I was caught in the crossfires of a decade-long revenge-fueled feud between my family and the boy I once loved. The boy who I thought was dead. The boy who ultimately used me to get what he wanted — revenge on my father.
Damon was so thirsty for his vengeance that he sacrificed me and my life and didn’t even hesitate.
Lucky? No, I don’t think lucky is the right term for what happened to me.
“We’re going to start you on physical therapy tomorrow so that we can get you up and walking in no time,” Dr. Park tells me with a smile stretching his thin lips.
“Thank you, Doctor,” I whisper. I’m going to work my ass off in physical therapy so I can get the hell out of here as soon as possible and back to my life. The life before Damon crashed through it like a wrecking ball and broke my heart into a million pieces.
CHAPTER 4
VICTORIA
AFTER A WEEK of extensive and exhausting rehabilitation for my leg, I’m finally released from the hospital. I still have to deal with wound care and more outpatient physical therapy, but at least I’m home. The next few weeks are going to be tedious and difficult, but anything to keep my mind off the gaping, festering hole Damon left in my heart is a blessing.
I walk into my apartment, and immediately the two bodyguards who drove me here are pushing past me and searching through every room. I have no idea what they’re looking for; but if they think Damon is hiding here, they’re sadly mistaken.
He’s too much of a coward to be here.
Once it’s all clear, they tell me they’ll be waiting outside of my apartment building in case I need anything or want to go anywhere.
Great. Just like old times.
I had forgotten how much I loathed a protection detail. I didn’t realize how good I had it here when I first moved in and had some freedom for the first time in my life. Boy, was that short-lived. Now I wish I wouldn’t have allowed myself to get used to being sofree.
Feeling exhausted, I go to my bedroom and begin to strip off my clothes. Pulling on some comfy pajamas, I go to my bed, ready to crawl in and take a long nap, and stop short. There, in the middle of the mattress is a small, navy blue box.
Biting my lip, I hesitate. Should I go get one of the guards to inspect it first? Obviously someone was in my apartment while I was gone, but the two of them did search through the place before I came in.
So, whoever left this is obviously long gone.
A pang in my chest hits me as I sit down on the bed, inches away from the box. I have a hunch as to who left me this…gift…but why? What did Damon have to gain by doing this?
My fingers touch the top of the box, and I carefully lift the lid exposing the contents.
My heart stops beating.
And all the air leaves my lungs.
Inside the box is my locket. I gently pull the necklace out and immediately note that the broken chain has been replaced. After the man who attacked me in the park broke it, the locket had been sitting on my nightstand, waiting for me to take it to the jeweler. But Damon, for some reason, snuck in here and fixed it himself.
With shaky fingers, I gently open the locket and stare at the picture of Arlo and me. Tears fill my eyes until the image of us as kids blurs.
“When did you leave this here for me?” I ask out loud to the quiet room. “And was it before or after you fucking shot me?” I say through clenched teeth. Clutching the locket in one hand, I grab the box with the other and hurl it across the room. The box hits the wall with a satisfying thud before bouncing to the floor.
Opening my trembling hand, I stare at the locket for a long time before I finally put the piece of jewelry around my neck.
Feeling the locket against my skin again feels right. I’ve felt naked without it over the past few weeks.
As I sit on the bed, alone in my room, a sob suddenly breaks free from my lips.
This is all like some sick, cruel joke. Why would Damon do this unless he cared about me?
He doesn’t care about you, my inner conscience sneers at me.He shot you in the leg and left you to die.
Curling up on my bed, I cry myself to sleep, dreaming about the man who destroyed my entire world in the blink of an eye…but also the man I’m foolishly still in love with.
CHAPTER 5
