I looked away as a tear escaped my eye and fell down my cheek. “For those sins, he’d punish me. I’d have to write the sentences. Or he’d shave my head, beat me with a belt, or lock me in a tiny shed for weeks. After each punishment, he’d take me to the river on the property and dunk my head under water until Iwas close to drowning. He said he had to force the demons out of me.”
Shutting my eyes again, I inhaled deep breaths, none of them feeling like enough to fill my lungs.
Enzo gave me that time, not pushing me to speak faster. I tensed when he reached out to brush my hair off my shoulder. My eyes opened just as he pressed a kiss against my cheek.
I used the back of my hand to wipe the tears as he pulled away. “The lullaby you guys played?” More tears welled in my eyes. “My mother sang that song to me in private one day. Not knowing any better, I sang it. I was punished for it.” My head fell forward as I broke down in tears.
My father, I’d always known he was evil. But before that, I’d always cherished my mother. Loved her. Felt loved by her. That day was my reckoning.
I learned that no one loved me there.
No one cared about me.
I had been a little girl on her own.
Enzo grabbed my shoulder and pulled me across the bed until his arms locked around me so tight I could barely move. They felt like the most comforting blanket in the world.
I dug my chin into his shoulder as he held me.
Soothed me.
He ran his fingers over my neck. “I told you, my Fawn, you’re now under my protection, and I will make every motherfucker burn and bleed in this world if they even think of laying a hand on you.”
I felt so heavy in his arms.
Yet so weightless at the same time.
Like I’d handed him half my trauma, and for the first time, the pain didn’t belong to me alone.
We sat there for a few seconds before I cleared my throat and inched away from him.
“What happened to your father?” Enzo asked. “Where is he?”
“He’s in prison,” I replied.
“What—”
Enzo’s phone ringing interrupted his words.
He ignored it. “How did?—”
It rang again.
He ignored it, waiting for me to continue over the loud, ear-grating ringtone.
“Shit,” he finally cursed when it wouldn’t stop, climbing off the bed and walking to his desk to pick up the phone beside his computer. He turned it off and tossed it across the room.
As he made his way back to me, he froze mid-step when someone pounded on the door.
“Enzo! We have a problem!”
He balled his hands into fists while stomping toward the door, swinging it open. Brooks came barreling inside, blood dripping off his hands.
I gasped, and his eyes widened when he noticed me. He turned on his heel and dashed to the bathroom, slamming the door shut.
Enzo hurriedly helped me off the bed and handed me his gate key. “Go straight to your room. Tell no one about this.”
Twenty-Five
