The Silent Oath, taken

Chapter 19.

"Austin."

My voice was cold, distant. For a moment hard to believe it was my own voice. But my heart was broken. "Did you know?"

His eyes held confusion, as he looked at me. "Know what?" His orbs flickering quickly to Roseanne, who stood like a deer caught in headlight. "Don't play with me." I whispered, as my hands began to curl into fist. "Did. You. Know?"

Silence filled between us and I hoped, even if he did. He'd lie and answer immediately. Instead, he looked innocently confused.

"And you?" I questioned, motioning to Roseanne, who had began taking small steps back, as if I was about to explode.

With a sigh, her shoulders slumped and her hand tightened around the sling bag over her shoulders. "Look darling–" she began, but my glare stopped her, as she corrected herself with a slight cough. "Luna. Look, all of this. I didn't know that girl was you. I had no clue who you were, when I tried to pursue you, hone–"

My chuckled interrupted her. As my eyes were most definitely humorless. "Didn't you?!" I took a deep breath, hoping it would calm the anger that filled me up. "Are you sure?! Because Roseanna darling..." I couldn't stop the anger. "...you knew Enzo. You were once married to him! Don't tell me you didn't know. I slept in your bed. I went to places I would have never with you. I put my trust in you! My trust!" Tears began to slip from my eyes, as I glared at them. "It may not seem like a huge thing to you, but it is for me. I never thought I could trust someone again! I barely trust my friends, not even myself. But I trusted you. And you!" I pointed to Austin, who looked as if he wanted to comfort me.

"Luna, please tell me what I did."

Maybe he didn't know. I thought, but then my mind raced with everything that has happened since Austin came back into my life. Especially the figure from the harbor. And then it clicked.

"It was Enzo, wasn't it?"

Austin licked his dry lips, but Roseanne looked away. Guilty. "Let me try and help."

I chuckled. How could I have been so dumb. "Were you even my friend?" Austin took a step forward, nodding his head. "All this time. Back when we still in that shitty neighborhood. Were you really...really my friend?"

"Of cause." There was no hesitation.

I wiped my tears, as they began to irritate me. "Then why?!"

"Why what, fucking tell me!" He screamed.

Silence filled us again, as I heard the hospital door open behind me. Pushed in a wheel chair was Enzo, a scared male nurse behind him. Looked okay, hurt but okay and so, so calm. As if this was just another day for him.

"I'll tell you." I whispered, as I pulled my eyes from the man who has made me fall in love with him by mere touch and voice. Stupid me. Stupid Luna. "Did you know that I was sold. That after my parents left, after everything was taken from me that I was sold. Did you know to whom?"

Realization filled Austin's eyes, as they darted behind me. "Did you know Austin?!" His mouth opened to say something but nothing came out. "Did you know. Had you been part of this  plan the whole time?!"

I didn't want it to be true. I wanted to wake from this fucking terrible dream.

To think, I thought I chose CastleBay because it seemed homey at first. A fresh start. How foolish. They had planned it. Sold me off, before deciding they'd want me to rather come to them, then "force" me. Everything in my life was a lie. I didn't choose this place on my owe. They made sure it was on my mind. They made sure I was down low enough to take a job at a club. They made sure I was close to them, till they deemed I was not to be. They planned it all. My life. My success. My failure. All it. They even planned who I had to love...

And it worked.

I fell in love with him. I still am.

All this time, I thought I was finally free from my past. Away from gangs and 'big boys' who manipulate. Away from the toxicity that fucked my childhood. How fucking funny to think so.

And I hate that I love him.

I hate that Austin owes him money. I hate that Roseanne had once been married to him. I hate him and everything of him...but God why did I still love him. Why did my mind race with those fucking fake shows of affection? Why me.

"And you know what hurts the most  Austin?" No one said anything, they all just watched me. "I never thought. The boy who I had given my heart on a silver platter once, was the same boy who sold me off for a quick fix." There was no hiding it. You could hear the complete destruction of my heart. Of me. They broke me. "And you.." I add, as I stepped slightly towards Roseanne. "I began to like you. You were my friend." I watched hurt cross her face, before she looked away.

"That's enough Ms Brown."

And there it was. The last of these fuckers. My body turned, as I glared down at him. The male nurse had long run back inside, hopefully to call for security or the police either should help me not strangle him.

"Ms Brown?" I questioned mockingly. "What? Is the act done? Are you tired of pretending to give any flying fucks about me, Enzo?" His name came out with disgust and anger. Enzo narrowed his eyes at me. Warning me. But I was to far gone, to hurt by everything to care. "Was everything a lie. All this?" I motioned with my index finger between us. "All of this. All the touching, the words, my heart being stabbed? All of this, because you spend a couple thousands on me?"

His not the good guy, Luna. The voice inside my head said. He was never the hero.

"You know, I had stupidly fallen for it. For all of it! For you. Your smell, the way you smile when you think I'm not looking. The heated gazes, the soft touches. I fall for it all. I fell for you." A sigh left my lips. I was stupid to think love was made for me. Stupid to think these people would love me. "I fell so hard in love with you, that even as I stand here broken...I still want you. I still love you."

Enzo's eyes softened, before they flickered to the people behind me. I didn't care that they heard.

"Tell me it's not true. Lie to me. One more time. What's another lie?" At this point, my voice was slowly dispersing into nothingness. "Let me believe that you didn't just rip my soul apart." I glanced at all of them. But no one said anything. Non of them. Not even a whispered.

A dark chuckle left my lips, as I glanced up at the sky, hoping the fresh tears wouldn't fall. "I'm leaving. Please don't follow me. Don't track me. Act as if I'm dead."

And I left. No one stopped me. No one tried.

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As promised, an update. Once again thank you to everyone for reading my book and for adding it to their reading list.

Happy reading cupcakes 🧁
Ali♡