Poison Ivy

2. Safehouse

***

Panic was going through my entire body. My vision was going blurry and I was finding it hard to breathe.

I avoided them for nearly 4 years. I can't go back. I won't go back!

I run back into the kitchen with the note in hand. I slam it on the counter where Cassidy is cleaning. She gives me a silent nod and signals for me to go out the back door.

Once we're out there, she leads me to her car and we hit the road. I took out the Sim Card from my phone so they won't be able to find us. Where are we heading, you may ask? To the next safe house. I refuse to go back with them. I'd much rather continue to be on the run. 

Around 4 minutes down the road, Cassidy receives a call from Angeline and puts the phone on speaker. I thought this was about arranging a new place for me to stay. Boy was I wrong.

"Cassidy, where is Elora? I need her back here now!" Angeline screams on the other end of the line.

Oh boy this can't be good.

"Elora is in danger so I'm taking her to the next safe house." Cassidy replies calmly and sternly.

"Well there's a man here. He says she's his sister. He has the documentation to prove it too. He's threatening to sue us if we don't give him custody of her." Angeline says snootily.

Cassidy notices my nervous expression. She angrily tells Angeline "The safety of ALL of our girls is our priority. I have reason to believe that Elora will be in danger with Mr. Romario. I will NOT be returning her to you, Angeline. She will be safe."

"You're going to regret this, Cass!" Angeline yells on the other side of the phone.

I was angry to say the least. Angeline betrayed me. She betrayed Cassidy. She was willing to put my safety on the line for whatever money my brother was offering her. Knowing my brother and his persuasive skills, there was never any threat to shut down the program. 

We arrive at the safe house within 45 minutes. It's a two-story house with a double garage and a long driveway. I see a couple of cars in the driveway. I figured they belonged to the kids who lived here. It was dark out so I couldn't really examine the cars and just shrugged it off.

I head up onto the porch with Cassidy following behind. She pulls out her keys to the property and lets us in. We enter the house and it was dark and empty.

There were cars in the driveway. I'm getting a bad feeling about this.

Suddenly, the lights come on. And I was horrified with what I saw.

"Elora. Or should I say Ivy. Nice to see you again, mia sorella." says a deep condescending voice.

Victor.

Cassidy and I run for the door when a voice has us paralyzed.

"I told you. You were going to regret this, Cass." Angeline says, smirking. Seeing Angeline standing in front of me, I shivered in both fear and anger.

I can't believe she betrayed me. Probably for my brother's money too.

Paralyzed with fear, I look up at Victor to see those cold eyes I saw all those years ago. The smirk on his face with his Icy cold blue eyes could make anyone's blood run cold. And that's what they did to me. I was terrified of what was going to happen to me.

Instead of questioning what was going on in the moment, I tried to make a run for it. Turning around, I almost slipped on the hardwood floor due to the speed I turned my body in, and the speed I was running. I was able to grab the doorknob, twisting it open to feel the fresh night air.

Rushing out the door of the house, I didn't look back. I kept running. I knew I couldn't take the car at this point because I didn't have the keys and that would just slow me down. I had to keep running.
I was almost down the driveway and into the woods that was in front of the house.

If I make it into the woods, I can hide there until morning.

I tried to push my body to run for the woods. I kept going with all the energy I had until I felt my body being restrained by two muscular masculine arms.

Looking up to see who grabbed me, I was surprised to see a new face. One I haven't seen since I was 14 years old.

My second oldest brother Landon.

His bright blue eyes pleading for forgiveness. I struggled against his grasp until I felt a pinch at the back of my neck. I struggled to keep my eyes open until I eventually gave into the darkness. 

***