In the arms of evil

The monster i have become

She hasn't looked my way since she found out about losing our child. She's just been sitting there... staring at a blank wall barely blinking. "How are we doing?" The doctor asks, coming in. She doesn't turn to face him. It's like she doesn't even hear him. "I want to go home." The doctor and I look at each other, wondering who's going to tell her she can't leave yet. "Baby," I touch her hand, but she removes it instantly. "I'm going home Colton. Are you coming with me?" I'm looking into her eyes... but she's not there. Something inside of her broke. She's going to leave with or without me so the best way I can protect her now is by letting her get out of here. "Okay baby. Let's go home." She smiles sadly before her eyes drift to the window filled with raindrops and fog.

In the car, she doesn't say a word. I'm worried about her. More than I was before. She's been through so much, I think losing our child was the last straw.

Pulling up to the her house, we sit there silently as I turn the car off. "Look, what's happened wasn't your fault. You know that, right?" I place my hand on her leg, and she looks down at it before she looks at me and smiles softly, placing her hand on top of mine. "I know Colton" she says sincerely. "It's Marcus's fault." Goosebumps freckle my skins. "He should never have threatened you to kill him. He should have done it himself. I heard what Leon said." Oh no no no. "He sent those guys to hurt me. I want to know why he sent you after Troy. He knows something Colton. And I'm not going to stop until I find out what." With that, she kisses my cheek gently and gets out the car. This isn't her. She'll be killed if she goes up against Marcus. But I guess to her... she has nothing left to lose.

"Brooklyn don't do this" I shout, chasing after her out of the car. "You can't stop me Colton. He's taken everything from me and I have nothing to lose anymore." I yank on her arm before she can turn the door knob. "I was going to kill him for us baby. Please, just let me handle this" I practically beg her. She scoffs at me, yanking her hand back. "You said the same thing about Troy. Look where that got us" she places a hand on her stomach before she turns from me, walking into her house.

Brooklyn's pov
Coming home after finding out my baby died... something in me doesn't feel right. I don't feel like me anymore. I keep losing this game of life and I'm sick of it. I'm sick of the pain, of feeling weak, of needing Colton to save me constantly. I wish I had died on that operating table. I love Colton, I really do, with all I am and more. But I need the pain to stop and being weak isn't going to help me. I need Marcus to stop breathing and if I'm being honest... when I killed troy, something in me... something smiled with  great pleasure. I've been plunged into the darkness of Coltons world and for the first time, I welcome it.

Colton walks in shortly after me, takes one look at me and goes to say something, but stops himself and heads upstairs. I turn away again, walking into the living room. My feet take me to the bookcase and I find my fingers running over the spines of each of them. My fingers stop over beauty and the beast. Something my parents used to read to me when I was a child every night.

Past:
"The end" my dad says, shutting the book as I yawn. He chuckles and kisses my forehead. "You know sweetie, this is just a story right?" I look up at him confused. "No one can ever really change a beast. He has to do that himself. Love is a powerful thing, when found within ones self" he tucks me in, "when you find someone to love, he may be disguised as a gentleman when really there's a beast underneath all that perfection." He stands up once I'm all tucked in. "So how will I know who's a beast and who isn't?" I ask, rubbing my eyes tiredly. "Because a gentleman, a real one, will never hurt you. He will love you and challenge you and make you do extraordinary things in life by your side. But a beast will make you question everything about yourself. He will want you to stay exactly the same so he can mould you into who he wants you to be. Not who you truly are. The question is" he says before he turns off the lights, "who are you inside?"

Present:
"I've run you a bath" Colton says, pulling me from my memory. I turn to face him, and for the first time in a while... I'm starting to see Colton for who he really is. He's not my beast, but he's not my gentleman either. He's more like a flame I'm constantly drawn to. He changes me, challenges me, and he changes to suit me. His rough exterior is a ruse to hide the soft boy that lies beneath. He thinks I need a tough man to protect me, but what I really need... is a partner who will kill with me, not for me. I need a Clyde to my bonnie and dare I say, I may have it in Colton. We'll see... it all depends on what he says to me in the next hour or so.

I walk past him and head up the stairs, heading into the bathroom. The sunlight gives the wooden floors a pretty pattern from the purple and blue stained round glass window it shines through. The copper bath is steamy, just how I like it. Everything in life seems to be going about just the same as before all this happened.
I hear the floor boards creek and turn to see Colton standing carefully by the doorway, arms crossed, afraid to come in. "I checked to see how hot it was. I hope you like it, I'll just be downstairs-" I hold my hand out to him and offer him a friendly smile. He takes it hesitantly, but once he's beside me, his body instantly relaxes. "It's perfect" I whisper by his lips. I slip out of my leggings and he slowly takes my top off for me, making sure not to cause any discomfort.

My bra comes off swiftly and falls to the floor, then he's on his knees, helping me out of my underwear, his eyes never leaving mine. He holds out his hand this time, helping me step into the bathtub, rubbing my back as I do. Once I'm comfy in the bathtub, I let out a sigh of relaxation and dip myself further down into the bubbles. "Wait here" he says, quickly leaving the room.

He comes back with the beauty and beast book. It's worn and old, so he holds it carefully, stroking its spine before he opens it gently. "Relax my love. Let me take care of you" he says, kissing my lips gently before he sits beside the tub and begins reading. I fall into blissful peace for the first time since coming here. Funny that it only happens now, after all the pain. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I finally killed my demons. I can't hear his voice in my head anymore. I no longer see my mother and fathers dead bodies In front of me. I can't hear my screams when he stabbed me. I don't feel any of it... it's like a memory from another life.

Halfway through, I decide to say what I've been holding in since I've gotten home. "I want to kill Marcus." He stops reading, and looks up at me, almost as if he's begging me to reconsider. But my face tells him otherwise. He lets out a sigh, shuts the book and puts it on the cabinet before climbing into the bathtub fully clothed. "What on earth are you doing?" Before he answers me, he pulls my head in demandingly and kisses me with a fiery passion that has me gasping for air. "Okay." I'm taken back by his submission to not fight me on this. "But" he says, face just inches away, hands still holding my face, "we do this together. As a team." He's dead serious. I smile, satisfied, and kiss him back, water splashing off the sides of the tub, bubbles floating in the air.

You were right dad. Men can be both gentleman and beast. But the thing is... I'm in love with this beast. Claws and all. And it would seem I'm more than just a beauty. I'm the flame that burns in the beasts heart. I'm beautiful and dangerous and Marcus should start counting his days. I'm no damsel anymore dad. I'm taking back control. The only way I know how. Through sheer force.