chapter 17

Chapter 17: Alone in the Cage (Elena's POV)

The car keeps driving fast through dark roads. I sit in the back seat pressed against the door arms wrapped tight around myself. Daddy sits beside me silent now hand resting on his knee like he doesn't know what to do with it anymore. The driver up front says nothing just keeps eyes on the road.

My cheek still stings from the slap. Lip tastes like blood. I touch it careful feel the cut. Tears dry on my face sticky cold.

I wait.

Every second I wait for the sound of tires screeching for gunshots for Matteo's voice shouting my name. I picture it over and over. Them bursting from the shadows Luca shooting first Nico covering Matteo charging like he always does when he's mad. They would come. They promised. They always came before.

But the road stays empty. No lights behind us. No engines roaring closer. Just the hum of the car and Daddy's heavy breathing.

Minutes turn to hours.

We pull into a gated house I don't recognize. Tall walls iron fence guards at the gate. Not the old villa. Somewhere new hidden.

The car stops. Daddy gets out opens my door gentle now like he's scared I'll break.

"Come on baby girl," he says soft. "You're home."

I don't move. "This isn't home."

He reaches in takes my arm pulls me out careful. I let him. My legs feel weak shaky from the ride from the fear.

Inside the house smells like new paint and old wood. Big living room leather couches fireplace cold. He leads me upstairs to a bedroom. My old bedroom furniture moved here bed same sheets same pillows. Like he tried to rebuild my cage exactly the same.

He stands in the doorway watches me walk around touch the dresser open the closet see my old clothes hanging neat.

"I kept everything," he says quiet. "I knew you'd come back someday."

I turn to him anger bubbling up hot fast. "I didn't come back. You took me. You hit me. You dragged me like I was nothing."

His face falls. "I lost control. I was scared. Forgive me Elena. Please."

I shake my head step back. "No. You don't get to say sorry and make it okay. You kidnapped me Daddy. You slapped me. And now you think I'll just stay?"

He steps closer hands out. "They aren't coming for you. Don't you see? If they wanted you they would be here by now. They used you to hurt me. That's all. Once I took you back they moved on."

The words cut deep. I feel them sink in slow cold.

I rush to the window pull the curtain back look out. Dark yard empty road beyond the gate. No cars. No shadows moving. No one.

My heart sinks lower.

"They said they would come," I whisper more to myself.

Daddy sighs heavy. "They lied. Men like them always lie. They wanted revenge. They got it. Now they're done."

I turn fast anger exploding. "Shut up! You don't know them! They care about me! They said I was theirs! They said I was safe!"

He shakes his head sad. "Safe? They fucked you in front of my men. Filled you with their cum. Marked you like property. That's not care baby. That's using. And now you're here alone. No rescue. No fight. Just you and me."

Tears come hard now chest tight sobs ripping out. I slide down the wall sit on the floor knees to chest.

He kneels in front of me tries to touch my shoulder. I jerk away.

"Don't touch me."

He pulls back sits on the floor too back against the bed. "I hate seeing you like this. I hate that I hurt you. But I'm your father. I will fix this. I will protect you. No more enemies. No more danger. Just peace."

I look at him through blurry eyes. "Peace? You call this peace? Locking me up again?"

He looks down guilty. "It's temporary. Until you're better. Until you forget them."

Forget them.

The thought hurts worse than the slap.

I think about Matteo's arms around me Luca's kisses Nico's quiet strength. The way they looked at me like I mattered. Like I was wanted not just protected.

But they aren't here.

No shots. No rescue.

They let him take me.

Maybe Daddy is right.

Maybe I was just a tool. A way to hurt him. A warm hole to fill until the revenge was done.

The thought makes me sick makes me curl tighter.

I cry harder sobs shaking my whole body.

Daddy moves closer slow wraps his arms around me. This time I don't fight. I let him hold me rock me like when I was small.

"I'm here baby," he whispers. "Daddy's here. You're safe now."

I cry into his shirt feel the old familiar smell.

But inside something dies quiet slow.

The hope that they would come.

The belief that I was theirs.

Now it's just me and Daddy again.

Just like before.

Locked away.

Alone.

And maybe that's all I ever was.

Just a girl waiting to be taken.

First by him.

Then by them.

Now back to him.

And no one coming to save me.

The clock on the wall ticks soft.

Midnight passed long ago.

They never came.

And I start to believe.

They never will.

I close my eyes let the tears fall.

Tomorrow will be the same.

And the day after.

Until I forget how it felt to be wanted.

Until I forget how it felt to be free.

Until I'm just his little girl again.

Small.

Safe.

Empty.

The house goes quiet around us.

Daddy holds me tighter.

And in the dark I whisper to myself one last time.

They were coming.

They had to be.

But the words feel empty now.

And the silence answers back.

No one is coming.

No one at all.