Runaway ✔

133 • Dana

"Sorry?" Juice repeated with raised eyebrows. "For what?"

Dana sighed softly. "I hate bringing up his name."

Juice wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. His chin rested on her shoulder as she leaned against him, glad he responded so calmly. 

"Maybe you should do it a bit more often," he said quietly. "You know... just tell me little things about him? If I think about Maddox now, I'm imagining some kind of dark power instead of a normal human being. What was he like? You didn't fall in love with him because he was such an asshole, right?"

Dana smiled a bit sadly. She rather stayed silent, enjoying his embrace. But he was right. They were together for almost half a year and she never told him anything about Maddox. "He was... overwhelming," she started hesitantly. With her thumb she brushed one of the skull rings around his fingers. "If he entered a room, he was the only one I could see. He wasn't loud or somethin', rather the opposite. He was very calm. Calculatin', I think. It felt like he wasn't interested in the things other people cared about. Booze, friendships, women... he didn't care about these things... and that's why I felt so flattered when he did pay attention to me." She was silent for a while, not knowing how to continue. "He was always serious, and nothing was more important than his reputation. He always chose the most expensive restaurants and he bought me lots of presents." She shook her head, snorting. "But I know now he only did so because my own clothes weren't good enough for him. He molded me into some idealized version of myself, but slowly and with many sweet words and smiles, so that I didn't notice. I think he wanted to change me in some kind of classy lady. And at home we never had money, so I loved that he was showering me with luxury."

Her hand glided across his arm and brushed the ink of the Reaper. The tattoo connected him to his brothers, which he had left behind. For her. She looked over her shoulder and studied his face. The glance in his eyes was expectantly, patient. "I love you, Juice."

She didn't know why, but her voice was trembling and she snuggled into him. The thought she would have missed out on him if she hadn't killed Casper, froze her heart. 

"I know, baby." He squeezed her in his arms and kissed her temple. "I love you too."

Dana smiled shakily and closed her eyes while leaning against him. 

For a long time they didn't speak, both lost in their feelings for each other. 

After a while Juice however gently pressed her to continue. "When did he change into... someone who wanted to hurt you?"

Dana sighed. "There were lots of little things... many of them I discovered only later. My friends were visiting me less and less... and when I reached out to them, they blew me off. It hurt, I thought it was my fault. But now I believe Maddox was keeping them away from me, that he was chasing them away. Sometimes I got messages telling me they were worried about me and it should have gotten me thinking, but I called them poseurs and told them my life was perfect." She shook her head. "And you know... I was very clear with my words. It's no wonder they abandoned me. But even if I had seen the truth in their words, I had probably been too proud to admit I couldn't solve the problem on my own." Dana's fingers laced with Juice's. "I was tuckin' in more and more, started to feel really lonely. And Maddox changed. He talked less to me, and on most days I only saw him at night. He refused to tell me what he did during the day, and he often sent Casper to keep my company. Probably to keep me from leavin'. Not that I had a place to go... I'd cut all ties with my family and I was too proud to crawl back. And even though Maddox never showed much of his feelings, he started to lose his temper more and more. He snarled at me, forbade me to do things and when I told him I wanted to end our relationship after four years, he literally chained me. And the world outside... they had forgotten about me a long time ago." She pressed her lips together as felt a lump in her throat. "And the year that followed... that was a living hell." She turned a bit, so she could look at him. "If you want it, I will tell you about it. But... but not now, okay? Not here."

She breathed in shakily, a sob could escape her lips any moment. 

"Okay baby." He brushed her cheek with his thumb and gave her a feathery light kiss. "You're right. We're here to enjoy the music." He kissed her once more and stood up, stretching his hand toward her. "Well, I think I'm going to crowdsurf for the first time in my life."

Dana blinked away the few tears that had gathered and smiled at him. She grabbed his hand so he could help her on her feet. Before they headed to the stage, Dana slipped her arms around him and gave him a squeezing hug. Sometimes it still felt surreal that she had escaped from Maddox and had gotten such an amazing man in return.

"Thank you, Juice," she said, looking up to him. "For everything that you're doing and have done for me."

His lips touched her forehead, where after he wrapped his arms around her. "I will always take care of you. For the rest of my life, if it's my call." 

A shiver crept down her spine as she heard that promise. How big it might be, she knew he meant it and it called up tears in her eyes again. 

Hopefully there would never be a moment he would regret those words. 

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So, that was a little bit of background story for Dana. Hope you liked it! Please vote and comment, I love to hear from you! Are you already growing tired of this story? For I know it's a long one, even though the end is nearing. 

xx