Elizabeth

10: White Flag

Elizabeth

The voices have gone away.

I start walking back to the house as I know it.

Did I come this way? Or did I walk the other way?

It's dark. I only have the gun with me.

I sit down near the tree and listen to the owls. I listen to the leaves rustle as the wind picks up. I take in a deep breath and hold my stomach. There is no point in stressing out. There is no point in trying...

"Elizabeth!" I hear someone call my name. I can't tell if it's Emilio or not. I don't answer. What if it's Emilio rather than Romeo? "Elizabeth!" My voice is called again. Now, I know that it's Romeo.

"Romeo!" I gasp. I jump up from my spot and look around. I can see truck lights and from the truck, Romeo jumps out. "Romeo!" I begin to cry. I run up to him and when I reach him, I bury myself in his embrace.

"You're ok," he whispers. "You're OK, my love. You're ok."

"I was so scared. I was so..." I trail off and continue to cry. He grabs a fistful of my hair as he kisses the top of my head.

"Did he hurt you?" He scans over my body. I can feel his hands tracing up and down my arms and stomach. "Elizabeth, did he hurt you?" I shake my head frantically.

"Elizabeth," Elijah rushes. He runs up to both of us. I don't look at him. I only keep myself close to him as he holds me.

"Dad, what do we do?"

"Get a hotel for the night. I've got men stationed at my hotel." Romeo starts to walk me to the car. I immediately stumble, feeling the rocks and sticks on my feet now. He doesn't think twice before picking me up and putting me in the truck.

...

In an hour, we are at a hotel. There, two police trucks are there. In the midst of the little huddle of police and mafia men, Alina is there with Nate, Zane, Dean, and their sons. "Elizabeth!" She gasps and runs up to me. "Oh god, you're barely wearing anything," she cries. She wipes my tears with her thumbs as she holds my face.

"You ok?" I watch Zane ask Romeo. He nods. Zane holds Romeo for a minute, his hand on the back of his neck as he kisses Romeo's forehead.

In the room, Romeo follows me inside. When the lights are turned on, he tears off his shirt and groans in pain. There are purple bruises all over his chest and stomach. It's like he's become one of my father's painted canvases. He sits down on the bed and touches his bruises.

There's ice in the freezer. I grab some ice and put it in a towel. I'd always do this when Master hit me too hard.

I sit on the bed and put the towel of ice on his chest. He groans. "Ice will reduce the swelling," I whisper as I continue to hold it at his chest. "Gosh, what happened?" I use my other hand and touch his other bruises.

"They ambushed us, Elizabeth. My own fucking brother turned on me." He reaches over to me. I can feel his tensed breathing. He reaches under my butt and pulls me to his lap.

"Does it hurt here?" I ask. I press against his chest. He doesn't make a sound. I hear his breathing hitch, though.

"No," is all he says. I press harder. He seethes. "Fuck, Elizabeth," he groans. I move to another bruise on his abs and touch it. I do the same. This time, he doesn't suppress his pain to me. He groans and leans against the pillows. I continue to do this with each of his bruises. I can feel his heavy breathing as I touch and press against each bruise.