Saving Grace *Body Guard series*

Saving Grace: Chapter 8 Melancholy Part 2

" Terrell this is Alan Sanchez, if you're listening to this, it means I was murdered..." The video starts. " I knew this was a possibility as you and I both know my job is dangerous and I don't go a day without worrying if I'll even wake up the next day. My daughter is the only thing that matters to me. I never got the chance to tell you how much..." He begins to get choked up. " I never got the chance to tell her how much I love her or how proud that I am of her. And I was waiting for her eighteenth birthday to finally tell her the truth about her mother. I told her when she was very little that her mother, Janise, died in a car crash. Because how do you tell a four year old little girl with bright blue dough eyes that her mother was murdered in cold blood on a drug cartel bust? So I never did. I know if I were to tell her she'd be mad at me for lying to her, but I only did it to protect her.

Anyway I'm getting off track. I am recording this while you are on the plane to come see me here in Italy. If this is the last time I will get to see my beautiful daughter then I'll hold it dear to me until I die." He wipes the tears from his eyes. " Terrell you always have meant so much to me. I promised your father, Rodriguez, that I would protect you had anything ever happen to him and vice versa. After your father died in a mafia war, I took you in at six and taught you to be strong, to fight, to protect yourself and then you became very useful for me teaching me things about myself that I didn't even know. You are my most trusted man and that is why I am leaving all of my mafia to you. I plan to split the money that I have between you and Grace. Enough to make sure she is going to be taken care of for the rest of her life, and the rest to you for taking on this responsibility for me. I know you can handle it, Terrell, and I know you will make me proud. Also in the event that this video makes it to you, I need one last thing from you." He holds up a piece of paper and moves it closer to the camera so that it is in focus. I could read the marriage license the one I was now staring at sitting on my desk. " Terrell I know it's a lot to ask for, but the last thing I need from you is your commitment to keeping my daughter safe for the rest of your life. The only way either of you will get the money or inherit anything from my will is if you two marry. I know your heart, Terrell, and I know my daughter. You two belong together. Trust me on this." Mr. Sanchez says as he lays the paper on the desk and signs it right then and there. "After you two marry this is all you'll need to know about running and maintaining the mafia, and all the numbers and contacts and who they are and their specialty...."

Grace's POV

I lost count of how many hours of torture that I have endured so far. Unspeakable things. Things I wouldn't even wish on my worst enemy. I thought the worst had come when I dated Simon but this tops everything. I'm bruised inside and out from head to toe from numerous beatings, Simon forcing himself onto me multiple times, having random liquids that burn my skin thrown on me, and being starved. I don't even remember when the last time I ate was. I know for a fact it was before I got here.

I have no energy and I just feel like giving up. The only thing that keeps me going is the thought of Terrell coming to rescue me, and this bastard getting what he deserves. Where are you Terrell?

I lay on the dirty mattress that is now stained in my blood, soaked in my urine, and feces with no strength to try to get off of the bed. I keep my eyes closed and pretend to be unconscious as I hear the familiar footsteps coming down the stairs.

Simon opens the door and I hear it creek open making my blood run cold. I lay as still as I can breathing lightly to make it look like I am still sleeping.

"Wake up bitch. Time to have some fun." I hear Simon's footsteps get louder and it takes everything in my body to not cringe from his voice.

Suddenly I feel Simon wrap his hands around both of my ankles and pull me towards him, pushing himself between my legs.

During the time he assaults me, I keep my eyes closed and tears fall down my cheeks silently praying to God that I could die. Once he finished, I listened to the sound of his zipper and then footsteps fading in the background and the door open and shut. I roll over onto my side curling my legs up and I start to bawl my eyes out.

Some time passed and I heard some loud banging around upstairs and then there was silence. All of a sudden I hear footsteps quickly come down the stairs and open the door. I kept my eyes squeezed shut as hard as I could. The footsteps slowed when they got closer to me. I remained silent and very still. I feel a hand touch my arm and then gently slide across my cheek. The touch feels familiar but I am too scared to open my eyes.

"Oh Grace, what have they done to you?" I hear a voice say above me. I slowly open my eyes and see Terrell kneeling before me with blood spatters on his face and neck and some on his shirt. I start to sob but no tears or sound come out. I lean forward trying to reach for him but I am too weak to even lift my body. He notices that I am awake and he quickly leans down, pulling me to his chest, holding me tightly.

I hear footsteps in the distance and panic arises by instinct. I start to tremble as I think it could be Simon. I look over and see a man with blonde hair standing a ways away looking at Terrell.

"Sir we got everyone in the house, is there anything else you require except for cleanup?"

I look over at Terrell who is now looking at the man.

"Yes Jeremy, could you find me a clean blanket and bring it down here?" The man nods his head and heads back up the stairs. I feel Terrell pull away from me and turn the light on his phone on, and a pained expression shows on his face as he looks at my condition.

"Baby I'm so sorry it took so long to find you. I hate myself for not being outside that night with you. But you're safe now, I got you." He reassures me.

Soon there are footsteps that come back down the stairs and I see the same man, Jeremy. He walks over diverting his attention from me. He looks away as he hands the blanket to Terrell.

" Is that all you need, sir?"

" One more thing, do you have your knife?" Terrell asks looking at Jeremy. He reaches for his knife in his pocket and hands it to Terrell. " Jeremy, can you get my car ready? I'll need to take her to the hospital then after I make sure she's okay, I will call and give further instructions."

"Yes sir!" Jeremy turns on his heels and heads back out of the room. We wait until the door shuts at the top of the stairs before Terrell turns to me. He takes the knife and cuts me out of the body harness. He tosses it aside and wraps the blanket around me, then picks me up as he stands up. I let my head fall onto his shoulder. He walks out of the room and towards the stairs.

"Princess, I want you to close your eyes. It's pretty gory up here and you don't need any further trauma." I nestle my face into his neck, closing my eyes. He walks up the stairs and the door opens. A smell of metallic fills my nose as he walks us towards the door. Once the door opens and I smell fresh air, I open my eyes to see us walking towards a black SUV. He opens the door and sets me inside then walks around and jumps in the driver side.

I knew he'd come and rescue me.