisia regina Thomas had a hard life growing up. Always in the spotlight because of her family but no one really knew her. She was just seen as another spoil...
