Page 7 of Killian (The Doherty Mafia)
I should have had a plan from the start. I should have known he would one day present me to a man I had to marry. A man who I wouldn’t want to marry. I should have thought of a way out of that.
The moment Aldo declared my engagement to Connor, I should have gone to my room and slipped out of the window. Made a run for it. Hidden somewhere they couldn’t find me.
Instead, like an idiot, I simply let them carry me out of the house.
Over and above that, I even asked this man for help. This man who had now freed me from Connor, only so he could imprison me and have me for himself.
I had a feeling I’d dug myself a bigger hole.
I sat on the cold stone floor of the basement, bringing my knees up to my chin. I pressed my eyes closed, trying to picture a different life. A free life in a different world.
But my thoughts kept drifting to Charlie.
Sweet, innocent Charlie.
He was only a teenager. We were just kids.
He was my first boyfriend. The first guy I thought I’d fallen in love with. He treated me right. With respect. The way any guy should treat a girl. The way my mother had never been treated by any man.
I didn’t think I deserved his attention or admiration; but he gave it to me anyway. He made me feel special and hopeful that I could maybe have a life away from Aldo.
Charlie was my plan for escape. He knew how much I suffered living with my stepfather. That wasn’t the life he wanted for me. We were going to run away together.
He said he had money saved up, that he knew of some small town across the country we could run away to where Aldo and his thugs wouldn’t find us.
We planned for weeks. I couldn’t believe my luck. I’d finally found a guy who was going to take care of me. Maybe I could have my happily ever after.
We were so stupid.
I should have known it was too good to be true.
I never should have assumed I could escape this life.
Just like I never should have assumed Killian was actually going to help me.
* * *
I lost track of time and didn’t know how long I’d been in the basement for. Without light and no contact with the outside world, I had no perception of time anymore.
I must have been in a crazed dream state, because I was startled out of my thoughts with a jerk when the steel door of the basement opened with a clang.
Footsteps descended down the short flight of steps and I saw Killian again.
He was carrying a paper plate with a sandwich and a juice box.
I felt that smack of electricity again when I saw him. He was so irresistibly hot that I couldn’t deny my attraction to him, despite knowing he was nothing but bad news.
I needed to find a way of getting away from him and he sure as hell wasn’t going to make it easy for me.
Without a word, Killian put the food and juice box down in front of me. I gave him my fiercest glare.
“You don’t have to eat if you don’t want to.”
“I want you to let me go,” I snapped.
“Oh. Why didn’t you say so?”
A grin tugged the corners of his lips while his eyes scanned me closely. What was he looking for?
Trying to see if he’d broken my spirit yet?
“What do you want from me?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” he replied.
I watched with a quivering lip as he turned and walked up the steps to the door.
There was a part of me that wanted to ask him to come sit with me. I needed company, and he was definitely a piece of eye candy.
That would be a mistake. The last thing I needed was to pretend to be friends with my prisoner.
“I’ll check in an hour and if you haven’t eaten by then, I’m taking it away. It’s your choice.” His voice was deep and determined. He didn’t give me another look before he walked out of the door, locking it aggressively from the outside.
I grabbed the juice box as soon as I heard that.
I didn’t realize how thirsty I was. Or hungry.
The food was all finished in a matter of minutes. Then I curled up against the wall and closed my eyes again.
I could just give in to my fate, and allow myself to be consumed by my own weakness. What kind of life could I hope for if I managed to get out? I’d always be looking over my shoulder. I wouldn’t be able to trust anyone. I would never truly be free.
Was that life preferable to this?
When I opened my eyes, I stared up at the bright bulb hanging from the ceiling. It hurt my eyes, but I was determined not to look away. I was going to do this. I was going to find a way to get out of here, get away from Killian.
