CHAPTER ONE

         GUNS AND ROSES 

           CHAPTER ONE

           MARIA PAUL'S POV

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It was a day to my freedom to run,to crawl or to swim but at most i must move and never slow down.

With my poor heart beating profusely, mind racing as i went through the thousand different things that could possibly go wrong tonight.

My body ached and my hands shew, the whip marks printed on my skin. I had to do this to save myself.

 My hands shook with trepidation as i quickly threw clothes into the largest bag i could find, thought after thought occupying my mind . I had to get out of here that was all that mattered.

 As minutes ticked by, I gave up all together, so many killing and disturbing thoughts  making its  way to my head. I grabbed whatever I had and rushed out the room.

 Holding my bag tightly i tiptoed down the large marble stair case, carefully not to make a single sound. 

I had to be extremely careful or else, i would have myself to blame for the rest of my life in penury and misery.

Though peter wasn't at home, the house was filled with servants and guards that were loyal to him and wouldn't hesitate to capture me and call him.

 I breathed a sigh of relief as I opened the huge golden double of doors of the mansion, i was forced to call my home for the past three years. 

A small smile found its way to my face as the night breeze hit my face; sure, I had been outside before. However, there was something different about this breeze, this time I was out here on my own accord, of my own free will, unchained and unguarded. 

Not allowing myself to get carried away  for too long, I rushed out the gates where a taxi stood waiting for me. 

" Saetelle airport please, and hurry ."

°°°

" Flight 562 to South Carolina  is now open for boarding, please make your way to the appointed gate. Have a safe flight." The words echoed in my mind and I knew I had to go but I couldn't seem to get myself to move. 

If I did this, if I got on that flight there would be no turning back. Truth be told I was scared, terrified even that in the next moment he would rush through this airport, guns blazing and ready to take me back to hell.

"Uhm Miss, I think you need to leave now if you want to catch your flight." My head moved towards the source of these words and my eyes met a beautiful pair of hazel brown eyes. 

The owner of these eyes was a young man with long chestnut brown hair tied back in a bun. He had on a large backpack and wore black sweatpants with a loose fitting shirt.

He was undoubtedly on his way to go backpacking in Asia or something.

Nevertheless, this was the first time a man other than peter had spoken to me and i was at loss of words.

"Yeah,uhm, thank you." I mumbled, grabbing my things before heading towards my gate. 

The man waved me goodbye and then walked off in a different direction.

I took a deep breath as I stood in line, my hands trembled as I held my passport.

I was really doing this, I was really leaving that monster.

I handed my passport to the flight attendant, patting my leg nervously as I waited for her to hand it back.

"Here you go, have a safe flight." She gave me my passport with a smile which I tried to return but it came out as an awkward grimace. 

I walked through the tunnel and into the plane where was greeted by another attendant who lead me to my seat.

While sitting down, a small laugh escaped my lips. It was done, there was no going back now.

 I was free, free of him. 'But,what if he caught you?' the scared little voice in the back of my mind questioned.

 That was a worry for another day, I had made the first steps to freedom and that was all that mattered.

I had smashed my phone to pieces before leaving the house and so there was no way he could track me now, even if he tried it would take him months. More than enough time.

"Would you like something to drink, M'am?M'am? Miss? Miss!" I flinched as the attendant reached over and shook my shoulder, she looked weirdly at me before gesturing at the cart full of beverages.

"Yes, a glass of Orange juice  please and some tacos please." The flight attendant smiled at me and took out a bottle from her cart. She popped it open and poured it effortlessly into a glass.

"What's the occasion?" She asked, handing it to me. She looked cheerful and her words were polite.

"I, uhm, I" I stuttered, struggling to find the perfect response to her question.

How on earth was i supposed to explain that i was running away from my Mafia boyfriend, who happened to be the son of the most feared Mafia leader in all of the united states and  probably even the world. 

How was I supposed to explain that he was also a bipolar, possessive and mentally deranged individual who humiliated, assaulted and harassed me on a daily basis?.

And that he was dominant and a drug addicted druggie, and he could not live without knowing where I was every seconds or minute of every day.

 How was I supposed to tell her that and more importantly why should I tell her that? So, I kept it simple; "I, uhm, I broke up with my boyfriend?"

"At it girl." She gave me a high-five and I was surprised at the compliment. "Who needs a man anyway, us girls got to stick together."My heart warmed at her words. I didn't know it at the time but I needed to hear those words. 

"So, what's the plan? Go to to South Carolina and become a stripper?I hear it pays well." I winced slightly at her joke before chuckling awkwardly.

I hadn't laughed in so long, it felt as if I had forgotten how to laugh.

A bland taste rose in my throat as reality hits me, but i shook it off  it was over i was done.

"No, my family live there and I haven't seen them in years. I plan to stay with them for awhile and I guess your find a good paying job."

I was surprised at my ability to hold this conversation, usually I was so overcome with nerves and social anxiety that I could barely let out a simple hello and yet here I was. 

Talking smoothly with a stranger, I blamed it on my desperation at this point.

"Well, I've got to get back to work. Here's another glass, you've already finished the first one. Anyway, good luck sister." She took my empty glass of orange juice  and replaced it with a filled one. 

I gave her an appreciative smile and turned to look at out the window.

I leaned my head back, a feeling of peace and tranquility coming over me as my eyes began to feel heavy.

Before I knew it had I drifted off into a peaceful oblivion.

My first peaceful sleep in three years .