Page 91
Story: Untouchable Love
“Something? As in my father?”
“Maybe?” She cringes, not wanting to admit that to me.
“Did they leave?”
“I don’t think they would leave us alone.” That means they are still here. That would also have to mean that my father is also here. I head for the door. I expect it to be locked, but it opens. He must have left it unlocked so that Riley could come up. "Angel." Riley chases after me as I descend the stairs. The warehouse door stands open as well. Nikolai's car is parked in front of it next to Abel's, but I don't see them anywhere.
"Where are they?"
"We most likely don't want to know." She grabs my hand, wanting to lead me back up the stairs, but I shake her hold off and start to look around. I stop when I find a set of underground concrete stairs. It's like someone dug up the earth just to make this basement. At the bottom, there is a metal door. "Angel, don't."
Maybe I should listen to her, but instead I go down them. When I try to open the door, it doesn't budge. I press my ear to it, but you can’t hear anything.
"They're in there, aren't they?"
"Probably." Riley stands behind me. We both let out a small scream and jump when we hear the loud click of a lock before the thick metal door starts to open.
"Shit," Nikolai mutters when he sees me, but I look past him, my eyes landing on Abel, who is standing over my father with a pair of pliers in his hand.
17
CHURCH
“Angel.” I drop the pliers. She stares at me. Her face is unreadable. Something I’m not used to. Her face usually shows all of her emotions, but right now there is nothing. Fear grips me. It’s a feeling I’m not used to.
“Angel,” Her father croaks out. I'm sure he's shocked to see his daughter standing there. I want to cut his eyes out so that he can never stare at her again. “Help me.” His voice cracks.
Angel takes a step back, running into Riley, whose face is scrunched in disgust. This isn’t something either of them needs to see.
“Come on.” Riley tries to pull at Angel to get her attention. I watch as tears fill my Angel’s eyes. Ones that I know I have caused. She finally lets Riley pull her up the stairs.
I fucking forgot to lock the upstairs doors after Riley had entered. I never forget anything. I follow after them. There is no way I will let her run from me. I know I should. She needs her space, but I can’t stop myself. Nikolai doesn't dare try to get in my way, either. He knows better.
I know the bay door is open. I’d left it that way because Matteo had said he was headed this way. He didn’t give me any details of why, but he wouldn’t pop in for no reason. Whatever he needs is important for him to pay a personal visit. Usually, he would just send Sergio if it were business as usual.
“Angel,” I call after her. She stops walking and turns to face me.
“I’m not running.” She whispers it out. “I know better.”
Fuck me. I stop walking.
She knows better? Those words rip at my insides. A torture of my own making.
“Are you going to kill him?”
“I mean, he doesn’t have to kill him if that bothers you, but he’s a dead man,” Nikolai answers.
“Shut the fuck up,” I bark at him.
“Abel?” Angel asks again, wanting me to answer.
“If you don’t want me to, I won't.” Her eyes widen.
“Don’t ask me that!” She shifts on her feet. I want to go to her, but I keep my feet planted. Her words of knowing better hold me in place. To my surprise, it’s Angel that moves toward me. She places her hands on my chest, staring up at me. “How long has he been down here? The whole time I’ve been here?”
"Yes." I won't lie to her. I have already hidden so much.
“Why are you doing that to him?”
“Maybe?” She cringes, not wanting to admit that to me.
“Did they leave?”
“I don’t think they would leave us alone.” That means they are still here. That would also have to mean that my father is also here. I head for the door. I expect it to be locked, but it opens. He must have left it unlocked so that Riley could come up. "Angel." Riley chases after me as I descend the stairs. The warehouse door stands open as well. Nikolai's car is parked in front of it next to Abel's, but I don't see them anywhere.
"Where are they?"
"We most likely don't want to know." She grabs my hand, wanting to lead me back up the stairs, but I shake her hold off and start to look around. I stop when I find a set of underground concrete stairs. It's like someone dug up the earth just to make this basement. At the bottom, there is a metal door. "Angel, don't."
Maybe I should listen to her, but instead I go down them. When I try to open the door, it doesn't budge. I press my ear to it, but you can’t hear anything.
"They're in there, aren't they?"
"Probably." Riley stands behind me. We both let out a small scream and jump when we hear the loud click of a lock before the thick metal door starts to open.
"Shit," Nikolai mutters when he sees me, but I look past him, my eyes landing on Abel, who is standing over my father with a pair of pliers in his hand.
17
CHURCH
“Angel.” I drop the pliers. She stares at me. Her face is unreadable. Something I’m not used to. Her face usually shows all of her emotions, but right now there is nothing. Fear grips me. It’s a feeling I’m not used to.
“Angel,” Her father croaks out. I'm sure he's shocked to see his daughter standing there. I want to cut his eyes out so that he can never stare at her again. “Help me.” His voice cracks.
Angel takes a step back, running into Riley, whose face is scrunched in disgust. This isn’t something either of them needs to see.
“Come on.” Riley tries to pull at Angel to get her attention. I watch as tears fill my Angel’s eyes. Ones that I know I have caused. She finally lets Riley pull her up the stairs.
I fucking forgot to lock the upstairs doors after Riley had entered. I never forget anything. I follow after them. There is no way I will let her run from me. I know I should. She needs her space, but I can’t stop myself. Nikolai doesn't dare try to get in my way, either. He knows better.
I know the bay door is open. I’d left it that way because Matteo had said he was headed this way. He didn’t give me any details of why, but he wouldn’t pop in for no reason. Whatever he needs is important for him to pay a personal visit. Usually, he would just send Sergio if it were business as usual.
“Angel,” I call after her. She stops walking and turns to face me.
“I’m not running.” She whispers it out. “I know better.”
Fuck me. I stop walking.
She knows better? Those words rip at my insides. A torture of my own making.
“Are you going to kill him?”
“I mean, he doesn’t have to kill him if that bothers you, but he’s a dead man,” Nikolai answers.
“Shut the fuck up,” I bark at him.
“Abel?” Angel asks again, wanting me to answer.
“If you don’t want me to, I won't.” Her eyes widen.
“Don’t ask me that!” She shifts on her feet. I want to go to her, but I keep my feet planted. Her words of knowing better hold me in place. To my surprise, it’s Angel that moves toward me. She places her hands on my chest, staring up at me. “How long has he been down here? The whole time I’ve been here?”
"Yes." I won't lie to her. I have already hidden so much.
“Why are you doing that to him?”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96