Child of a King

Chapter twenty-three - Won't stop shaking

Screaming louder than ever before, I twisted and kicked furiously to try to get away from my capture. It wasn't working at all no matter how hard I tried.

"Help! Help me!" My cry for someone to come and save me was a mix between a wail and a loud screech. I gasped from fighting so hard, hyperventilating as panic bursted through me when a large hand covered my mouth. It limited my shouts and airways at the same time, making my efforts at getting help useless. I used my fingernails to claw at the person wherever I could, hoping I could get a good hit at them so they would release me.

I had been scared before, but never this scared. This was the type of fear I would never wish for anyone else. Not even my worst enemy.

Was I going to die now?

Would it be the last time I saw my family?

Would they know how much I loved them and how much I was going to miss them?

"tella... Estella... ESTELLA!"

The authoritative voice ceased all my fighting.

"Shh, it's me". I could barely hear him from the loud ringing in my ears. Black spots danced in my vision at the lack of inhales my lungs burned for, they were on fire. It felt like I was choking. "It's Rafael".

A heavy stone of relief was lifted off my chest, a sob tearing through me when he removed his hand from my mouth, the roller coaster of emotions rolling off me. Gratitude being the main emotion. Who knows what would've happened if Rafeal hadn't showed up.

Shushing me repeatedly, he turned me around in his arms, pressing my face into his chest. Through blurry eyes, I saw how more of my brothers' security men appeared from various places. And just like that, the horror movie I had been trapped in, turned into an action movie as they showed up from all sorts of places.

"Get her out of here! We'll check the school", Sawyer yelled, storming the building with the rest of the security, big guns in their hands.

With me on his lap, Rafael slammed the car door shut, the driver speeding off with neither of us wearing a seatbelt. I held onto Rafael the best I could as we raced out of town heading directly to the house. One of his hands gently rubbed my back while he spoke through a walkie-talkie.

The small comforting gesture meant a lot to me as I wasn't doing too well. My heart was raising, making my chest heave in an effort to get more air. It was easier to breathe now than earlier, but I was still dizzy, nauseous, and shaking so much all over I wondered if I could ever stop again.

The wheels screeched as the car stopped in front of the main entrance of Villa junto al lago, Rafael carrying me inside of the house. More security greeted us as we entered the foyer, numerous people talking over each other. It wouldn't be something that bothered me normally, but right there it was overwhelming. Shielding my ears with clenched eyes, it helped drowning them out, the chaos being claustrophobic.

"Shh, calm down sweetie. Everything's going to be alright".

None of the sweet words that slipped through my desperate try at keeping the noise away didn't help my poor state. In fact, it only made it worse as the comforting phrases reminded me of Nate and how much I needed him. An endless stream of tears coated my cheeks as my shoulders started shaking from the ragged sobs that tore through me.

Even though my ears were shielded from as much noise as possible, the sound of a loud engine roaring down the driveway seeped through. Cracking my eyes slightly open, I saw with my blurry vision two figures appear in the foyer. A second later I was passed into a new pair of arms.

"Take some deep breaths". The back of my head was cupped in a gentle hand, pressing my cheek flush against a warm chest. "Try to do like me", he instructed, inhaling deeply.