“That demon killed my daughter. You may hate me for this, but you will not see that girl again. Rosalia will be the end of your life as well. That entire family is poison!”
Grandma continues to use her cane to jab at my body, and I squish myself into the small space she’s herding me into in an effort to escape being knocked out. Since she can’t see me since she’s standing, she almost hits me several times in the head.
The door slams shut on me, and I throw myself against it to keep her from locking it. Unfortunately, she’s too fast for me, and I scream underneath the stairs, banging on the door.
“Let me out! I’d rather die with her than stay here!”
“You’re delusional,” my grandmother snarls. The house is older, and the door is hidden very well. People could follow my screams and not find me for days. “You need time to cool off, Verona. Your hormones are getting the best of you.”
God, her staff will probably think I’m a fucking ghost as they hear me scream and curse down here.
“I’ll check back in three days, Verona. Maybe you’ll sing a different tune then.”
Three!Holy fucking shit.
The sound of her cane is loud as it thumps over my head as she climbs the stairs above me. Screaming and banging on the door is pointless. No one will come help me, not when the scary bitch pays their bills.
Breathing hard, I fall back against the wall and shake my head.
Three fucking days.I’m so sorry, Rosa. I’m such a failure as your alpha.
* * *
ROSALIA
Something hits my head hard, waking me up and I groan pitifully. It’s as if opening my eyes reminds me of every ache, both inside and out.
“You’re going to be late,” Uncle Elio says too loudly, pretending he didn’t just throw something at me. “Get the fuck up, you lazy cow.”
I can’t respond because my mouth feels disgusting. Coughing, I shudder as I also gag.
“Don’t fucking puke,puttana.You’ve caused us enough trouble.”
I can smell and feel really unmentionable things on my skin. Forcing myself to scramble out of bed takes a lot of willpower, which is ruined when I fall to my knees as dizziness crashes over me.
“Don’t ruin the stitches the doctor gave you,” he complains, slamming a glass on the table. “This is for the hangover you’re probably having.”
The hand I cut is covered in gauze, and I truly hope the doctor wasn’t able to reattach his fingers. I’m feeling petty. I’m not drinking anything he’s offering, not after what happened earlier today.
I’m butt ass naked, and if I concentrate, I can feel the stretch of the stitches where the men who raped me tore my hole. It takes a lot to damage an omega…
Don’t think about it.Closing my eyes, I struggle not to inhale too deeply, because I can’t stand the smell of myself. Swallowing my pride, which lies in tatters around me, I crawl toward my bathroom.
I smell like liquor, the musk of cum, and the scents of too many men to count. I have no idea what happened once I passed out, and I decide that’s a blessing.
“The high and mighty princess has fallen,” Elio chuckles, grabbing my hair as his heavy footsteps follow me.
I’m too broken to fight as he yanks my head back and his fingers quickly move to squeeze my nose so I’ll open my mouth.
“Tony! Come help me with this bitch. I can’t fucking do this with my hand wrapped up.”
“Is she ready for more? She doesn’t have time for that,” Tony laughs, walking into the room as I slap at Elio’s hand to get him to let go. “Oh, she doesn’t want to take her medicine? The stupid cunt must be enjoying her headache then.”
“Renzo says she drank a fuck ton of whiskey. Help me get that into her stomach. He’s on the warpath. Her lovely betrothed will be here soon.”
The words are said menacingly as I gasp in oxygen through my mouth. I’m too weak to keep Tony from forcing whatever is in the glass into my mouth, though a good amount of it ends up down my chin and neck. It tastes like dirt, and I recognize that it's supposed to be some kind of hangover cure. They both leave me to drop onto the ground once they’re done, walking out of the room as if I’m less than nothing.
My chest heaves as I struggle to breathe, my entire body twitching from both remembered trauma and pain. I drag myself the rest of the way to the bathroom and take my shower while sitting on the tile floor. It’s not the most comfortable due to having been kicked, whipped with a belt, and raped, but gradually I’m able to stand.
