I’m not sure what he’s getting at, but hope resurfaces in my chest. “I love her,” I tell him, hoping he understands the severity of how far I would go for her.
“Save it, man. I can’t even stomach to hear that shit right now. I need to see my baby girl stop crying for a goddamn second. Make that fucking happen.” He turns around, grumbling, “Asshole,” under his breath, and walks back into the hospital.
Hazel
The doctor has signed off on me being released today. On the outside, I’m good to go—no physical wounds. Evan didn’t rape me, thank God. On the inside, though, there’s so much wreckage, it almost seems impossible I’ll make it out of this alive. My heart is shattered into a million devastated pieces. There’s this cold darkness in its place. Regret, anger, depression. They now fill the void of a man who once held my heart.
“Hey, baby girl.” Dad walks in with Violet at his side. “Are you ready to go?”
I slide off the bed and grab the medication sheet the doctor prescribed me. Antidepressants, Xanax—basically everything to put me into a zombie-induced state. Hopefully, my mind will forget the reality I’m living in.
“Yeah, I’m good,” I lie, refusing to make eye contact with Dad. Violet steps forward, comforting me as we walk out of my room. Even though she’s been nothing but supportive, I can’t rid myself of this dull resentment I have toward her—the bitterness that she gets to have the happily ever after.
“Sorry, kiddo, it’s mandatory you be wheeled out,” Dad says.
I barely acknowledge him as I take a seat, my eyes glued to the ground. Tile after tile, I count them as I’m wheeled down the hall. That’s the only thing I can do, count each one to distract my mind. Because when I leave here, I’ll have nothing.
“Hazel, I know you don’t want to hear this right now, but from this point forward, you need to make better decisions,” my dad starts, and I bite the inside of my cheek, fighting back the tears. “You need to really evaluate your future and decide what’s best for you. I love you and won’t let anything or anyone harm you or get in the way of your happiness. Because that’s what I want—you to be happy.”
I don’t reply. His words feel like needles probing into my skin as tears start to fall down my cheek. I bite my cheek harder, so I don’t tell him to go to hell. My lips stay closed as we push through the hospital doors.
“Just remember, I’m always there for you if you need me. If anyone doesn’t treat you like you deserve…” His words trail off, and my breath hitches.
“What’s going on?” I ask, my brow furrowing. “What are you doing here?’
Gabriel, dressed in a casual pair of jeans and a dark blue polo, pushes off his SUV and takes two steps toward me. Dad stops pushing me and leans forward, whispering in my ear. “I mean it, baby girl, make good choices. And always know I’m here for you.” He stands straight, takes Violet’s hand in his, and begins to walk toward the parking lot. “Fucking asshole,” he grumbles under his breath as he passes Gabriel. Gabriel smiles, waits until my dad and Violet are out of earshot, then sticks out his hand.
“Let’s go, little bird.”
“What do you mean? What’s going on?” My brain stutters as I take him in, every glorious inch of him. Is my mind playing tricks on me? Is he really here? For me? I struggle to inhale, exhale—anything—until he explains what’s going on.
“It’s exactly what it looks like. I’m taking you back to your cage.”
My eyes widen. “Wait—what do you mean? What about my dad?”
He doesn’t wait for me to stand and scoops me into his arms. “Let’s just say if I ever go missing, no one is to come looking for me.” I draw in a quick breath, and Gabriel freezes mid-step. “Are you okay? Are you sore? Should we go back in and have a doctor check you out?”
“No. Jesus, no, don’t take me back in there. Gabriel, what happened?”
He laughs, holding me with one strong hand while opening the passenger door. “I’ve officially turned in my Dom card and have submitted to not just one, but two people, for the first time in my life.”
I wait for him to continue, not understanding what he’s getting at. He laughs again, settling me in the seat and buckling me in. He pauses and looks up at me, suddenly completely serious and sincere. “I got down on my knees and bowed down to a man and begged to have his daughter. I told him I was in love with her and would spend every second of my life, making sure she felt that love and security. I told him I would probably never let her out of my sight, and she would most likely feel smothered and leave me in the end anyway, but until that day came, I’d cherish every single second of her.”
My tears are wild, falling in waves. “And what did my dad say?”
“He threatened my life in the most creative ways, then he called me an asshole and gave me his blessing…in not so many words.”
Hope blooms inside my chest. Is this real? I can’t keep up with the tears. Gabriel lifts his hand to wipe at my cheek. “And who is the second person you submitted to?” I ask.
He leans forward gently and softly kisses my lips. “This little blunt spitfire of a woman. I plan on clipping her wings so she can never fly away from me. Then I’m going to get down on my knees and let her know just how much I’m in love with her. If she still loves me and still wants me, she has me. If it takes giving up control just to have her, I’ll tell her it’s already hers. I’d kneel for a lifetime just to have her.”
“Oh, Gabriel.” I wrap my arms around his neck, probably choking him. “I do. I always will.” He finds my eager mouth and grants me his lips. It feels like it’s been a lifetime since I’ve felt him against me. “So, what happens now?” I ask. I must be a glutton for punishment. Any time I’ve asked this question, it’s brought me nothing but pain.
“Right now, I take you home and devour every inch of you until you remember who you belong to—who owns you, who you own. As for the not-so-immediate future, that’s for us to decide together.”
I can’t kiss him fast enough. Hard enough. Passionately enough. There’s no possible way to show him just how much he owns me. And knowing this is real, when we get home, I’ll show him even villains get their happily ever afters.
My lips spread into a mischievous smile against his. “Well, let’s get to it. Time’s a tickin’, and I don’t take kindly to tardiness.”
Hazel
Standing in our dorm doorway one last time, I stare at the empty room before I grab the final box and head out. It’s bittersweet in a way to say goodbye, but I’m ready for the new chapter.
Dad comes up behind me, grabbing the box, and kisses me on the cheek. “This the last one? Good. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
I take another moment to memorize the room Violet and I shared. I think about all the good memories we had here. And about the new memories we’ll make next semester. They just won’t be here.
If there was one thing Dad was certain about, aside from Gabriel being an asshole, it was that neither of us was coming back to this school. He blames himself, stating that after what happened with Violet, he should’ve pulled us both then.