♕—Delilah I pulled out a cute red dress from my closet. Back home in Onteros, I had always been an abject victim of their conservative choices, forced to wear frumpy dresses that hid all of my curves. No plunging neckline, no sultry choices that reflected my true personality - just dull, dreary dresses that blended into the crowd. It seemed like the royal seamstress had a vendetta against me as she often deliberately ruined my outfits. I threw away all my negative thoughts and slipped into the vibrant red dress. Even though Reyna had bought them, I hate to admit that she had an impeccable fashion sense. I curled my hair in gentle waves, admiring the contrast between my blonde locks and the dress. I swiped on a glossy red lipstick, giving my lips the perfect amount of pout.I was no Princess Delilah, instead, I was just a normal girl who had encountered a gorgeous stranger at the subway station, and now I was going on a second date with them.After tonight, there were only two days
♕—Delilah I was delighted as I tried to feed him more of it, however, he ate it as if it were the most unbearable thing he had ever encountered; he scowled intermittently and continually shook his head in disapproval."It's too sweet for me," he said over the screams of hyperactive children that filled the background. I rolled my eyes, and with a self-satisfied smirk I said, "But you like a bit of sweetness in your life now, don't you?" "Nuh-uh," he replied firmly. I batted my lashes and joked, "But you like me..." "Who told you that you're sweet? Not me, that's for sure!" he raised an eyebrow comically as if he was making fun of me for even thinking that, my mouth hung open at his words, before he added, "I don't think you're sweet at all... You're more like a bitter-sweet surprise and I'm totally fine with that."I feigned a pout and punched him playfully in the arm, "What?! That's so mean, Lorenzo!"He shook his head, he was amused I could see the hint of that beautiful smile o
♕—Delilah After dinner, we headed to the central park at a late hour. We took a slow walk, not uttering a word. The darkness was just like it had been on the night we first ventured out, and it had rained. Recollections of that evening came back, it had been something else then, it wasn't anything good, he was just my captor back then I was just his captive, however, this night was completely different.Two days, Delilah, two..."Tonight was..." I trailed off, lost for words, my cheeks ablaze, "It was nice..." "It was, wasn't it?" I nodded, "Thank you for remembering," I said and I knew that he understood what am I talking about. He remembered such tiny detail about me, I didn't even remember telling him that I wanted to go to an amusement park, it was a childish dream. I had seen Disneyland on TV back home but since I was Princess Delilah Regina Gutenberg, amusement parks were beneath me. Lorenzo spotted a quiet, shadowy bench in the corner and drew me toward it, my breaths coming
♕—Delilah "Delilah?"He halted suddenly and so did I, neither of us reaching our high, it was ruined - the feel, the moment of euphoria. I met his gaze and he looked back at me with a fearful but knowing expression.It was over. Our moment. And maybe, my life. Startled, I hastily got off Lorenzo's lap, and frantically attempted to fix my clothes and make sure that my underwear was in its rightful place. Lorenzo rose swiftly and I nervously turned around and came face-to-face with Jack. My legs trembled as a wave of guilt and shame swept over me upon seeing him after such a long time. My eyes brimmed with tears and I was overcome with fear.As soon as I laid my eyes on him, I felt a wave of emotions. His face reminded me of how he looked before, a little haggard, yet still undeniably the same. Jack's eyes widened in surprise as if he couldn't believe it was me, the atmosphere grew stifling with unease. I felt my gut churn with complicated confusion. In the past, old Delilah would
♞—Lorenzo My head snapped to the side, a faint burn lingered on my cheek, I looked back at her as tears dropped down her chin. Why was she crying? Isn't he what she wanted? Why is she reacting like that? The last two days with her had been different, I wanted to give her the choice of choosing for herself. Because if she wanted to stay with me, I would have done everything in my power to keep her. My gaze flicked back to the blonde asshole who stood protectively behind her, his brows furrowed with concern. I didn't mean for him to see us like that but something inside of me wanted her, an inner urge emerged, wanting to say goodbye to her for what seemed like the last time.Because I know, I just fucking know that she will choose him. That bastard looked like a ken fucking doll compared to me. No matter how much I loathed it, she was meant to be with someone who had no dark secrets, no dark past. Someone like Jack, her filthy stable boy. My chest tightened with apprehension, refus
♕—Delilah Jack tugged me along, I kept looking back over my shoulder. Was he following me? Is this a trap? Was he testing me? Is he or his men going to jump out of nowhere and drag me back to his place? But none of that happened... Lorenzo didn't follow me... I looked back again, tears streaming down my face faster than my heartbeat. A loud sob escaped my throat. I could still feel him all over me, all into me. His scent still lingered over my body, his touch still remained on my skin. He let me go without a fight?He gave me up just like that after all that? How can he? Jack wrapped an arm around my shoulder as he paid for the bus ticket to Brooklyn. I still looked back for him... Why was I looking back for him? He kidnapped me, didn't he? He kept me in that room until I took my own life. He put that collar around my neck. He's horrible! He's a killer! He's crazy! He's everything I know shouldn't want in my life! Jack. Jack is who I chose. Jack is the one I had been in love
♕—Delilah "Everything..." I whispered, "He had taken everything from me, Jack, everything..." my eyes burned with the force of the tears that threatened to break free. I gave up! I gave up, Lorenzo, you win! I felt my heart break as I began to cry, uncontrollably sobbing into Jack's shirt. My breath was short with each deep intake of air, and my cries echoed in the confined space. I clung to him like a limp rag doll, my heart beating against his chest."He took away all my hopes and dreams, Jack, every last one of them. Now, I'm left with nothing, no possessions, only a hollow void inside my heart. He stripped away my freedom, invading my physical and mental spaces. He took it all, and it's too much for me to bear. I'm broken... He took everything..." I miss him so deeply it hurts. I cry for the love I held for him, and the way it was taken away from me!He took my heart... He took my heart... He took my heart... These words kept resonating in my head but never left my lips.
♕—Delilah "What now?" I asked as Jack ate his breakfast, my appetite had diminished completely, and I didn't feel like eating anything. "We'll figure something out soon." "How?" I asked, "We have no money..." Jack shoved a piece of toast in his mouth before wiping his hand with a napkin and finally giving me his undivided attention. "We'll figure something out!" "Maybe, I should get a job here somewhere," I suggested, knowing well that I knew nothing about anything and we still weren't safe. Nikolai Costello or his men could find us at any second...Jack laughed, "A job? You?" I lifted a shoulder, "Why not? I could work at a restaurant, don't you think?" That just made him laugh harder, "My, there sure is a difference between the kitchen of a royal palace and the kitchen of a restaurant, isn't there, Delilah? Just because your servants have been flattering you doesn't necessarily mean you cook well. All your servants do is try to get on your good side. Those servants of yours,