His hand hits my cheek, and tears spring to my eyes.
“Deacon is no father, he’s merely a substitute. I will be her father, and you will be my wife. There is nowhere you can run, no darkness you can hide in that I will not be able to find you.” His hand moves to my neck, and I squeeze my eyes shut.
“You may always look for me, but I will always run. I will never allow myself or my daughter to be in your world. You sicken me, nothing more than a petty thug.” I grind my foot into his knee, but he merely laughs it off.
“Deacon isn’t coming for you, my love. The only way you can see him again is in death. Make the right choice.” His grip tightens, as I lash out at him, drawing blood and scoring his neck with my nails.
He hisses, before he pins me to the wall, his grip tightening to the point where I can no longer draw breath into my lungs.
“Don’t make me do this, Selene. Just agree to be mine, and we can live out our happily ever after,” he pleads with me before his mouth meets mine. I can’t close my mouth, as I gasp for breath, but the minute he pushes his tongue inside, I bite down.
“Never, Arthur.”
“Never say never, I may not get you in this life, but I will have you in the next. If not you, then someone just. Like. You.”
As the life drains from me, and my body stops thrashing, the only name that passes through my mind is Luna. I hope she never crosses paths with the Harkwrights, and she’ll be able to live a different life to mine. I love you, baby. I hope you will always remember that.
Luna
Now
We pull up outside a cemetery, and I don’t understand why he’s bringing me here to meet my dad. Unless…
“Have you ever visited your mom’s grave?” he asks softly, and I’m surprised by the pain in his voice.
“No, Sir, I never knew where she was buried.” I keep my head low, as he opens his door, before opening mine for me.
“Maybe it’s time you did.” He offers me his hand, and although I don’t want to take it, I’m too scared of him to refuse.
He leads me over to what can only be described as a monument. It’s that big. An angel looking up towards the sky, with Selene written across the bottom.
“Did you do this for her?” Wonder is clear to hear in my voice, and his grip on my hand tightens.
“I did, I thought it was the least I could do. After everything that happened, I wanted her to be able to rest in peace. To give her a way to feel connected to the sky that she always loved. She was a brilliant woman, you remind me of her, but in some ways, you are completely different.” He pulls me away before leading me back towards the car.
“Would you tell me about her, please?”
“Your mother was brilliant, smart, funny, but swore worse than a sailor. I’ve never liked that type of language, and she was kind enough to not use it around me, unless she got really mad.” He chuckles to himself, and although I’m glad he’s talking about her, I wish he would let go of my hand.
“You must have really loved her to do this.” I look back at the angel, and I’m not sure my words are right. If she was like me, she would have wanted something simpler.
“I do, I never stopped. Love doesn’t go away just because life does. I also believe that this world gives us a second chance and when that happens, you have to take it.” He opens my door, and I slide inside.
As we drive away, he points out one gravestone, or rather two, side by side. These ones aren’t pristine, and it’s easy to tell that they’re not as well cared for as Selene’s is.
“Who do they belong to?”
“Your father and uncle,” he says it rather flippantly, and my mouth drops open, as I stare at him.
“My dad is dead? This is what you meant when you said you would take me to him?” I can’t keep the accusation out of my voice, and his eyes narrow ever so slightly.
“Yes, he died the same day your mom did. A car crash, I believe.”
“Like fated lovers,” I breathe out, and his eyes cut to me.
“What did you say?”
“Like Romeo and Juliet. Two people destined to be together, but fate wouldn’t allow it. So instead of finding their happiness in this life, they got to find it in the next?” I don’t know why I said it like a question. It’s what I like to believe is true.
“They were not fated lovers. He took advantage of a vulnerable girl, and led her down the wrong path. She would have been better off if she never met him,” he grinds it out as his eye twitches in the corner, and his hand tightens on the steering wheel.
“He was mean to her?” That doesn’t seem right, why would she leave with him if that was the case?
“He stole her life from her. She was set to go on to great things, and instead, she ran and hid away. Took her light from the world, and pretended that it didn’t bother her, that being with him was enough. She didn’t know what love is, but you do, don’t you, my dear?” His eyes are heavy on me, and I swallow hard, scared to answer.
“I believe so, though it took a while to figure it out,” I say hesitantly, as we continue to drive, and I don’t need a map to know we’re not heading towards the Academy. A ball of dread settles in my stomach, and the car is starting to feel stifling.
“It’s exactly what you need, my dear Selene, to experience life more than before. This time you won’t run from me, and we can finally get the life we deserve.” His hand falls on my knee, and I flinch.
“My name is Luna,” I grind out, trying my hardest to rein in my stuttering, I can’t afford to show him any weakness.
“Just a minor technicality. But that will soon be corrected, the paperwork will arrive shortly, and then you will be Selene in all the ways that matter.” He drops a kiss on my cheek, as bile rises up my throat, before he flicks the lock on, and continues to drive.
He’s insane. I mean, he has to be. He can’t actually believe that I’m Selene, can he? It isn’t possible, he’s this formidable man that holds the world at his fingertips, and yet, he’s utterly bat shit crazy. I need to get away, but I don’t know how. I’m not foolish to believe that he’ll take me to the Academy or the police station. I’m scared of where he is driving, because anyone who says they don’t fear the unknown is a bald faced liar!
The fact he can even know where my father and uncle are, speaks volumes. Does it mean what I fear, that he killed them? Does that mean that he killed Selene as well?
We drive until I lose all my bearings, and he turns into a driveway. A gate slams home, sealing us in, and he presses a button with a smile on his face.
“Electrified gates, such an ingenious invention.” He climbs out, before walking around to open my door.
My hand trembles as I place it in his, and he pulls me out. I don’t want him touching me, but I won’t be able to move off my own steam. It’s too much, everything is just too much for me to handle. I can feel myself tearing at the seams, and the only thing that is keeping me together is the fact that my guys are safe.
“Come on now, my sweet Selene, let’s get inside. I have a room all set up for you, and a closet brimming with your favorite clothes.” He smiles sweetly at me, and I try not to shiver.