Black Romance Chapter 28

Jessie

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I didn't sleep at all, I couldn't .

Every noise made me jump, every creek made my body tense, anticipating the door to fly open at any moment, and for one of his men to drag me away .

I couldn't stop looking over my shoulder, watching and waiting for the hammer to drop .
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But nothing came .

Staring in the mirror, my eyes were puffy and swollen with dark purple rings underneath . My face was droopy, the color of my skin dull and gray from pure exhaustion . Splashing my face with cold water, I wiped it clean and walked back out into the dressing room .

Vinchenzo was standing at my table, his arms crossed over his chest . "You look like shit, Jessie . "

"Thanks, that was the look I was going for . " Glancing up at him under hooded lids, my lips folded . "Are you going to stand in my way all night or do want me to get ready?"

Taking a wide step to the side, he lifted the back of his hand up and touched my forehead . Swatting him away, I glared at him with jagged angry brows .

"Just checking to see if you have a fever," he said, shrugging his shoulders .

"I'm not sick, I'm tired . "

"What's wrong?" he asked with a slight smirk on his face, as if this was some type of joke . "Not sleeping well? Do you want to take a sick day?"

Crooking my jaw, I tilted my head . "Are you fucking serious? Sleeping well . . . " Letting out a condescending laugh, I rolled my eyes . "You're right, knowing this is my life should make me sleep like a baby . "

Vin pressed the back of his knuckles into my table as he loomed over me . "Don't be a smart ass, Jessie . " His voice was cold, the playful tone erased . His words were rough and annoyed as he thinned his lips . "You know what will happen . And I know neither one of us wants that . "

"Like I care anymore . " Laying my face flat on the table, I pinched my eyes closed . "Go on, go tell him, let him do whatever the hell he wants to with me . I really don't give a shit at this point . "

I heard the soft scrape of the chair behind Vin, causing me to sit up quickly . Leaning back, I looked around his thick torso to see Aubrey slipping into her seat . She was moving slowly, lowering down as if her entire body was broken .

Vin glanced between us, letting his eyes settle back on mine . Moving his face to my ear, he whispered . "She's lucky she's alive, you and I both know that . Don't get her in trouble again . You're on thin ice, the last thing you want is to fall through . " The phone on his hip rang, so he tugged it free, and looked at the screen . "You're on in twenty minutes, Jessie, I suggest you get ready . "

Walking off, I heard him answer the call, talking quietly as he moved through the room checking on the rest of the girls .

Waiting for him to be out of ear shot, I looked back at Aubrey . She had bruises that looked like finger prints across her biceps and large red scratches on the side of her neck . There were tears in her flesh going down her back, most of them scabbed over and deep red .

"You alright?" I asked, my voice low enough so that only she could hear me .

Shifting her eyes to look at me from the corner, there was so much pain on her face . Her eyes were apathetic and bloodshot, filled with all the terror that she went through while she was away .

I had the scars to remind me of my own defiance, and the memories to create nightmares no one would ever wish on their worst enemy .

Touching my shoulder, I ran my fingertips over the same path that Salt had stroked . My skin tingled as I remembered how gentle his touch had been when he felt the raised area .

Peering at Aubrey, I gave her a smile . "I'm glad you're back . " My voice was delicate and grateful that Virgo hadn't killed her because of my foolishness . I wasn't sure how I would handle another death at my hands .

Her eyes held nothing; no silent smile, no hate filled curse words, she was just an empty shell . My heart broke inside, knowing that it was all my fault she had to go through that shit .

You ruined her . You broke her . You destroyed her .

My smile faded into a line as thin as paper . Mouthing the words, 'I'm sorry,' I let my gaze fall to my lap .

I never meant to cause her that pain . But I did . It was all my fault and I suffered no punishment for it .

Chapter end