The Storm Before the Calm

Chapter 23

Aurora Salvatore
He better understand what it means for me to have brought him into my own space, into my home, to share all of this with him.  Not an hour ago, I wanted him dead, and I wanted to be the one to slit his gorgeous throat. Just last night, I was day dreaming about what I'd be ordered to do once my Papa and brother found out what a snake he was.

Funny how things work out, huh?

Now I was sharing all my newfound information with him and leading him down to my basement.

He was Elizabella's fucking brother. Elizabella. I never knew her real name until I'd found her tombstone, since she only told me her real name in between taking her last breaths. All I'd caught was the 'Liz' part, which is why I named my daughter Elizabeth. She was one of the biggest reasons I'd held on in that hell hole, one of the only reasons I fought like hell to stay alive, because I needed to keep her alive. I did everything in my power to keep her as safe as possible. To keep the attention on me, rather than her poor, broken little body. Not that I'd ever divulge that information to anyone. I'd take what happened to us in there to the fucking grave.

What happened to us was between us, the monsters that did it to us, and the Devil herself when we get front row seats to their punishments. Well, at least I was hoping she was watching over us as I lead her brother down my basement stairs to see exactly who I had tied up down there, and what I'd already done to her.

"Fair warning, she's going to be riled up down there. She's not happy with me, I'm sure." I said to him before I opened the basement door, and the look on his face was priceless.

"I can't imagine she'd be happy with you after you've held her hostage in your basement for God knows how long." He said, like it was an obvious answer, but boy oh boy did he have no idea. I'd done a lot more than just keep her tied to this chair for the past....week? 5 days? Time flies when you're having fun.

"Why isn't she dead yet?" He proceeded to ask, as I just left my hand resting on the door knob, and I looked him from eye to eye before answering him. Truthfully, I had no idea why I hadn't just killed her already. But I don't believe in coincidences, so now I knew why I'd subconsciously kept her alive.

"I hadn't the first clue about what I was going to do with her. But now, I think I know." I gave him another half answer before finally opening the door and flicking the lights on before descending the stairs. My heels were loud against the stairs, but all I could hear were his dress shoes behind me, the blood rushing through my veins, and how hot my body felt whenever he was this close to me.

I lead him down the hall and through the door where I was keeping them all, and there sat Emilia, still tied to the chair, but looking far worse than she was when I'd initially gotten her down here. Now, she still had the bag over her head, but she was missing 4 fingers form her dominant hand, she had many cuts along her skin, a large burn on her upper arm, and many random bruises. Oh, and the bag over her head was hiding the dried blood from her broken nose, a swollen black eye, and a split lip that matched the bruising on my split knuckles.

Not to mention the pain you couldn't see, such as the rusty nails she'd swallowed, and mental anguish that I knew she was in.

Her head started to lull at the loud clicking of my heels in the otherwise quiet room. I tore the bag off of her head when I reached her, walking back over to the metal table that I'd since cleaned perfectly, folding it up and placing it nicely on top. I simply crossed my arms, leaning my ass against the table, staring at her. I was waiting for her to come to and realize we were face to face yet again.

I looked over at Mr. Vitale, as he stared at her, brows furrowed as he took in the extensive damage. I wasn't sure if he'd recognized her from the files Frankie had shown them, but to be fair, she was looking very unrecognizable in this state. Before I could look back at her as I heard her groaning, his eyes sliced to me as he stared at me. I knew he was trying to calculate how I was capable of this much destruction to a single human being, and I loved every minute of it. I love being underestimated.