C49 What She Needs

Annabelle bolted upright at the sound of Cathy’s scream.

It tore through the room like a siren, high-pitched and raw.

Her heart pounded as she turned toward her sister, who was thrashing against the sheets, her small body trembling violently.

“Cathy!” Annabelle reached for her, her voice laced with panic. “Cathy, it’s me! It’s Annabelle. I am here, Cathy. You’re safe!”

But Cathy didn’t seem to hear her.

The girl’s wild eyes darted around the room, her breathing erratic, as if she were searching for an escape route.

“Cathy, look at me!” Annabelle’s hands gently gripped her sister’s arms, but Cathy recoiled, curling into herself and letting out another broken sob.

Annabelle’s chest constricted.

She felt powerless, desperate to soothe the little girl she’d sworn to protect. “It’s okay, baby. You’re safe now. I’m here,” she whispered, her voice shaking.

The door burst open, and Annabelle’s head snapped up.

Dante stood in the doorway, his frame dominating the space.

She saw his men in the hallway before he closed the door and fully stepped inside.

His gun was in his hand, the barrel lowered but ready as his sharp eyes scanned the room.

“What happened?” He asked in a clipped tone.

Cathy froze, her gaze locking on the weapon.

The reaction was immediate.

She screamed again, her small hands clawing at Annabelle as though trying to bury herself in her sister’s arms.

Annabelle’s head whipped back to Dante, her eyes blazing. “Get out!” she yelled, her voice harsh with fury. “Get out! You’re scaring her!”

Dante’s expression tightened, but he didn’t argue.

He stepped back and quickly left the room.

Annabelle turned her full attention back to Cathy, who was trembling uncontrollably in her lap. “Shh, it’s okay. He’s gone. It’s just us now,” she soothed, running her fingers through Cathy’s white-streaked hair.

It took several long, agonizing minutes for Cathy to calm down, though her small body continued to shiver against Annabelle’s.

“Talk to me, Cathy,” Annabelle pleaded gently. “Tell me what scared you. Did…did they do something to you? Can you tell me?”

But Cathy didn’t answer.

She clung to Annabelle with desperate strength, burying her face against her chest as if words were too dangerous to speak.

Annabelle pressed a kiss to the top of Cathy’s head, tears threatening to spill. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “I should have kept you safe. Forgive me, baby. Please forgive me.”

Cathy didn’t respond, but her grip on Annabelle tightened.

The sight of her sister, so small and fragile, brought Annabelle’s own guilt crashing down around her.

She rocked Cathy gently, humming her sister’s favourite song, hoping it would soothe her.

Eventually, Cathy’s breathing evened out, and Annabelle realised she’d fallen asleep.

Carefully, she laid her sister back against the pillows and pulled the blanket up to her chin.

Annabelle sat there for a moment, watching Cathy’s peaceful face, before standing quietly.

Her legs felt like lead as she moved toward the door.

She knew what she had to do.

Cathy couldn’t stay here, not in this house filled with men, weapons and danger.

She needed to leave.

Annabelle found one of Dante’s men outside Cathy’s room.

His posture was rigid, his hand resting on the weapon holstered at his hip.

“Where is…never mind. Just take me to him,” she said firmly.

The man hesitated but nodded. Then he led her outside the house.

She briefly thought the gazebo must be one of his favourite places, since that was the direction the man took her in.

Soon enough, she saw him standing with his hands in his pockets.

His rigid back and tense posture made Annabelle swallow hard.

His alert stance made her know that he was aware of their approach, but he didn’t turn around.

The man taking her to him announced that she wanted to see him, and he dismissed the man with a flick of his hand.

The men standing around him also stepped farther away from the gazebo.

He turned slowly, his expression unreadable but his dark eyes piercing.

“What do you want, Annabelle?” he asked, his tone calm but cold.

She swallowed hard, the words catching in her throat.

Before she could speak, he moved closer to her in a measured movement.

When he stopped in front of her, he gripped her chin gently but firmly, tilting her head back until she was forced to meet his gaze.

His touch wasn’t rough, but it was unyielding, his presence consuming.

“Don’t you ever yell at me like that again,” he said, his voice low and brutal. “Do you understand me?”

Annabelle blinked up at him, startled by the intensity in his tone.

She was too drained, too emotionally shattered to bother with a snarky response.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured, her voice barely audible.

If her unexpected meekness surprised him, he didn’t show it.

His dark eyes searched her face, his fingers still holding her chin in place.

She couldn’t look away even if she wanted to.

“Good,” he said finally, his tone still sharp.

He didn’t release her, though.

His gaze lingered, and for a moment, the tension between them shifted.

Annabelle’s breath caught as she sensed the simmering intensity in his eyes, something raw and unspoken flickering beneath the surface.

But she couldn’t dwell on it.

Not now.

“We need to leave,” she blurted, hating the little tremble in her voice. “Cathy and I can’t stay here.”

His grip on her chin tightened fractionally before he let go, taking a step back. “And where will you go?”

Annabelle hesitated, caught off guard by the question. “I... I’ll figure it out.”

“Figure it out?” Dante’s voice was sharp with disbelief.

He shook his head, his dark gaze narrowing. “Do you even hear yourself? You’re in no position to ‘figure it out.’”

“I can’t stay here,” she insisted, her voice breaking. “Not when Cathy is so fragile. This place…it’s toxic for her. You saw her the other time. I can’t keep her around here.”

“And yet, it’s the only place where she’s safe,” Dante countered, his tone deadly calm. “Or have you forgotten why you ran in the first place?”

Annabelle flinched, his words cutting deep.

Dante crossed his arms, his gaze unwavering. “Do you have a plan? A safe place that doesn’t involve your unreliable boyfriend? Resources? Or are you just going to walk out there and hope for the best?” ”

Annabelle had even almost forgotten Jose in the emotional rollercoaster of the past hours.

Had Jose given his sister to those men, or was he part of them and had been killed in that warehouse?

The blazing flare from the warehouse came to her mind and she shuddered inwardly.

“I…” Annabelle faltered.

“You’ll be fair game for every bastard out there,” Dante continued, his voice cold. “And your sister? She’ll be the easiest target of all.”

Annabelle’s chest tightened.

She hated how easily he dismantled her resolve, how effortlessly he forced her to confront her helplessness.

“Stay,” he said, his tone softening slightly. “As long as you need. I’ll provide security for you and Cathy. If she doesn’t improve here, I’ll move you both to one of my quieter properties.”

Annabelle’s shoulders sagged under the weight of his words. “You think she can get better here?”

“What she needs,” Dante said, “is to be around people. To learn that not everyone wants to hurt her.”

Annabelle looked away, her heart heavy.

She didn’t know what to do anymore.

All she wanted was to see Cathy happy again, but she couldn’t tell if staying there would help or hurt her sister.

“I’ll make sure no guns are in sight around her,” Dante added, his voice gentle now. “You have my word.”

Annabelle’s gaze snapped back at him, surprise flickering across her face. “Thank you,” she whispered.

He nodded once, his expression softening for a fleeting moment.

“We can get her professional help too. Maybe a doctor,” Dante suggested. “A female one. Someone who can help her process this.”

Annabelle nodded enthusiastically, “Thank you. I just don’t know how I can…” Her eyes widened a bit as a thought came to her, and she said, “Maybe I can help with something around here. Mom always said I am a hard worker. I would be glad to do any work. Just let me do something around here to pay for all you are doing for us.”

Dante’s brow furrowed as his gaze swept over her. “You want to do something? Sure I have something for you.”

“What?” Annabelle asked eagerly.

“Shut the fuck up about paying me back and take care of yourself too. You look like shit.”

Annabelle blinked, startled by his sudden shift in tone. “What?”

“You heard me,” he said flatly, turning away.

Her confusion deepened, but she didn’t argue.

She turned to leave, but his voice stopped her.

“Annabelle.”

She paused, glancing over her shoulder.

“Would you ever betray me?” he asked in a low tone.

“Huh?” She automatically asked in confusion.

“Forget I asked,” he said dismissively, turning away again.