Damaged

Epilogue - Final Chapter

“I started running away when I was five years old. It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized what I really wanted was somebody to come after me when I was running away.” - Willie Aames 

DANTE

I feel like my mind isn’t my own. Anna’s still sobbing on the floor, covering her knees in makeup as she cries into them, hugging and rocking herself. I pull three suitcases onto the bed from beneath it. I pull a further two holdalls from the top of the wardrobe and empty the contents into the bags. I empty her drawers into the suitcases, throwing everything inside the bags, so the contents of her bedroom is bare. I do the same with the bathroom, her crying a soundtrack pushing me forwards. I run into the living room, grab the ornaments and photos, throwing them inside the cases so’s nothing personal is left behind. “Anna, the safe, what’s the combination to the safe?” I kneel beside her and take her shoulders, kiss her forehead, make her feel safe. “One three nine five eight.” She tells me through stuttered sobs. I rush to her wardrobe, type the combination and grab the money and documents there, throwing the folders and cash into a handbag before zipping all the bags shut. I grab my cell phone and call for a taxi before kneeling back down beside Anna. “Baby I’m taking you away from here, we’re gonna go somewhere safe, okay? I promise you I’ll make you safe.” I kiss her forehead and hold her in an embrace while she nods and sobs. I grab the clothes I’d left out of the case and start loosening her boots, throwing them aside before peeling her skirt off her, helping her into her jeans. I lace up her converse as she loosens her corset, pulling on the jumper I’d set out and pulling her hair into a bun. I kiss her hard for a short moment before pulling back and yanking the cases off the bed. She sits watching perplexed as I heave the bags out of her apartment, bundling them inside the elevator and sending it down. I call down to the concierge and explain there’s a taxi coming and they’ve to put the bags in the trunk when it arrives. I head back inside the apartment to find Anna sitting on the edge of her bed, having wiped her makeup off her face, she’s now holding all of the photographs from the bed and the floor. I take them from her roughly, seeing her distorted expression. I throw them into the holdall of mine still left over here from weeks ago. As our taxi buzzes I bundle Anna into my arms. I turn all the lights out and grab my holdall, locking the door behind us for what I hope is the final time.

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FIVE MONTHS LATER

ANNA

I awake to warm sun beating down on my bare scapulas, my smile breaking across my face at the memory of where I am, and what has happened these past few months. I slowly turn, the sounds of Dante’s laughter floating to me through the open patio doors. I sit up in the massive bed looking out the doors opposite me to find the small girl with Dante’s dark hair and eyes laughing as he spins her around and around like a ballerina. His big hands hold her tightly as he spins her through the air, her long curls spiralling around her. “Knock knock.” Helena’s voice sounds on the other side of the bedroom door. “Come on in.” I smile genuinely, the gesture still surprising me even after all these months. “Good morning.” The lady tells me, setting coffee and bagels down on the table by the doors, catching her son’s attention from the yard. As soon as Dante realizes I’m awake, he sets his sister on her feet and jogs back towards the house. “Good morning.” I smile at Helena, wrapping the duvet around my bare shoulders. “How did you sleep?” She asks, passing me a cup of coffee with a smile so similar to Dante’s. “Well.” I tell her truthfully, surprised by the beauty of this house yet again. “Morning,” Dante breathes huskily, entering the bedroom and giving his mother a quick kiss on the cheek before joining me on the bed. “Good morning beautiful.” He then whispers to me, kissing my cheek and brushing my hair behind my back in order to kiss my bare shoulder blade. “Good morning.” I smile, turning my face towards his so he can kiss me. “Ew!” Charlotte pretends to be sick as she skips inside the room. We all share a laugh as I set my cup of coffee onto the beside table and smile at the little girl in front of me. She mirrors my smile before leaping on the bed and hugging me tightly. “Good morning Anna.” She sings happily in her British accent. “Morning Charlotte.” I laugh into the little girl’s hair. “Remember we’ll be leaving at twelve.” Helena says as she retreats towards the door, taking her daughter with her. “Okay.” I smile after them, so thankful for Dante’s mother’s dedication. Dante waits until the door is closed before rolling onto me, pushing me back down on the bed with a fierce growl in my ear, playing on the giggles that ripple from my throat in response. He runs a finger from my chin, down my throat, and down the centre of my chest, pausing at the top of the duvet, half-way down my bare boobs. “Thank you.” He smirks at me cockily, sitting perfectly on my hips, keeping me pinned to the bed. “What for?” I frown in confusion, puffing dark brown hair out of my eyes. He shrugs and leans down, kissing seductively from my forehead, down my nose, and finally, hovering over my lips he says, “For being here, right now,” He says, giving me a rough thrust onto the bed through the duvet as if to prove his point. “And for being with me,” He laces our hands together, moves them so I have a hand at either sides of my face, so that he has me pinned to the bed without a hint of permission on my part. “And for last night.” His teeth tug roughly on my bottom lip, moaning slightly and kissing me hard. I smile against his lips, blinking into his eyes and seeing nothing but happiness there. “Well, it’s the least I could do for the birthday boy.” I give him a wink and he shakes his head. “Stop it.” He growls, kissing me aggressively. “Or what?” I dare him before giggling extremely loudly as his lips move from mine, across my jaw and down my neck, sucking on my skin as he moves our hands to the duvet, pushing the covers down my naked body, kicking his shoes off before he starts to strip himself. “Oh please, allow me,” I beg as he continues to suck the skin of my neck. He groans and bites me ferociously and I squeal, scratching into his hand so he’ll pull back, giving me my left hand to work with. “I thought you said you didn’t bite?” He narrows his eyes at me, biting his lip. “I lied.” He shrugs after a while. I run my hands across his bare torso after pulling his shirt off. “Thank you.” I tell him after a few long moments of breathless kissing and frantic stripping. “What for?” He pants against my chest, our bodies naked against each other. “For saving me.” I whisper emotionally. He looks at me then. He sees me. Like he always sees me. And as always he knows what I’m thinking before I have the chance to say it. “I love you baby.” He tells me, kissing my forehead in powerful emotion. “I love you more.” I tell him, pulling his head down to mine exotically just as he thrusts our bodies together.