Married Into The Mafia *Undergoing Re-editing*

What's Love?

--Eloise--

I woke up as though I had never gone to sleep in the first place. My eyes stared aimlessly at the ceiling just as they had been in my dreams. 

Everything hurt. 

My body hurt. My feelings hurt. This pain had begun to grow familiar. And, I knew now that whatever lay ahead of me, would never be happiness in what I wish it to be. Yet, I was still forced to exist in this hell. Everyone that mattered to me in my life was either gone or would soon be gone. 

Wendy, Carly, Aaron. My parents. My brother. 

However, I could not join them. I was not even allowed that reprieve. 

I blinked a set of crusted and worn eyes before trailing them over to the body beside the bed. A corpse of a boy who had once had a life of his own. A boy with dreams and hopes. A boy who hadn't ever done any wrong. Only a few hours ago, that boy had been my friend. I had wrapped my arm around his warm body, now cold and lifeless. 

My eyes shuttered close as a single, stray tear lined the curve of my cheek. I was thankful that his face had been left downturned. Or else, I would have been haunted by his empty stare in my direction. The mutilated pulp that had been done on his face. His throat slit open like an animal.

Mother, Father and Sam were now all the same. Just husks of the people they used to be. People that I had shared precious memories with. And, now, they were forever just to be images in my mind. 

As I opened my eyes again, they set upon the door. With my wrist now unchained, I could attempt to leave. I could attempt once again to find my peace. But, I didn't. What was the point? These people would just find a way to rob me of my wishes either way. 

I focused back on the ceiling, stunting my mind to all other thoughts. I didn't want to think anymore. I didn't care what happened anymore. I didn't care to try anymore. 

Like Nicolette said, maybe it was just better to let it happen. What was the point I fighting when you knew were going to lose? Just who would I be trying to prove myself to if not even myself anymore?

And, there I laid beside Cooper for another hour until he stirred. I felt the soft groans of his awakening before he draped his arm over my body in a gesture of affection. I expected to shiver with disgust but this time, for real, I felt nothing of it. I just let it happen. 

"Eli?" He mumbled in the grogginess of his sleep. "Are you cold?" He asked before dragging me into an embrace. I shut my eyes and tried to imagine that it was someone else. My mother or my father. Even Ashton would have been a better choice than this. "Are you hurt? Was I too rough?" He perked his head up to the slightest when I didn't respond. "Eloise?" He prodded in concern, lifting my eyes back open.  

"Please...tell someone to come and get rid of the body."

At the mention, Cooper peeked over to the corpse still sprawled out over the ground. I watched as the softness faded from his face until all that remained was an icing, piercing glare. "Right," he drawled before pinching on a gentle smile again to look down at me. "I'm sorry you had to wake up to that, Eli. I'll get it taken care of, right away," he complied obediently with a tender stroke of my cheek. Though, he did momentarily pause upon contact with the slickness of my tears. "You're still crying. Did the body scare you that much?" 

I took in a deep breath and unfurled it in fatigue. "No, Cooper. It's not the body. It's you," I murmured calmly, flinching his fingers away from my face. My eyes cut over to him with a soulless stare. He looked at me as though he was completely innocent. Utterly confused and hurt by what I had just said. I wondered why he was like this now. Or rather how he had managed to conceal this insanity...this delusion of his so well previously. "It's because you just raped me." The light left his eyes, dulling his glare over my dispassionate expression. In moments, his entire mood could just switch. And, now, he looked as if he dared me to continue. If I had anything left to lose, I would have stopped. "So, of course, I would cry. Did you want me to leap for joy ins-"