*unedited and um, be ready for a SHOCK of the season at the end of this chapter*
PARIS
Whispers, and mumbling. It was the voices of worry from Markus and Jackson that echoed around Paris, as she was looming from in and out of sleep.
But never fully waking up.
In her sleep she was back at that place, where she became accustomed to the cold. Her body becoming used to bruises, and the burn of open wounds on her rough skin.
When she's awake, under a warm blanket, she couldn't move. In fear that this was the dream, and she'd wake up back in that cell.
She didn't dare risk it.
The door to the bedroom opened, as Paris knew who it was. She had been awake this time, but didn't open her eyes.
Markus entered the room, watching Paris as her back rose and fell. Her long hair spread across the bed, as he felt his heart ache at the thought of this being the Paris he had to live with.
But he wouldn't give up on her. After seeing what she had gone through in that dungeon, and thinking about how horrible her life was before then, the two absolutely did not compare, but it made him pained to think that she couldn't escape the abuse.
And her pain was caused because of someone else' vengeance against another.
Markus opened the bathroom door and turned the water tap on for the tub to be filled. Paris hadn't showered in almost a week and a half because Markus wasn't strong enough to help her, and he also feared that when he went to try and get her to do so, she wouldn't respond.
But after hearing her mumble about incoherent things, he knew that she atleast was still alive.
He headed back into the bedroom, walking around the bed as his eyes never left Paris' still figure as her breaths were soft, and subtle.
He squatted in front of her then, as he got eye level with her asleep face. He'd taken many days just staring at her, and examining her features.
Trying to block out the videos he'd seen of her being tortured and abused, he tried thinking of her like this. Asleep, peacefully.
But every time he went to rest, he always had vivid images flash through his mind, and her screams echoed in his ears.
"Paris." He said, as she once again didn't even flinch at her name, and he assumed that she was asleep.
He tried reaching out to touch her then, and as his hand gently touched her cheek, he noticed how cold she was. With the blanket over her, and the sweatpants and long sleeve sweater she wore, she still was freezing cold.
He gently removed the blanket from her body and slid his arm under her waist, as she rolled into his chest.
Removing that cast was smart on his part, as he held her in his arms, despite the shooting pain he had been experiencing running through his arm.
He made his way into the bathroom, and glanced down briefly at Paris, and to his shocked surprise, she was staring right back at him.
He stopped then, not daring too move as he waited for her to blink, just Incase he was imagining this.
And then she did, and it was if she was a small child, that her blink was so innocent and pure.
Markus didn't try his voice. In fear that he'd scare her, and possibly cause this moment to turn into something that he didn't want.
And as he stepped into the tub, one foot after the other, he sat down with Paris between his legs as she continued to stare at him.
In her mind she could only feel the warmth of his hands, and the warmth of the water surrounding her.
She couldn't feel the bruises on her skin, and the ache of hunger that ate away at her. She couldn't feel the suppressed tears that she wished she could let out, or the scream of agony she wanted to shout.
She could only feel warmth.
She couldn't feel the single tear that slipped from her eye, until Markus swiped it away as they continued to look at each other.
"I'm sorry." He whispered, as Paris blinked at his words. "I'm sorry that I let them hurt you, because of my own selfish reasons." He continued to confess, as Paris' eyes never left his, as Markus hoped she could understand what he was saying at this moment.
"So many people have died and been hurt because of those monsters. But in my eyes, they got away easy. They don't have to live with the long suffering of torture and pain, that you have to live with. Every single day." He whispered, wiping away the tears that spilled down Paris cheeks as her face hadn't shown any emotion, but the tears kept falling.
"I'm so sorry." Markus held Paris close to his chest, as he felt her heartbeat thump against his own heart.
That feeling caused Paris to close her eyes with a soft sigh, as she pressed her hand against his skin. Counting every beat, and hoping that she could stay like this forever.
And that when she woke up, that he'd still be here.
——
JACKSON
It was three o clock on the dot, and Danieli had yet to arrive into his own office.
He would have expected punctuality, as he had arrived on time to meet this man. Who comes late to their own meeting?
Jackson clenched his jaw and balled his hands into fists several times to stop the urge of putting his hand through this mans wall.
As he paced his office, he thought about what he'd say. And how he'd get the information from Danieli without getting his emotions involved.
Which would be extremely hard.
Just as Jackson was about to turn and walk to the door to ask the receptionist where Danieli was, the door twisted open.
And in walked Danieli, and to Jackson's surprise, Darwin.
"Ah, you are here right on time my dear man." Danieli smiled at Jackson, as Darwin did the same.
And all Jackson could do was stare out of shock.
He couldn't believe that the man who after finding out that his son was David, and killed Jerry, tortured Paris and murdered Ravinoff and Eliza, along with holding captive Ebony, was smiling at him.
"Jackson." Danieli snapped a finger in Jackson's direction as he turned his head, and eyed the man who he had come to see, but now he felt like knew much more than Jackson himself even knew about this situation.
"Take a seat next to your dear old Pal here." Danieli pointed at the chairs as Darwin sat down, and crossed his legs over one another and Jackson just blinked at him.
Something within him was holding back. Despite how much anger, and fury and pain he had inside of him, it just couldn't come out.
It was as if he was stuck in a state of shock.
And surprisingly, Jackson did as he was told and sat down.
"Now, I'm sure you are here in accordance to finding Ebony am I right?" Jackson nodded, eyeing Danieli as he felt Darwin's hard glare at the side of his head.
"And Darwin is here to offer you a deal." Danieli averted his eyes to Darwin, as Jackson turned slowly his head to the man beside him, as Darwin came to the edge of his seat, and pressed his finger to Jackson's arm.
"We've been through so much Jackie. So many lives have been wasted for this girl. So much money has gone down the drain, for this girl. You've given her so much of your time, only for her to run away from you, and you end up right where I wanted you too be all along." Darwin smiled at Jackson as he clenched his jaw, and kept his composure as Markus words repeated in his mind.
"Don't let your emotions take control of the situation."
"I'm surprised you haven't tried to put a bullet in me yet. You're surprisingly calm. It's almost freaking me out-"
"Don't push me." Jackson finally spoke up as his voice was shaky and Darwin chuckled while Danieli watched the two before him with curious eyes.
"My offer to you is to leave the girl in our hands for one more month-"
"Are you fucking serious!" Jackson protested immediately, knowing that whatever he had planned would be ultimately a ruin for him.
"Let me finish please." Darwin said, as he eyed Jackson once again. "If you leave the girl in our hands for one more month, she'll be back to you in no less than a week afterwards. I'll get what I always wanted, and you'll have her in the end. Isn't that better than never seeing her again?"
"What's so important about Ebony that you need her for another month? Take me instead if you want some type of sick pleasure in torturing someone." Jackson spit, clenching the edge of the chair as his eyes never left Darwin's as the smile on Darwin's face extended even wider.
"Having you wouldn't be as fun my dear boy. She's so innocent, so pure." Darwin got closer to Jackson, as he could smell his reeking breath. "So fresh." Darwin said with glossy eyes as Jackson felt his hands begin to shake with rage.
"Didn't you feel it when you fucked her?" Darwin's smile broadened, and all senses of holding back for Jackson shattered as he got up, and pushed Darwin into the wall.
The trophies and medals on the shelves crashed to the ground. And as Jackson reeled back his fist to put it right into Darwin's face, Danieli spoke up then.
"The moment you inflict more pain onto my client, will be the moment you and I don't have a deal." Danieli said, as Jackson let out shaky breaths as he stared into Darwin's eyes, seeing the malice behind them as Darwin smiled through the pain.
"You asked why I wanted her. And my answer, is because she's a pure enough body to give healthy heirs to my son. I've went through many women, many children trying to find the right one to give to my son. When I found Ebony, I knew she would be the one to easily make my sons wife. And the mother to his child." Darwin spit out a wad of blood and eyed Jackson, waiting for him to release his anger on him, and ultimately ruin the plan that he knew Danieli would offer him.
But Jackson knew to be smarter than to let Darwin take control. He knew in order to save Ebony, he needed to act smarter. Not on emotion, or pain.
But in hopes that he'd save her.
And as he released Darwin from his hold, and he lowered his shaking fist, he turned to Danieli with red eyes.
"I'll give you the location to the Darwin's hideout. In return you kill David, and once I get the memo that he's been eliminated. I expect to never see nor hear from you again."
"Wait, boss that wasn't the plan." Darwin got up from the ground, and scrambled to Danielis desk as neither one of their eyes wavered from each other.
"Deal?" Danieli asked Jackson, as Jackson nodded at the plan, and glanced down at Darwin, who looked weaker than normal.
"What about him." Jackson asked, as Danielis eyes averted to Darwin, who was looking at the both of them with confused eyes.
"I'll deal with him."
——
Ebony
"And the plan unfolds. Our sweet boy Jackson is on his way to come and rescue his queen. The woman who he's madly in love with. What a sick show this is." David chuckled as he averted his eyes from the screen, to Ebony who stared down at the ground as her body was shaking.
How could he do this? Be so, so naive as to think that it would be so easy to come and rescue me?
"You seem disappointed. Care to express your thoughts babygirl?" David's voice caused bile to rise in Ebony's throat at the thought of ever getting as close to even laying in bed with this man.
And as she thought about what Darwin had said was the plan for her, and for his son, she wanted to vomit.
"Well, once Jackson gets here. I'll make sure to make it easy access for him to get to you. He'll be so shellshocked and happy to see you, to think that he's rescued you, that any thought of leaving you would seem absurd." David squat down as he lifted Ebony's head, as she eyed him with a glare.
"You won't make it that easy, will you." Ebony breathed, as her eyes were wet with emotion, but her voice held so much hatred in it, that David couldn't help but chuckle at how different she was acting.
"Your beginning to know me more and more my love." He said, running his thumb down her face as her bottom lip quivered at his touch, and she closed her eyes as she wished for the inevitable at this moment.
"While he's out there, desperately trying to make his way here, how about we meet the icebreaker of this entire, scheme." David got up from his position and walked to the door, as Ebony kept her eyes on the ground.
"Meet Eve." David said, as he opened the door and light flooded into the room.
Ebony hesitantly lifted her head, and as the light faded and the face of the person standing in the light began to unblur, Ebony let out a gasp.
"Eve meet Ebony. Your twin sister."
——
Okay but like, y'all saw this coming right? Okay that's great (lmao).
Um, I do want to let y'all know that I did leave little hints and clues that Ebony would have a twin. Which would also explain the whole Eliza and Ebony's 'mother' Eden situation, ya feel?
All will be explained later, but for now, enjoy this chapter and leave you all's thoughts and questions in the comments!
I appreciate all the love and support guys!
much love,
- Ellipticall 🌻