“Proper, I’ll, thanks,” she replied, and he or she eyed me for a second. I couldn’t stand the sympathy in her expression, however I knew she didn’t imply any hurt by it.

She dived in for an additional hug, squeezing me shut.

“I’ll see you once more quickly, Selina,” she informed me, her voice muffled towards my shoulder.

“Yeah, in fact,” I replied, although I had no concept if I’d see her once more after this. For each of us, we had been reminders of our previous, and Marnie was clearly doing all the pieces she may to attempt to depart hers behind. Why would she wish to come again right here and see me, once I would simply remind her of the life she was getting an increasing number of distance from each passing day?

I headed again in direction of the steps, forgetting what I had even gone down there for within the first place. It didn’t matter. I simply needed to get out of there—to place as a lot distance between myself and Marnie as I may.

Earlier than I dragged her spiraling down the identical mindset I used to be caught in.

Chapter Fourteen – Paulo

I knew there was one thing off in regards to the environment on this place the second I stepped out the door. One thing … unusual.

I glanced across the entrance to the mansion, making an attempt to find the supply of the creeping dread that was attending to me proper now. I used to be having a tough time determining simply what it may need been, however there needed to be one thing, proper?

The air was nonetheless, and Selina was proper behind me, hanging onto my arm tight as she adopted me out of the home. I had agreed to take her out right this moment, below my supervision, in fact—the very last thing I wanted was her getting too removed from me, too quick, being out in the true world with none oversight. She was nonetheless too weak for that, and he or she knew it in addition to I did.

“Are you okay?” Selina requested, trying up at me nervously. I blinked again the doubts in my thoughts, brushing them off as greatest I may.

“I’m high-quality,” I assured her. “Come on. Let’s get out of right here.”

We headed down the big gravel path in direction of the big gate on the far finish of the mansion, the black steel gleaming below the noon solar. Usually, it could have served to calm me, the sight of that gate holding out the remainder of the world, however there appeared to be one thing unsettling in the best way these spikes reached up in direction of the sky in entrance of me.

Two of the guards ready on the gate opened it for me, and I nodded to them in thanks. I’d needed to have a critical dialog with these guys about what they might and couldn’t do for Selina, and I used to be certain loads of them had been properly and really pissed at me for being so harsh, however I didn’t care. I wasn’t going to let her get harm simply because that they had a tough time dealing with themselves round her. No booze, no drugs, nothing was to return into that home with out my information and say-so. It was that easy.

“God, it’s good to get out,” Selina sighed as she slipped her hand down into mine. Her contact was changing into acquainted now, and there was one thing warmly comforting about feeling her wind her fingers round my very own; like she knew she belonged there, by my aspect. Like she knew I wouldn’t have needed her anyplace else on the planet.

“You feeling okay?” I requested her. What was happening with me proper now? It felt like each inch of my physique was wracked with rigidity, each a part of me able to snap at any second, however I couldn’t for the lifetime of me determine why. There was nothing occurring proper now, nothing happening. I wanted to tug myself the fuck collectively, or I used to be going to freak her out with my bizarre vitality.

“Yeah, I’m good,” she replied, smiling up at me. The previous few days, since she had gotten drunk and tried to return on to me, she had been somewhat extra reserved, and I may inform she was all up inside her head about what had occurred.

I needed there was a way I may talk to her that she had nothing to really feel dangerous about. Yeah, it hadn’t precisely been nice, seeing her that means, however I understood what she was going via. I knew how intense the lure of getting drunk or excessive might be. She was nonetheless working via a complete hell of quite a bit, and I didn’t wish to hurry her past what she may deal with …

We made our means a few blocks down the road, away from the mansion, and I attempted to disregard how distinctly uncovered I felt proper now. No guards by our aspect, nothing. I knew this was most likely good for her, getting out of the home with out the watchful eye of others to maintain her accountable, however I didn’t prefer it. These messages from Stefano had been nonetheless caught in my head, rolling round and round inside my mind. All too actual. All too threatening …

“Oh, can we examine this place out?” she requested me, coming to a halt outdoors a bookshop and clasping her palms collectively excitedly. “I’m working out of stuff I wish to learn within the library, I may use one thing new …”

“Positive,” I replied, unable to maintain the smile off of my face on the sight of her enthusiasm.

After which, for one, horrible second, all the pieces slowed.

She dropped my hand simply lengthy sufficient {that a} automobile may pull to a halt beside us. And a person inside that automobile may scramble out and seize her across the waist. She yelled out, however I used to be frozen to the spot, too shocked to reply.

And, by the point that I did, it was virtually too late.

“Let fucking go of her!” I yelled on the man who needed to be Stefano. His eyes had been wild as he dragged her again in direction of the car, hardly capable of take discover of me.

“Paulo!” Selina screamed, flailing her limbs to attempt to escape, however it was no use—she was so tiny, she didn’t stand an opportunity towards him.

I dove in direction of the automobile, slamming the door shut earlier than he may get her inside. Stefano, one arm wrapped round her waist, held her in place, and he glowered at me.

“Again the fuck off, previous man,” he snarled. “This has nothing to do with you.”

“Let her go,” I warned him. “I’ll have back-up right here in—”

“Oh, you assume they’ll make it in time?” he requested, and he reached into the waistband of his pants and pulled out a gun, urgent it under her ribs. Selina froze, her eyes widening. The blood drained from my face. I knew he would pull the set off in a second if he thought I used to be going to attempt to take her from him; it was simply the sort of man he was. This wasn’t about having her for himself, this was about taking her from me, making it so she didn’t have a alternative within the matter.

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