Page 24 of Broken By The Devil

“Em, you can’t,” Cara pleads. The shock and horror on her face is obvious. She doesn’t want Emilia to say yes. She is just as shocked as everyone at this table.

Emilia doesn’t respond. I don’t think she physically can. Her eyes are darting left and right like she’s trying to find a way out, she’s spiralling.

Tom approaches the table and sits down next to Emilia. She clearly doesn’t want to marry him. She looks like she wants to sprint out of here. Her legs won’t stop shaking, she’s on the verge of an attack, I can tell. I don’t know what is going on here, but all I want to do is be there for her. I put a steady hand on her thigh to stop her shaking and lean in to whisper, “It’s ok, just breathe.” She looks at me with pleading eyes and whispers back, “Promise me… you’ll let me explain, don’t intervene, I’ll tell you everything. I promise.” She pulls back, begging me with her eyes to be open minded. Everything inside me is screaming for me to stop this, but I nod in agreement.

Cyrus leans towards me from my other side, concern written all over his face. “Are we really going to let this happen?” he questions. I look to Cass and Cara at that moment. The devastation on their faces more obvious by the minute. I look to Cass, the question forming in my gaze, and he shakes his head in answer.

I haven’t got an answer for Cyrus. This is the first time I don’t know what to do. If I keep my promise to Emilia, I go against everything I believe and stand for, but if I don’t… I don’t know what the consequences will be for her. I don’t know what anything means. It’s just a ring… it doesn’t mean they’re married. It doesn’t mean anything. I repeat that thought in my head, the idea of her marrying him makes me feel physically sick. I think Cyrus is right…I’m in love with her.

EMILIA

The only thing grounding me to the present right now is Kade’s hand on my thigh. His skin is warm yet rough and calloused, his grip firm. He’s my anchor. I can feel myself slipping with every second, my breathing jagged, heavy, and uncontrolled.

Tom is going to propose. If I say no, there will be consequences from my father, after all, this was his plan. To marry me off to someone who understood the value of being a Hale.

Tom starts to turn towards me and I push Kade’s hand away from my thigh. I mourn the loss of contact immediately. I want him close, I need his touch, I crave the safety of his presence, but nothing can save me now.

Tom leans in, all whilst taking the ring box out from his pocket and opening it. He is so close now I can feel his breath on my skin. It sends shivers down my spine and makes my whole body stiffen. Whenever he is close, I feel like insects are crawling just beneath the surface of my skin.

He leans in even closer and whispers, “I told you I plan on you being mine forever, my submissive little pet. Now you’re going to say yes, or else there will be consequences. Don’t make me follow through on my threats, Emilia.”

Tom gets down on one knee in front of me. I look to my family around the table, each facial expression in turmoil, battling their inner desires. Cass and Cara know I have no choice in this, but Cyrus and Kade don’t know the truth. I can see them looking to each other in question of what to do. The truth is, they can’t do anything. I have no choice, no other option, no escape.

I don’t hear what Tom is saying. His voice is being swallowed out like I’m submerged under water. I’m drowning, my vision is blurry, and my ears feel full. Even though my body is here, I’m not. Tom takes my hand, and I flinch at the contact, but his grip remains unyielding. He looks to me for an answer. I can feel Kade’s stare at the back of my head. I want nothing more than to turn around in this moment and ask him to take me away from here. I can’t. I know I can’t. He won’t want me once he knows the truth. I’ve been damaged. Used. Discarded.

I nod at Tom in acceptance of the proposal. I’ve completely dissociated from my body. I see a lot of people move towards me. Everything is moving in slow motion, my mind not registering what is happening. I’m being embraced, kissed on the cheeks, tapped on my back. This is my funeral, not a celebration. I feel as though I am grieving for my life, and future and people are celebrating it.

My lungs are being squeezed, I can’t breathe, my chest is tightening. No escape, the walls are closing in on me. There is nowhere to run. People surround me at all angles. I can’t catch my breath. I need to run.

“If you’ll all excuse me for a moment,” I announce. Everyone is now preoccupied with Tom, giving him their well wishes and congratulations. I take full advantage of this moment. I turn and run down the beach as fast as I can. I don’t think I have ever run this fast before. My legs don’t belong to me. They take control because they know I can’t. I’m not in control of my body anymore. It’s in flight. I run as far as I can down the beach until I come across an alcove, hidden in darkness.

I walk towards the darkness. It welcomes me. It knows me. I sit with my back against the rock and tuck my knees into my chest. “I will not break,” I chant repeatedly. Hoping if I say it loud enough, it will be true.

I hear Tom’s voice in my head… ‘my submissive little pet, you’ll be mine forever…’ He pollutes every thought. He’s invaded my safe place. I can’t think. It’s too loud. I place my hands over my ears to block his voice, but it doesn’t work. I feel shocks running through my arm, leaving it completely numb. The ring on my finger snags in my hair, reminding me of the engagement to my monster. The invisible shackles keeping me linked to him forever.

“I will not break,” I chant again.

“I will not break!”

“I will not break” I sob.

KADE

She said yes. Everything I have just witnessed suggests she’s being forced. She doesn’t want to be with him, I know it. I don’t get up from the table, too busy in my thoughts. I see her being hugged, everybody wishing her well for the future. The future of being Mrs Andrews. Not if I have anything to say about it. If she doesn’t want this—it won’t be happening.

Emilia is backing away from the group, looking for an escape. I get up from my chair and nudge between two senior officers to create an opening, and she takes full advantage. I have never seen someone run as fast as she is.

Cass gets up from his chair first to run after her, but I stop him before he gets one step away.

“You have to let me go after her, otherwise she’ll never trust me. Let me go, I’ll make sure she’s alright. I promise,” I declare.

Cass nods, and I take off running. Emilia is a lot faster than me, she’s petite and agile, she knows when to push her body and when to rest. She’s an athlete. I have to find her, there’s no alternative. She’s going to have an episode, and I’ll be there to help her through it.

There’s no sign of her. She couldn’t have gone this far. She was only a few seconds ahead of me. That’s when I hear it.

“I will not break.” It’s coming from within the alcove. It’s pitch black inside, but I can just make out her silver hair in the moonlight. She is curled up in a ball on the sand, back against a rock, her legs tucked into her body, hands gripped so tight in her hair that I fear she might have pulled some out. I see the vulnerability that nobody else does. She is so strong and fierce, yet someone has drawn sobs from her, making her chant out loud that she will not be broken. I make a promise here and now that whoever has caused this, whoever has hurt her… will be the ones broken.

I approach her slowly not wanting to scare her. I crouch down in front of her and hold both of her wrists, hoping to pry her hands free of her hair. She stills as soon as I touch her, but she’s still sobbing and chanting the words.