Violinist (CENTURIES series: Book #4)

22

• Music. •

I didn't break out of my shocked state of mind until ice cold water hit my back. I hadn't sensed the hands that had wrenched the soiled clothes off my body and directed me into the tub. Kneeling, clutching myself, a small cry tore from me as I felt the icy water pelt down over me and cover me before it turned scalding hot. It was a wakeup, a pinch back to reality.

"Oh, God." The first coherent sentence since the alley broke from my throat, dragged out and got strangled as I cupped my mouth and started shaking again, waking up. No more numbness. "Oh, God... oh, what happened... o-oh, God, w-what... you... they... oh, God, they're dead—"

"Melody."

"They're dead, they're dead! Oh, God, Tony—"

There was a shift and suddenly he was behind me. The shower head lowered to the floor as I started panicking, the next stage of my trauma washing over me instead. I felt myself move, my body unable to stay still.

"Oh, God, y-you k-killed them—"

Arms came around me and pulled me back against a chest. A broken cry fell from me, the warmth of his body burning me. Skin against skin. I tried to break free, felt him fight me. The water sloshed in the bathtub, but he didn't give up. He held onto me—refused to let me break apart from him. Or just break. I clawed at him, yelled, screamed, broke into tears, and finally, fell back against him. His grip didn't ease, but kept holding me tightly. Safely.

How could a murderer bring me comfort when I couldn't myself?

"Melody..." His voice was in my ear. My head was resting back against his shoulder, my lips parted, trying to breathe. Tears still streamed down my cheeks. I couldn't understand what had happened. What I had seen today. Couldn't... "Melody."

My name was rough on his lips, a harsh prayer. He knew.

He knew had been ruining me and I hadn't tried to stop him. I had wanted it. I had given him too much and he had willingly taken it. For too long, he had had nothing... so he had taken my everything.

Which was exactly what I had given him.

But now the fatal blow had come.

"You lied." My voice tore apart the two simple words. The accusation from my lips came as if I hadn't given him the liberty to. As if I hadn't let him. It was so much more than just a statement, though. It wasn't a fact for him to reaffirm inside himself. No...

- It was a breach of trust. Of honor, of everything we had worked on together. Of... us.

"Yes." He silently whispered back. Yes. That one admittance was more broken than me, and that's when I realized he wasn't just holding on to me anymore.

He couldn't let go.

"Tony..." I was trying to breathe, trying to calm myself so I could... I didn't know anymore. He lied. Why? The tears that fell from my eyes were accompanied by a cracked sob. We were supposed to be in this together... He was supposed to be my savior... but now?

My savior was a murderer.

"Melody."

His arms finally released me. It was then I shifted to turn. To face the stranger behind me. It was difficult. Physically and mentally. The tub was too small, he was too large. I was too stiff. He was kneeling behind me, resembling a soldier after a war; Broken. Broken soul, broken man; Broken.