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Prologue (Lou-Lou)
I shook under my covers when I saw the doorknob begin to turn.
Even at 15 I was still so scared of that fucking doorknob.
Or rather, who was on the other side of it.
I knew I locked it before I went to bed.
But I also knew it was only a matter of minutes before my father picked the lock and opened it anyway.
Just like I knew he had finished making a pinata out of my mother for the night, and now he was here to 'calm himself down.'
Vomit worked up my throat. I fought him off for so many years, always managing to stop him right before he took the only good thing I had left to give.
God, I hated John Travine.
The man wasn't my father.
He was a monster.
The doorknob jiggled and I held my breath as I reached for my bat under the bed.
“Open up, Lucia
No. I fought the tears stinging my eyes. I knew I had to get away.
Forever.
There was nothing keeping me here in the first place.
My mother knew what he did but never stopped him, most likely because he beat her senseless a few nights a week and she was happy the heat was off her when he was in here with me.
The doorknob jiggled again, he was only a few short maneuvers away from breaking in my room.
It was now or never.
I flung the covers off my bed and reached for my small knapsack that I’d prepared for the moment I finally worked up the nerve.
My bedroom window was on the second floor, but a twisted ankle was nothing compared to my freedom.
I threw my knapsack out the window first and slipped on a pair of chucks before throwing my sweatshirt on.
I heard the latch on the door open. My time was ru
I dangled one leg over my window, then the other one.
My stomach dropped when I looked down at the hard surface of the porch directly below me, but I didn't have a choice any longer.
I mustered up some more strength and slowly slid the rest of my small body out of the window.
That's when a hand grabbed my sweatshirt and tried pulling me back.
I let my body go limp, he wasn't strong enough to stop the natural flow of gravity.
He clasped onto my sweatshirt tighter and I heard the material begin to tear as he momentarily suspended me in mid-air. “Lucia
I regretted every single time he put his hands on me. Did the asshole actually think I liked it?
Did he think my cries were those of pleasure? Did he think that stop meant, please continue?
I heard one final ripping sound before my sweatshirt gave way and I landed on the hard patio floor. My left side taking most of the damage.
“Jesus, what the fuck is this shit?” some deep scratchy voice growled in the distance.
Not my father's voice.
“I have no idea, boss. I'm just as baffled as you are. I thought we were here to see John, not some little girl jumping out of a window.”
I rolled over, the pain from the fall radiating all throughout me. I tried to drag myself across the wooden surface of the porch until I could stand and finally start ru
I knew it wouldn't be long before John came ru
Finding purchase on the large chair, I hauled myself up and looked around for my bag.
I couldn't find it anywhere.
A large shadow loomed over me. The first thing I noticed were metal-tipped shoes. I looked up to face a huge man wearing a suit. His eyes were the darkest I'd ever seen and he had a scar that stretched from his ear to his jaw.
He was truly a frightening sight to behold.
He held my bag out to me. “I believe this is yours.”
I gulped and nodded.
It was a bad idea to leave tonight after all.
What the hell were these men doing right in front of my house?
I took the bag from him and his lips quirked up in amusement. “Mistress, burglar, or sneaking out to see your boyfriend?”
I shook my head. “What?” My eyes darted around the front yard hoping to spot a direct line to escape. “I'm none of those things.”
The other guy came into view. “Then why are you jumping out of a window at 1am in the morning?”
I opened my mouth to give a smart ass retort but the first man's voice cut me off. “Luke, call John and tell him to meet us out front for our meeting.”
“N-No. Please,” I begged. “I'll do anything. Just don't let him find me.”
He stepped forward. “What's your name?”
“Lucia
He looked down his nose at me. “That's a lovely name. Italian, no?”
I pressed my lips together refusing to respond. I needed to leave and he was holding me up.
“Answer me.”
I lifted my chin and glared at him. “I have no freaking idea. What does it matter anyway?”
He smiled and rubbed his jaw. “You've got some spunk in you. How old are you?”
“15. Almost 16.”
“You look younger.”
“I'm small for my age,” I bit back.
It was true. Besides being ski
“Why are you ru
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Why do you think? Why else does a girl run away from her piece of shit father in the middle of the night?”
His eyes widened. “He hurts you?”
“Let's just say it certainly doesn't tickle.” I hiked my bag up my shoulder. “Now, if you'll excuse me. I'll just be on my way.”
I’d barely moved an inch when he pulled me by my elbow and I instinctively flinched. “Worse than I thought,” the man said. “He doesn't just beat you, does he?”
I looked down at the ground. “No.”
“And yet, you've still got some sass in you. You're strong. Much stronger than my son ever was at your age. That's admirable.”
I heard the front door open and two sets of voices echoed in the distance. “That's great and all, mister. But I really have to go.”
I charged forward but his hand wrapped around my arm.
“No. You'll be staying with me.”
Dread filled me as I watched my father and the other man walk toward us.
My father's face hardened when he looked at me. “Go back inside, Lucia
With my head hanging low, I prepared to walk back into my hell-hole.
The hand on my shoulder tightened. “That won't be necessary, John.”
My father looked confused. “I don't follow. She's my daughter and she's going back inside. Don't involve her with our business.”
The large man beside me shook his head. “She doesn't belong to you anymore.”
Both my father and I looked at him in shock then. Heck, even his buddy Luke gave him a fu
“You're not taking my daughter, Bruno. She's 15 for Christ's sake. That's illegal.”
The large man that I now knew to be Bruno stepped toward my father. “Trust me, my intentions with her are far less illegal compared to the ones you've been partaking in, you sick fuck.”
My father paled. “You can't be serious. Don't believe whatever it is she told―”
The fist to my father's face made him swallow whatever words he was about to say.
“She doesn't belong to you anymore, Travine. Got it?”
Panic flashed across my father's face and he gave a small nod.
Bruno fixed the ring on his hand. “Good, now that we've got that settled. Time to talk business.”