Tainted Love

Chapter Sixteen- Sorrows

It's been a few weeks since I found out the truth about Russel and Julian and this whole drug organization, and being married to Russel. I still do not know how we are married but I will find out sooner or later. As much as I hate him and Julian I have to go talk to them sometime today to get to the bottom of this. I need this nightmare to end. I don't want to have to run from another husband.

"Ember! Are you awake? Breakfast is done." Austin calls from the bottom of the stairs snapping me out of my thoughts. I shake my head and hop in the shower. After about fifteen minutes I complete my morning routine dressing in a beige fuzzy two-piece short shorts and sweater with a fuzzy white crop top and white fuzzy slides. For makeup, I apply beige eyeshadow with a shimmer in my inner corners, some mascara, and a small winged eyeliner. For my hair, I decided to put it in a high ponytail with a few loose curled strands. I look at myself in the mirror and head downstairs when I am happy with the look.

"Thank you for breakfast I greatly appreciate it," I say digging into my plate.

"You do not have to thank me... wow, Ember slow down, you're going to make yourself sick." He teases.

I roll my eyes but continue to eat. When I am done I wash my dishes and tell Austin the plan for today. "Today we are going to stop at my job so I can get the schedule posted for next week and do inventory and that fun stuff. Then we are going to go to the store I need to get a few things for the house and some food. Lastly, we are going to Russel's house so I can figure out what the hell is going on here. Then we will go get some dinner because I do not feel like cooking today and then you can have the rest of the day off to do whatever you please." He nods his head in agreement. "Thank you, Em."

~Countless hours later~

I banged my fist on the door numerous times until it is swung wide open. Russel stands there with a grimace on his face. "What?!" He yells to which I ignore I walk right past him and into the house. "Tell me how in the bloody hell are we married? I didn't agree to marry you, there is a right and a wrong way to do so. And you lost your opportunity since day one, So explain to me how the hell are we married because I can not quite wrap my head around this whole ordeal." I say in one breath not letting him speak. He laughs and sits down. "Baby relax. It was in the contract you signed remember the one that you signed thinking that we were business partners. Do you really think I am going to let some rich bitch come and ruin my business, I'm pretty not dumb." He says laughing. I inhale sharply clenching my fists at my sides. "First of all, do not call my baby. I am not your baby. And secondly, I am not a rich bitch, so watch how the fuck you talk to me or do you not remember what happened the last time you spoke to me in that manner? Hmm. Lastly, DO NOT flatter yourself you are not pretty, you are far off it." I said stepping closer to him in a threatening manner.

He laughs which pisses me off more. "You are so cute when your all badass, You know that. It's kind of a turn on" He says eyeing me up and down. I instinctively cover myself in the furry sweater "STOP DOING THAT!" I hiss. I slapped him across the face to which his pussycat Chris draw their guns on me. I laugh with bitterness "Do not try me. I know how to run this business better than u think. You don't know anything about me, I suggest you watch yourself and how you approach me next time. Understood?" I spat. Without giving him a chance to react I walked outside to where Austin was waiting for me. "All set Em?' I nod my head and get in the car.

"Where would you like to go for dinner," Austin asks after a while of sitting in silence. "Hmm, I don't really now. I only ever ate at the dinner but I am not very fond of that place anymore, So I don't know you pick the place. Anywhere you want no matter the cost." I said smiling. He hesitates for a minute. "How about this small Mexican restaurant not too far from your house and they are not expensive at all they have really good meals and huge portion sizes." He says getting all excited. I laugh "Sure, let's go."

At the restaurant, we sit at the table in the back and order our food. "Hey Em" Austin calls to which I hum in response. "Can I ask you something and please don't get upset." He says hesitantly. "Go ahead," I said curiously. "So um. A few weeks ago..." he stops "nevermind". I furrow my brows. "What up talk to me it's okay I won't get mad, I won't judge," I said placing my hand on his that is resting on the table. " He inhales sharply. "Remember how the morning after that night, I asked you about... You know, you said that there was this Justin guy trying to kill you" he whispers the last part. I tense up and shake my head. "I don't know what you are talking about," I said defensively. "Just know that when you are ready to talk about it, I am here to listen," He says with a sincere look in his eyes.

"One last question but you don't have to answer, Was he the one that gave you those scars." This time holding concern in his gaze. I nod my head looking at my hands in my lap. "It is a long story. Not one of interests, not one that I want to share. It's not that I do not trust you I just don't trust you." I say feeling vulnerable. He was about to say something when the food arrived. I am grateful for the timing and decide to dig in.

We eat our food in silence for a while and he is the first to break the silence. "This is nice," He says. I furrow my brows "What is?" He points at the plate with his fork. " I have not eaten here since..." He stopped "Since everything happens with my wife and kids." he says softly. " I have been meaning to ask you about what happened," I ask intrigued. He inhales. "Where do I start?"

"My wife and I had taken the kids out to the park one day, and I run into Russel at this time I didn't know who he was, what he did any of it, But he is yelling at this female and he has her by her hair, and my wife being herself decided to say something. Russel wasn't too pleased that she stopped him and the girl escaped. A few days later I am at work and I get a call from my wife saying that she has taken our kids out to the same park where we take them every day and our daughter was missing. She was cleaning our son's knee cause he fell and was bleeding and when she looked up Emily was gone. She said she called the police she looked all over the park but she was gone. I hurried home and when I got there Tasha was hysterical, She said that somehow while she was looking for Emily, Jason got his hands on an Ice cream cone and when she got home he couldn't breathe, he was coughing, he was turning purple, so we rushed him to the hospital but it was too late he had already been deprived of oxygen for too long. He was three. That night everything changed. We got an anonymous phone call from saying that we had to bring x amount of dollars in cash to this abandoned warehouse if we wanted to see our daughter alive again. My daughter was only nine. They said if I went to the police she would run the same fate as Jason. My wife and I pulled together the money in a matter of days and went to meet him when we got there he put something over our heads so that we could not see anything. They took us someplace and took the money. They tied us all up and made us watch. He did horrible things to our daughter and then he killed her. He did the same horrors to my wife multiple times over and over until she became pregnant then he killed her too. He beat me up repeatedly and was about to kill me too but his trafficker was caught and died so he needed a new person on his team. It took almost a year for me to come to terms with this new life and working for someone who murdered everything I held near and dear. But here I am" He said in absolute tears now.

I stare at him mouth wide open. "Oh my god, I am sorry I really am. That is horrible." I say with the uttermost sincerity.

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Authors note: 

This is by far one of the longest chapters yet. Rolling around 1600 words alone. This chapter would have been longer but I decided not too. I hope you guys love it. Please vote and comment, it means the world to me.

Love you guys