ECSTASY | CRIME PRINCE SERIES | BOOK 0.5 FIRST EDITION

|𝟐𝟑.| 𝗠𝗶 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮

Ash

No.

I had to have heard wrong, there's no way it's her. Aria. The sound echoed through the entire mansion, as shrill and loud as it was. I wondered if I was imagining it, if my mind was playing tricks on me. But it felt real, I heard it that scream the same one that cried out to me and I ignored it. The same one that haunted my mind everytime I looked into Aria's eyes.

My fear is confirmed when everyone suddenly stops their movements. The scream was so distant that I knew exactly where it came from. We all share confused looks and I'm the first one to run out of the room. I have to confirm this - I need to. If that's Aria and she's where I think she is than, fuck.

Everyone else runs out after me my mother now seen in the distance. How did she hear that? It doesn't matter - I shrug and rush down the hallway my steps becoming bigger each time. I turn the corner, River, Marae and my dad already on my pace and hurry to the metal door.

It's open. No, no fucking way she can't be. Shit. My dad and I share afraid looks well aware of what it can do to her if she's in there. I climb down the stairs, grabbing a torch from one of the cabinets. I switch it on and I'm instantly reminded of her shouts and screams that day. Her cry for help. We walk down the corridor of rooms, passing each one with its number.

I know which room to go to even though River tries checking the others. I stop in front of the door with twenty five written on it, my stomach knots and I try to fight the sudden sick feeling in my gut. Aria, fuck please don't be here. I turn the key to the left and it clicks in place. I open the door and it squeaks because of its rusty hinges.

The horror of the sight before me embeds itself in my memory.

Aria lays shaking and shivering on the floor. Her clothes full of dust and sand, she's curled herself into a ball. She mumbled to herself encouragjng words but they seem to do nothing but make it worse. Her breathing is uncontrolled and it's likes her oxygen is stuck in her throat. Fucking hell.

My eyes widen when I notice the small pool of blood below her and her shaking hands covered in blood. Her nails are chipped and in her palms, little pieces of metal from the rusted door prick her skin. She was banging on the door. Her face is completely void of emotion except fear while sweat drips from her forehead.

What the fuck did I do?

I crouch down to her and sit in her my lap. She is conscious but she seems to be unaware of it. I move her hair from her face and cup her cheek, her right side is full of blood and I'm honestly sick of seeing her hurt. As if that wasn't enough, it's always because of me. It's always my fault.

Aria clutches onto the fabric of my suit and I could give two fucks that it's getting stained. She mumbles something that sounds like "safe, finally safe." over and over again. She holds on for dear life as if she's scared I might disappear in this moment. The guilt that flows through makes me want to exchange places with her. Why is she the only one being targeted?

Suddenly I'm pushed off of Aria and I hold a confused and upset expression. Marae stands before me - her face full of vivid anger. She's fucking pissed. She couches down to Aria's level and holds her closely, she shouts for us to get a doctor and my mother does just that. She calls out to my father and he nods coming over to Aria as well.

He picks her up and I'm left fucking confused. What the fuck? I want to fight them, I have no idea what in the world is going on? Why aren't they letting me hold my Aria. Marae stands as I, my father passes me with a dissapointed face. I cup her cheek bellowing in the fact that she's okay. It's boost my ego when she leans in to my touch if she was fully conscious she would be flipping me off.