THE DEVILS ANGEL [18+]

FORTY TWO

Annabelle

Searing pain is all I feel when I finally regain consciousness. The pounding in my head feels like I've been on a three day bender. My body feels heavy, like thick tar has been drizzled over it and it's set. Moving my head takes what little energy I have.

What's going on?

Groaning, I try to rub my head to try and ease the throb that's thumping against my forehead but I find my hands are bound. My eyes fly open in panic as I find myself in an unfamiliar room, bound to a chair. My heart beats erratically as adrenaline courses through my veins. The ropes bite into the skin of my wrists, but all I can think about is how I got here and how I'm going to get out of this.

I survey the room, outdated curtains hand from the high ceilings shutting out the world outside. I can't say what time of day it is and the drugs that are obviously in my system keep my mind sluggish. A small lamp that's placed in the corner of the obnoxiously large room is the only source of light that I have.

The wooden chair that I'm bound to is in the middle of a room that looks like it's been abandoned for some time before it was used as my cell. Litter covers most of the floor space and holes adore most of the walls.

Fog still wraps round my mind like a tight fist, making it hard to think straight. My body feels like it has a thousand bricks are attached to it, the simple act of moving my head is proving to be difficult. But, it doesn't take long for my memory to come flooding back.

"You shouldn't be out here right now, it's not safe." Blake chides, but there is no heat to it.

I quickly wipe away the stray tears that have fallen. I hate people seeing me upset, I hate appearing so weak and it's bad enough that everyone witnessed my sister screaming at me. The venom in her tone showed just how much I've hurt her, how much she hates me. The one person I never wanted hurt was Wren but my actions, my decisions have caused her nothing but pain.

The feeling of failing washes over me like a tidal wave, pulling me further and further under water to the point that I feel like I'm drowning. The minute I laid eyes on Wren's tiny body twelve years ago I had this overwhelming protectiveness, I knew in that second that I would be anything to keep her safe and happy.

"I just needed a minute. I needed to breathe." I confess. The walls felt like they were closing in and I could feel a panic attack coming on .

I don't want to admit that I couldn't stand to be in the same house is Wren any longer. Her onslaught of hate hit me like a knife to my chest. To know just how much I've fucked up our relationship. All those years I thought I was protecting her, putting her first. All that pain I've absorbed, just for her to hate me anyway. Maybe I should let her get to know Jeremy, let her figure out what kind of man he is.

I'd finally be able to live some kind of normal life and she would have a proper family. Something she seems to crave and something I can't provide for her.

"Let's get you back inside, Elliot would have my head if he knew you were out here." Blake places a hand at my back and tries to guide me back into the house.