The whole underground world knows of the infamously lost mafia princess Ariana Romano, the only girl born into the most ruthless and coldest mafia family the world has ever seen, who at four years old kidnapped by her own mother. The day where the R...
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TW: sensitive content for SA. This chapter contains no assaults or rape, but it has a significant impact on the aftermath, so proceed with caution.
My eyes fluttered open and I was met with darkness. I blinked rapidly to clear my vision. I could see the outline of things in my bedroom. Pumpkin was sleeping soundly at my feet underneath the covers. Dragging myself to turn on my other side and glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It read three in the morning.
Waking up in the middle of the night was nothing new to me. My head was pounding and I was covered with sweat. Another sleep paralysis. One that I couldn't remember which I was grateful for.
I was not able to go back to sleep. With a soft sigh, I turned back to stuff my face into a pillow. I inhaled in the smell, expecting the scent of clean linens with a hint of flowers from the laundry soap which I loved so much. But I did not meet that scent.
Man's perfume.
I scrambled up from the bed, away from the skin-crawling familiar smell that engulfed my senses. My hand reached on its own accord for the lamplight but hesitated as my fingers were hovering the on button, brushing it slightly.
The monsters come with the light. In the darkness, I am safe.
I backed away from the light and looked around at the surroundings of my room. Nothing was out of place. Normal. Empty. Which confused me greatly.
Did I imagine it?
I wouldn't put it past me.
I sank to my knees and clutched the increasing pounding in my head. I squeezed my eyes shut trying to file through my brain, through the scrambled and broken puzzles also called my memories. The picnic. Alex leaving. The guards being sent away. The three of us are in the kitchen. Drinking tea. My eyes snapped open as I remembered the last thing before I fainted
The abyss where the monster crawled out from to haunt me.
Apollo and Noah! My brothers! I had to check them. If he hurt them...
I swayed as I shot up on my feet. A sharp pain shot in between my legs but I didn't dwell on it. I needed to check on my brothers. I stumbled towards the door and struggled with the doorknob with my shaky hands as I opened it.
The hall was dark, the only light source was the moon shining through the stained glass wall at the end of the hallway. Apollo's room was beside mine so I decided to check it. If I didn't find him, I would search the kitchen - even if the monster roamed there.
Almost tripping over my own feet several times, I kept my palm trailing the wall to ground myself to reality. I could feel it. Taking me into the darkness again. I was tempted to allow myself to go to the comforts inside my head but the determination to check on my brothers kept me here instead.
