Their Broken Angel

Chapter Seventeen

Hey y'all, this chapter gets a bit intense so if you're a sensitive reader, please listen to the trigger warning. There is an author's note at the end that explain a bit.

"Who's here?" Dante demands, spinning around to try and spot the danger.

"It doesn't matter, we just need to leave. Now." I reply. I really don't want to have to tell this story more than once. Holding onto his arm for dear life, I attempt to pull Dante out of the store but he's too caught up on the fact that someone here scared me.

"Who is it, sorella? Where is he?" Dante replies, grabbing my shoulders, turning me to look him in the eyes.

"It doesn't matter." I reply, looking down to avoid eye contact. "Can we just leave before he-"

"Before he what? What's he going to do?" Dante demands.

"He's not going to do anything if we leave." I answer stubbornly.

"Ugh!" He groans, rubbing a hand over his face before looking up at the ceiling and making that cross symbol that Christians use over his heart.

"Please don't let them kill me, I'm too hungry to die." Dante mutters before pulling out his phone.

"Heyyy, so I took Ember to the mall." Dante says into the phone, a pained smile on his face. "Wait, hold on a minute. Before you get mad at me for that... something kinda happened." He has to pause to pull the phone away from his ear after that. I can almost hear them shouting from here. "Not like that!" He growls. "We got lost and she saw someone and freaked out. Said 'he's here' and panicked so I called you."

Now I can really hear them.

"WHAT?"

"SAW WHO?"

"YOU'D BETTER PRAY SHE'S NOT HURT WHEN I GET THERE"

"PLEASE TELL ME SAID FUCKER IS DEAD." Enzo booms.

"ALSO, WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE LOST?!" Roman demands.

"I can't find him. She won't tell me who it is. And they must've remodeled or something. I can't find an exit!" Dante replies, shrinking in on himself slightly at their tone.

"Where's Ember? Is she safe?" Elijah asks, loud enough that I can hear clearly, but quiet enough that my ears aren't going to break.

"She's right here next to me. But she's shaking worse than I've ever seen and her knuckles are white from how hard she's holding my arm." Dante says, looking down at me, yet again, with concern. I let go of his arm instantly, not realizing that I'd been holding on so tight.

"WHERE IS THIS FUCKER? WHAT THE FUCK DID HE DO TO HER?" Enzo booms.

"Oh my goodness, hand me the phone." I scowl, taking the phone and cringing at what sounds like a long string of italian curses. "Guys?" I try hesitantly.

"Who did you see?" Alessandro asks calmly, his voice cold like steel.

"N-no one." I stutter. "He d-doesn't matter. I just w-want to leave."

"If seeing him makes you react like this than it most definitely does matter. We can and will discuss this at a later point though. What I need to know right now is whether or not he's still there and if he's a current threat." Alessandro replies.

Scanning my surroundings, I try to find those dreadful eyes again. I can still feel him, staring at me with that cruel look on his face. Just the thought of seeing him again makes me shake even worse as tears stream down my cheeks.

"I can't see him anymore but I can still feel him staring." I sob. "I just want to go. He's not supposed to be here!"

"FUCK! THAT'S IT. I'M ON MY WAY! CALL A FUCKING SWAT TEAM. I WANT EYES ON THIS FUCKER NOW!" Roman growls.