Irish Lullaby (Book One of A Violent Melody Duet)

Chapter Five

The ballroom was alive with people and music. It was a large room that had warm lighting all around and tables upon tables of food, staff walked around with glasses of champagne and horderves. She felt at peace with all the life surrounding her, no one could hurt her so publicly.
She smiled at a waitress with a tray of the champagne flutes that bubbles so enticingly, would it not have been inappropriate she would have taken the whole tray from her. The flute she took was slightly fuller than the rest, she had wanted the most she could get knowing she would not be allowed much to drink tonight. Her mother was already giving her a look of disapproval as she took a large sip while they headed towards NIcholas.
He looked so clean and handsome in his suit. Not a wrinkle in sight, nor a hair out of place. He always looked so perfect, even when rage lit his eyes as his fist made contact with her skin. It made her all the more frustrated, she wanted him to look unkept, dirty, and like the disgusting man he was underneath all that perfect.
"My dear, you look ravishing tonight." He greeted her eagerly as his arms slipped around her back and placed a kiss to the top of her head. Her hair was in a tight ponytail, the red curls brushing down her bare back along with his cold hand. He liked her having it put together like so, it was easier for him to grab this way.
"You really found yourself a prize with this one." The man to his left spoke. He was older with gray patches in his thick beard. He had a heavy accent, one she had become familiar with in the time she had spent living in Greece.
"My angel amongst demons." Nicholas responded, his hand squeezing her hip just a little too hard. She hid the wince and smiled instead, thanking him for the compliment before remaining quiet the rest of their conversation.
Nicholas liked her seen by not heard, enjoyed those seeing the beauty he had captured that they would never possess. She had learned his wants the hard way after having a short conversation with one of his business partners on a certain artist they both were fond of.
"Have you discovered if her pussy is as tight as promised?" Another spoke in Greek, she looked at him and the way she leered at her body. His hair greased back out of his face showing the wrinkles from age across his forehead.

Seen but not heard

Seen but not heard

Seen but not heard

It was all she could think to stop herself from responding to the man in his native tongue. Her parents had her learn the language later in life, it wasn't one she knew as fluently as she did English or Italian but she knew enough to want to burn the eyes of the man before her.

"For the right price I might let you find out for yourself." The group of them laugh as she is silent, a small ignorant smile on her face. She would not react even as Nicholas let his finger skim up to just under her breast as the men watched his hand on her. He knew she could speak Greek, knew she understood every word they said, and knew she was too terrified of him to react.

Seen but not heard

She stayed with Nicholas for most the night, dancing with him when he wanted, eating the foods he picked for her, drinking only when he allowed it. She watched as everyone around her enjoyed themselves, laughed and talked and drinked as freely as they wanted. Her gaze moved to the large windows that overlooked the ocean and she yearned.
"Could I be dismissed to the ladies room?" She whispered to him and got a sharp nod in response as his hand loosened from around her waist.
She stepped away and made it only inches when his hand gripped her covered wrist with unneeded force, it was still sore from when he had bent it the day prior in anger. He had caught her using charcoal from a fire to draw on some paper and when he saw the mess he had made over her skin and clothes he had raged to the point she worried he would break the wrist from it. One of his men had interrupted before she could find out.
"Be quick." She nodded and rushed off to where the hall leading to her room began. No one was down the dark hall and she was able to finally breathe without fear of it drawing attention. She slipped off her heels and carried them in hand as she ran down the hall into her quiet room. She shut the door behind her locking the deadbolt, Nicholas had a key to it and had no shame in using it but it still made her feel slightly better as she heard it click.
She went to the restroom and turned on her faucet before locking that door as well and heading to the large window. This was stupid of her if she were to be caught by her guards she would be severely punished but his words kept echoing in her head.
For the right price, she didn't doubt his words and even if she did she would have slept with that man, let him enter her body and one day bring his children into this world. What life would that be for them? Would they be unloved and trapped like she had been growing up? Would she even be allowed to love them and spend time with them?
She would not let her future children experience the existence she had, her hand touching her empty stomach as if comforting a baby who had yet to be even created, a baby that she would not ever let be created.
She climbed out the window, not caring as she heard her dress rip and noticed the long tear that exposed most of her legs. They were skinnier in an unhealthy manner, something that had happened all over her body since the engagement. The noticeable curves she loved about herself were fading before her eyes too quickly, another loss of living with Nicholas.
She ran from the home to the few steps that led her to the beach, the water was so calm it felt as if she could walk right atop it. She took her first step into it, it wasn't cold but a chill still ran up her spine, she took another step and watched as her dress absorbed the water, another step, and another until it was up to her waist.
She broke the band around her hair and let her locks flow free, just barely skimming the water before she laid herself back and floated atop the water. She could do it, dip onto her stomach and just float there face down until everything stopped hurting, until her mind eased and her body found peace not yet offered to her.