Chapter 2

Adrenaline coursed through me as I pumped my feet on the wet grass. Pain seared through my chest, my limbs were about to give in and my lungs begged me to stop and fill them with air, but I didn't. I couldn't.

Not with the creature that was breathing down my neck. Goosebumps rose on my body as I ran, branches grazing and cutting my skin, but that was the least of my problems.

A loud shriek left my lips when cold hairy arms touched my elbow, creating a sharp cut, but I forced myself out of their hold and pumped my feet faster.

I kept running till I reached a dead end, the edge of a cliff, just like every other time.

I turned around slowly to see the creature prancing towards me.

Yellow eyes, black fur and bigger than any dog I'd ever seen. It had a malicious looking smile and I knew I had to get away.

I turned around, and with one big leap, jumped over the edge of the cliff.

I jolted awake, feeling wet and uneasy.

No, it wasn't the wetness I felt whenever I dreamt of that sexy stranger from the club days ago doing sinful things to my body. It was wetness from being drenched in my own sweat from the nightmare that had woken me up.

The nightmare, the same I had been plagued with since turning 15. It had become a constant in my life and the longest I went without one was two weeks. It had changed over the years but the general theme remained the same.

I sighed and sat up, wiping off the beads of sweat that had formed on my forehead before looking at the time on my alarm clock.

7:25.

Definitely too early to go back to sleep.

I peeled the covers off me and went into the bathroom to do my morning business. All the while, my mind kept traveling back to a certain green-eyed man. Infact, my mind never left him since that day at the club and I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

A sharp sting had me looking at my elbow, and I must be going crazy if I thought it was the same cut I'd gotten in my dream that stared back at me.

I waved it off but couldn't help the gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach.

When I was done with my routine, I got dressed and headed downstairs. The scent of pancakes and bacon attacked my nostrils, and I took in a deep breath.

A smile broke out of my lips as I remembered what today was.

My birthday. The day I legally turned an adult.

Was mom preparing breakfast for my birthday?

I hurried downstairs, taking the stairs two at a time till I got to the open plan kitchen.

“Hi, mom,” I greeted and perched myself up on the kitchen island.

“Hi, sweetie,” she replied with the biggest smile I'd seen in years.

While I was happy that she was happy, I couldn't help my brows knitting together in confusion. “Someone seems to be in a good mood.”

“Yes,” she smiled giddily and plated my food. “Here, eat. I have something to tell you,” she said.

“Okay,” I drawled out.

My curiousity was quickly replaced with hunger as my stomach growled and I dug into my food.

I couldn't remember the last time I ate a meal my mom prepared, not because she was too busy with work, but because she was never sober long enough to prepare one after the incident.

It was one morning four months ago that she woke up and cleared up her empty cans, took her bath and left the house, and ever since then, she was better, happier.

I pushed the thoughts down and focused on my food.

She sat beside me, humming a sweet melody while munching on her food.

The sound, as sweet as it was, grated at my consciousness, and I knew I wouldn't get any more food down my throat till I knew what was going on.

I dropped the half-eaten pancake in my hand and turned to her. “What's going on, mom?”

“Impatient much?” She raised an eyebrow but the now permanent smile remained on her face.

I didn't say anything and she pushed her own plate and turned to me.

Blue eyes that mirrored mine but were dusted with wrinkles showing age and suffering, sparkled before she dropped the bomb. “I'm getting married.”

“What?!” I asked, my eyes as wide as saucers.

I couldn't tell what she took my reaction for as her smile widened even more and she nodded. She brought up her fingers and that was when I noticed the huge diamond ring that covered half of her middle finger.

“What?” I asked again.

“He asked me yesterday,” she said dreamily.

“Mom, are you crazy? You only just escaped the claws of addiction and now this? You're getting married?” I asked bewildered.

Her smile disappeared and she looked at me sternly. “And who plunged me into that addiction, little miss?” She spat.

Her words stung but I stood my ground.

Did she even know this guy she was getting married to? What if he was a crack head who took older women to fulfill his crazy fantasies in a dark basement?

“Mom, are you even thinking?” I yelled.

“I'm thinking all right. Better than I've done in the last ten years after I lost my husband because of you!” She yelled back.

“Is that why you'll go around fucking any man you see and even getting married to them?” I snapped before I could stop myself.

I heard it before I felt it. The loud sound of her hand connecting with my cheek before I felt the sting.

Hot tears rolled out of my eyes and I held my cheek.

“You won't talk to me that way. I am your mother,” she said, vibrating with anger.

“You haven't been my mother for ten years,” I cried even more.

“That was because you took what was most precious to me. You took my husband. You killed him!”

My heart twisted painfully at the reminder of what I had done and I knew I had no right to say anything else because she was right.

She gritted her teeth and took deep breaths. “Look, Ellie, I'm finally moving on. The least you can do for me is be happy,” she said softly.

“Mom,” I drawled out with tears streaming down my cheeks.

“He's different. He loves me. He makes me happy, don't you see?” She took my hand.

“You barely even know this guy,” I whispered.

“He's a lovely man. You'll confirm it when you see him,” her smile returned.

“See him?” I tilted my head to the side.

“Yes, sweetie, you're going to see him today.”

The rest of her words breezed past my ear and now, I was standing in front of my dressing table, taming my wild curls and convincing myself that it was my fault she turned out the way she did and now that a glimmer of happiness was shining in her life, I would be too selfish to snatch it from her.

With a small sigh, I dropped the brush back and took in my full reflection. I was dressed down in jeans and a shirt since I didn't know what people usually wore to meet their new step fathers.

“Elodie!” My mom's voice rang through the house and I finished up my look with lipgloss before walked downstairs.

Her lips curled downward, showing disapproval for my dressing, but she didn't say anything. I probably looked like a drag beside her in her beautiful designer dress and heels.

The ride to wherever we were going was long and the silence that ensued between us was uncomfortable.

Our non-existent relationship became even more strained with what she just dumped on me, and I closed my eyes, pretending to be sleeping to reduce the awkwardness of the ride.

The car slowed down and came to a stop a while later and I opened my eyes to the most magnificent house I'd ever seen.

Well-kept and beautifully decorated lawn and driveway with a large, castle, for lack of better words.

It was a modern building but I didn't have time to admire it as mom pulled my elbow with her into the house.

“He lives here?” I couldn't keep the surprise off my voice.

“Smile,” she said instead as we walked through the large double doors.

“Welcome,” a deep voice had me shifting my gaze from her.

Mom left me and walked up to the handsome middle aged man and I couldn't help but marvel at my mom's impeccable taste.

“Darling,” the man cooed and kissed mom passionately.

I looked away awkwardly.

“I'm sorry, you must be Elodie,” he said after they pulled away.

“Ellie,” I corrected him.

The use of my full name by strangers irked me.

“I'm Daniel. Your mom has told me a whole lot about you,” he smiled and held out hand for me to take.

Well, why am I just hearing about you this morning?

But I didn't dare say it out and just returned his smile and took his hand.

“Such a beauty. Just like her mother,” the man said, making my mother blush profusely.

I loved my mother and seeing her happy gladdened my heart, but watching her blush like a school girl made all the food I'd eaten jump to my throat.

“Can I use the bathroom, please?” I asked courteously.

“First floor, last room by your left,” Daniel said offhandedly. “Don't be late. Dinner is almost ready,” he smiled.

I returned his smile with a stiff one, and hurried on my way just in time before he grabbed mom's butt.

I fake-gagged and rushed up the grand stairs. Dinner was going to be torture and I hoped to get my shit together before going back down there.

The hallway was large, just fitting for the house that seemed to be something out of a movie, but just before I got to the room I was directed to, something made me stop in my tracks.

My heart flipped and a force, just like I'd felt a week ago at the club washed over me, making me walk towards the right.

Once I was close enough to a door, I started hearing sounds. My brows furrowed, but my curiosity got the best of me and I turned the knob, pushing the door open.

My mouth hung open at what I saw.

A blonde woman on her knees, a pair of strong hand gripping her hair as he thrust hard into her face.

Their moans and grunts of pleasure were drowned out by my heart slamming in my chest as the man turned to me and all the air was knocked out of me at those green eyes.