[Leo’s POV]I hold my little songbird against me while her body shakes from the sobs that are escaping her. Even if I was worried about her seeing my true identity, there was just no way it could happen given her state, and I was taking comfort in that.“It’s alright,” I murmur, beginning to rub gentle circles on her back. “It’s all going to be alright.”As I speak, I can feel her beginning to relax, but there is still a long way to go. And even though I know I shouldn’t, I begin to untangle her until she can look at me and I can begin to get lost in her sparkling blue eyes.“You’re safe,” I murmur, rubbing tears from her cheeks. “I won’t ever let anything happen to you again.”To this day, she doesn’t remember the one who saved her from that horrible situation, and I suppose it is a blessing since she would most likely obsess over him instead of me. And even if he was me, I couldn’t reveal that either. It would lead to many other questions that I was not yet ready to reveal. After al
[Brielle’s POV]The next morning, I wake to find I'm alone and can't help but wonder if everything that happened last night was a figment of my imagination to stop the spiral I was going through. However, when I look down and find signs of L's presence all over my body, I know that it was real.“He was here,” I sigh, slowly sitting up while my pussy stings as a reminder of L's merciless attack.L was, in fact, here. He was in my home, and despite that, I still didn't know what he looked like since he was wearing a mask the whole time.Was that the trick to getting him to appear? To breakdown in despair and spiral out of control? I wasn't sure, and honestly, I wasn't brave enough to test it.When I remembered the night that my parents were killed and I was attacked, all I could see was darkness, and all I could feel was pain. To even dig up those memories left me drowning, and because of that, I didn’t like to remember them. Some would say it meant I never truly dealt with my demons, b
[Brielle’s POV]For the rest of the day, Thad and I work on our duet, doing take after take until finally it is deemed perfect for release. I knew that becoming a recording artist wouldn’t be easy, but to see just how much work it truly was left me exhausted.“Good job, love!" Thad grins as we walk out of the studio. “I have to admit, I questioned whether or not you truly had the chops or if you were picked on your looks, but you’ve got some vocal range.”“Are you saying you thought I got my place for my looks?” I ask, bristling. “Do I look like the type?”“Well,” he chuckles, looking from me to Mr. Rogers, who is busy talking to someone on his phone. “To say that I haven’t noticed some tension between you and the boss would be lying.”Flinching, I look to Mr. Rogers as memories of our first encounter surge. Of course there was tension between us, but it wasn’t the sexual kind, at least not on my end. He only reminded me of L because of his voice, but aside from that, the two were dif
[Leo’s POV]My fist connects with the punching bag, sending tingles of pain rushing up my arm, but it isn’t enough to make the images of my songbird with that british bastard go away. Stepping back, I prepare for another attack and then move.Again and again, I hit the bag in front of me, pretending that it is the bastard who dares even attempt to have ideas about my songbird, until my breathing is coming out in labored puffs and my knuckles are bloodied.“I think you’ve shown that bag who is boss,” Jackson chuckles from his seat along the wall. “Don’t you think we should get down to business now?”Business? I didn’t want to focus on fucking business. It was already five in the afternoon, and my songbird hadn’t contacted me. Where the fuck was she, and what was she doing? When my driver called me and told me she never showed up, I attempted to call, but it went straight to voicemail.“FUCK!” I rumble, hitting the bag again.“That’s enough,” Jackson sighs, getting up and making his way
[Thad’s POV]I sit alone, watching Darlene finish her set, while wondering how much longer Brielle is going to be. A good twenty minutes had passed since she went out to take a call, and I was beginning to wonder if everything was alright.“You look perplexed.”Snapping out of my head, I lift my gaze to Darlene as she takes a seat across from me and steals my beer.“Oi,” I huff as she brings it to her lips and chugs. “That's disgusting, you know.”“I'm your sister,” she giggles, placing the empty bottle on the table. “My germs are your germs, and your germs are mine.”Gagging, I lean back in my seat and look toward the bar exit.“Are you worried about her?” Darlene asks, giving me a funny grin. “Shouldn't you go after her then?”“I don't know who you mean,” I smirk. “There are many pretty women around me, you know; you're going to have to be more specific as to what you mean.”“Pretty blonde. Didn't you see some thug was following her out the…”Darlene doesn't get the chance to finish
[Thad’s POV]My eyes slowly take in the scene in front of me from Brielle, who is on her hands and knees with a masked man positioned behind her. I don’t have to look closely to understand what is happening here, given Brielle’s flushed cheeks and where his hand is positioned.Fuck, what the hell is this? Some kind of freakish foreplay? Her whole fucking backside is red and welted from him hitting her, and she still seems to be enjoying every damn minute, to the point where I was sure she was still oblivious to my presence.“You!” The man growls, yanking his hand free and surging forward so that his body crashes into mine. “What the fuck are you doing here?”Letting out a huff from the force that I’m hit with, I try to dig my feet into the carpet beneath me to stop myself from crashing into the wall.“The door,” I hiss, lashing out and pushing him away from me. “You left the bloody door open!”As I speak, the masked freak moves forward again, attacking with his left hand while I attac
[Brielle’s POV]Panic begins to build as the paramedics start to attempt to lift me. No! I couldn't go with them; what if L came back, or worse, what if he didn't?“You,” I hiss, feeling my tears beginning to fall down my cheeks. “Why did you show up and ruin everything?”I knew lashing out at Thad was wrong, especially when he looked genuinely concerned for me, but I was becoming manic. What would I do if L disappeared from my life because of this?“No,” I gasp, feeling my throat begin to close up. “I can't!”I would be completely alone without him! He was all I had after my parents’ murder. Because both sides of my family were gone, L was the closest thing I had, and I didn't want to picture a world without him.“Please!” I beg, clawing at the paramedic, who is gently leading me toward a stretcher. “I can't go to the hospital! I have to find him!”“Find him?” The paramedic repeats. “Don't worry, the gentleman is right…”“NOT HIM!” I wail, beginning to fight. “L! I HAVE TO FIND L!”“
[Thad's POV]“Welcome back, little brother.”Darlene's voice is too damn chipper after what I just went through, and it grates on my last nerve.“Why are you here?” I huff, collapsing on my bed and throwing an arm over my eyes. “Do I look like I want to see you right now?”Honestly, if Darlene didn't insist I return Brielle's purse to her, I wouldn't be a human pin cushion, nor would Brielle and I be walking on damned eggshells. So in retrospect, this whole fucking situation was her fault.“I came to keep my cute brother company while he is in the hospital.” Darlene responds unphased. “What kind of sister would I be if I didn't?”As she speaks, she flips her long, dark hair behind her shoulder and wiggles into a more comfortable position in her seat.“Anyway,” she continues now. “How is your lady? You were just visiting her, yes?”How was she? Completely out of her bloody mind and defending the bastard that hurt not only her but me. Even if it happened because I walked in unannounced,