Passionately Yours (Vicious Snakes Book 5)

protection.
I’m not sure what it is about them. Was it because they saved me? But then, two other clubs were there too, so would I feel safe if I was with them? The thing is that I don’t think so. Something about being cradled between Derek and Torch specifically made me feel protected and safe. Father and son, they made me feel like they would do anything for me. I had felt that they would hurt anyone who would hurt me.
Also, are they only protective of me because I saved the president of the Vicious Snakes? How does that make me feel if that’s the case?
I shake my head from those thoughts as we pull up to a pub that has the best burgers and wings. I still can’t eat a whole lot since I was given minimal food when I was held captive, but I make sure to ask for a to-go container for my food when I order.
“Well, what did you want to do today?” Xavier says.
I shrug. “I’m sure you have work to get back to. You can just drop me off at home.”
He shakes his head. “No way. I’m not going back to work until I know you are better. Trust me, the boss understands,” he says with a wink.
I chuckle a little bit because his boss is his best friend. He works for a security company, and I know that he was trying his hardest to find me. I could see the guilt in his eyes when the talk of my capture came up.
“Well, I’m sure you will get bored hanging out with a sister who doesn’t want to leave the house,” I say.
He nods. “Well that may be true, but we can always find something to do, or I can help you work on your self-defence. I know that you are going to want to keep that up. I saw the determination in your eyes. I’m with you every step of the way, sis.”
I blink away the tears that form in my eyes.
“Thank you. I just don’t know how I’m supposed to move on. How could I have been so stupid as to trust a complete monster?” I say angrily.
Xavier clenches his jaw. “He knew what he was doing. I wish I could have gotten my hands on him. What makes you so sure that he won’t come after you?”
“Because Derek said that I didn’t have to worry, and I trust him,” I state, not wanting to give too much away because I know that Derek wouldn’t want everyone to know what happened.
He shakes his head. “How do you know that you can trust him? What makes you so sure that he isn’t a monster too?”
I snap my eye at him and I can tell that he’s serious. “Seriously? After they saved my life, you want to question them? I could have found myself at the hands of another evil club, or ended up dead never seeing the day light again but, because of them, I’m free and able to see my family again. They have more than earned my trust.”
My brother eyes me for a minute and slowly nods his head.
“Well, I will need to trust you on this one. I wish I could have saved you. It tears me apart that you went through all kinds of hell.”
“I know. All I can do now is try to get help to move on with my life and leave that horrible nightmare behind.”
My brother nods his head. “I will do everything that I can to make sure that you make it through this. Whatever you need help with I am there.”
We finish the rest of our lunch and head back home.
My brother helps me with my self-defence moves. I’m glad that my dad has his own room downstairs where he works out so that I have room down there to practice. My dad comes home after work and helps me with some pointers.
I know that I have a long road ahead of me. I’m not going to heal overnight, but the Devil’s Souls had already taken so much of my life in a few short months and I don’t want them to take any more.
Going out today for lunch with my brother is a huge thing for me, but I know that I am safe with him. The fact that I can tell he’s looking around and making sure that there aren’t any threats relaxes me. He won’t let anything happen to me.
My brother leaves when he sees that my mom and dad are home. They are going to extreme measures to make me feel safe and for that I am very thankful.
I head to my room to have a shower after I worked out a sweat at the gym.
To be honest, this has become one of the most dreaded parts of my day.
Reaper had no problem marking me. He took great joy in seeing my pain and tears. After the first couple weeks, I would try to be strong and block everything out. I would try and make myself go numb so that I could show him that he couldn’t break me.
That’s when the first knife came out, and he made sure that it would often come out while he was “breaking” me.
Now, when my body is slowly healing, I can see all the red, angry scars all over my body.
Every time I look in the mirror or down at my body, I have to hold back the tears. When I take off my shirt and stand in front of my bathroom mirror in my bra and jeans, I feel bile rise in my throat.
I tightly shut my eyes and clench my teeth, breathing harshly as I push away the memories trying to surface.
My phones pings with a text and I’m