Page 12 of Watch Her Bleed
“Yep. She’ll start Monday,” I say. “Give me a second and I’ll give you a copy of her contract and NDA,” I say as I turn to the printer. I copy the papers before handing them over to Dad.
“Thanks,” he says.
“Why her?” I ask. “Why did you hire Paul Anderson’s daughter?”
“Why not?” he asks with a shrug as he walks out of the room.
“He’s up to something,” Luca says.
“I’ll be damned if I let him drag her into his bullshit,” I say.
Chapter Five
Aurora
The closer we get to my parents, the more fidgety I get. “You okay?” Kaia asks, glancing over at me.
“I just don’t want to go,” I say. That’s not a lie, I don’t want to go. The real reason I’m freaking out is because I know Enzo is going to get to me. I’ve developed a sort of sixth sense when it comes to this bullshit with Enzo. I’ve done well with separating my emotions so I don’t drown in self-pity, even though I know I should at least tell Kaia. I’ve known this woman since we were three and she doesn’t know what haunts me at night. She doesn’t know why I don’t date, she thinks I prefer to be single. I don’t, actually. It fucking sucks always feeling so lonely.
I used to have little flings to get my mind off the atrocities that Enzo has put me through and what my parents have allowed. That all changed when Enzo walked into my apartment when I had someone over. I didn’t even know he had a key, let alone that he would come over unannounced. I should have known better though. That’s just how Enzo is. He drops in unexpectedly, causes me trauma, and disappears.
This particular time he hurt me more than he ever had, including the first time he raped me. I wore the bruises as proof of why I would never be anything more than something for my big brother to hurt. He made it known that night that I would always belong to him, no matter where I was or who I was with.
Eventually, I’ll tell Kaia. She already knows he’s a fucking creep. It won’t surprise her, but it will make her angry. Kaia is unpredictable when she’s angry. I don’t want to have to visit her in jail when she slaughters my entire family for hurting me.
We pull into my parents’ driveway and I groan when I see Enzo’s Mercedes. We always bring Kaia’s car so they don’t give me shit for my little Corolla. God forbid I buy a car for driving and not for showing off. “You ready?” she asks.
“No,” I frown and open my door but stop and turn back to her. “Can you do me a favor?”
“What’s up?”
“Try not to let me be alone with Enzo,” I say. I know asking her this will make it to where I have to tell her, but maybe that’s not the worst thing.
“Yeah,” she says. “Can you tell me why you’re scared to be alone with him?”
“Not before we are about to walk in, no,” I say as I get out of her car.
“You will tell me though, right?” she asks.
“Yeah,” I sigh. Kaia grabs my arms and stops me. I can see it on her face. She knows why I’m scared. “I promise I’ll tell you when we leave. If I do end up alone with him, I can handle it. I just would like to prevent it.”
“If I find out…”
“Kaia. Please. I promise, okay?” I ask and she nods.
We walk to the door and it swings open before I can grab the handle. “There you are,” Enzo says with a smile as he steps to the side so we can walk in. “You brought Kaia.”
“Hey,” I say. Enzo puts his arms around me and hugs me tightly.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” he says quietly in my ear. I pull away and avoid looking up at him. Enzo is a giant, which is why I’ve learned to not fight him. He can overpower me so easily that it’s useless.
“Aw. Don’t I get a hug?” Kaia says with the fakest smile I’ve ever seen on her. I wouldn’t be shocked if she shived him right here.
“It’s good to see you too, Kaia,” he says as he hugs her. Kaia that close to Enzo makes me nervous. Especially now that she’s catching on.
She pulls away and grabs his face between her hands with the sweetest smile she can manage. “If I ever see you touch her again, I’ll cut your fucking hands off,” Kaia says before patting his cheek and turning to me. I am in complete shock and still not willing to look him in the eye. Not after she just threatened him if he touches what he’s deemed his property.
“Mmmm. I smell jealousy,” Enzo says, leaning down to whisper in her ear.
