God and Monsters

Chapter 23

"No good news?" I ask, crossing my arms across my chest.

Jay's lips tighten, and he shakes his head. Francesca and Rocco Bellucci were nowhere to be found when my men arrived at their house. In fact, the entire house was vacant, except for a dead man in the living room with his throat slit open, and a couple men piled outside of the porch steps. Which means Rio and Rick fled, too. I suspect they all left the moment they found Rosie missing, high-tailing it out of there before I could get to them. The worms are slippery, but they won't be able to hide from me for long.

"How is Rosie doing?" Jay asks, concern etched into the lines of his face. He glances over my shoulder as if he can see her from the front door.

It's the first time he's been in Parks Manor, and his body language suggests he's ready to get the fuck out. He took one step in, and the front door shut on its own behind him. Since Rosie's been home, the activity has increased. Her energy has been dark, and the manor never had any warmth to begin with.

I wanted to take her back to my place, but Rosie refused-stating she's been holed up in one prison for long enough and doesn't want to find herself in another. So I stationed heavy security around the property, using advanced-and illegal-technology to ensure nothing gets by without my knowledge. Whatever Claire has up her sleeve next, she knows there's no chance of touching Parks Manor.

After I found her, I took her straight to trusted old friends of mine, Teddy Park, and his son, Tanner. Teddy is a retired surgeon but has been working for Z since I built the organization, taking in any survivors that need care. His son is a nurse, and often assists Teddy now that he's getting older. We stayed with him for a week so he could treat the lacerations all over her body, the open wound on the back of her neck, and pump her with fluids. She was dehydrated, malnourished, and ravaged by the abuse.

I refused to turn away from what was done to her, though all I wanted to do was walk right back out of his door and shred anyone who inhabited that house with my bare fucking teeth. I'm not sure if she even recalls much of her time with Teddy. She was catatonic the entire stay. It's been a month since she's been home, and in the beginning, we were swarmed with police officers and media outlets. Law enforcement were requesting her statement, and wanted information on her kidnapping.

And of course, because Rosie's a popular author, it got media attention. I'm not ashamed that I've lost count on how many paparazzi I've threatened bodily harm to due to them trying to sneak onto the property. I would've loved to make a fucking example of one of them. String them up at the end of the driveway as a friendly reminder of what will happen if even their toe touches the goddamn property line. The chaos has died down, but it sent Rosie further into herself, and she's been confined to her bedroom and cocooned under her black silk sheets as if she's allergic to the outside air. For the first couple weeks after her rescue, she would hardly speak at all.

Rosie often flipped between complete desolation, where she stared blankly and gave no reaction, to crying and inconsolable. I've had a therapist, Dr. Maybell, come in to talk to her a few times to help draw her out, and it has helped. Seeing her like this breaks my fucking heart, and all I want is to hand her the pieces and give her something to hold on to. But she won't hold on to anything. Won't even let me come near. If I get within a foot of her, she flips out. She absolutely refuses to let me touch her, and it's fucking killing me because that's all I want to do. Ashley and Serena have both visited frequently, as Rosie is far more comfortable with their embrace than she is with mine.

"Alive," I answer, though I'm not entirely sure that's the truth. She's breathing, but she's not living. "And slowly getting better. She's talking now and will smile and laugh sometimes. She'll be up, down, and sideways for a long time." I glance down at the deep gouges in my hands, still bright red from last night.