Breaking Midnight (Il Paradosso Series Book One)

Chapter twenty-five

A stream of light was peeking through the small crack in the closet door, and I could see the shadowy figure looming over my bed.
I placed a hand over my mouth, preventing the noises from coming out as I watched him crouch beside it, looking under.

The chains rattled when he stood and his throat released a low, animalistic growl.

"Oh, Adri...I know you're in here." The sound of the given pet name on his foul lips made my skin crawl. I shuffled further from the door, dragging my legs up to my chest.

"C'mon little princess, come out and play. You know I don't like it when you hide from me." His voice grew impatient.

I squeezed my eyes shut as my chin began to quiver when the small light faded into a dark silhouette, and the doorknob twisted.

"Now what would your mother say about this, Adri? Do you think she would be pleased with you running away like this? Look at what you've done to me, you little bitch!"

The closet door swung open and I let out a bloodcurdling scream when his bony fingers reached for my throat.

***

The end of October had reached the Island, covering it in a dark rich shade of orange, trading in the humidity for a nice cool and pleasant temperature. The nights were mostly chilly but bearable, and although the heat in the mansion was kept at a rather warm, I was always freezing cold.

I rubbed the back of my sore neck, stifling a yawn. I stared at the plate in front of me as if it was the least interesting thing in the world. The night before had been far from a comfortable one, and the hard surface of the hot tub hadn't done my back any justice.

I had twisted and turned the early hours of the morning, fighting against the demons in my sleep. The nightmares had returned in full swing. But the bathroom was the only solitary confinement to prevent my ears from bleeding every night and mostly to protect my sanity.

The mansion was constantly swarming with people, filling the large rooms below me to the thick walls. I wasn't the one doing the entertaining but it felt like I was surrounded by danger that could spiral out of control, any minute.

My meals were regularly monitored, at times the devil himself being the observant while I ate in awkward silence.

Some nights, I wondered if he was doing it on purpose.

The last couple of weeks had been hell for me, not knowing what to expect after the incident at the club and the unspeakable occurrences that same evening. I still couldn't wrap my head around what had happened, how I had let it all get to me so easily. How I had allowed him to get to me so easily.

I cursed myself for being so oblivious to his intentions. He had strategically planned everything out, making me fall into his grip and as soon as I'd let my guard down; he had pulled the rug from underneath my feet.

It was all part of a ploy to get his revenge for everything my mother had caused his family, nearly two decades ago. He wanted me to suffer.

Not smart, Adriana. Not smart.

Eleanor's words resounded in my head on a loop and I hated that she was right. There was no going back to normal after this. I wouldn't be able to survive it, unless I could find a way to get as far away from him as possible.