Dark Secrets

Chapter 54:

"Hey, princess, are you ready? I think we've decided on pizza."

Draco rested his hand on my shoulder but I didn't respond. I felt like I was seventeen again. I was cornered again, frozen as the deadly green eyes stared back at me with merciless vengeance. I was defenseless again, screaming in my mind for him to just let me go. Stones filled my lungs and stomach and I couldn't breath. Everything around me was the awful shade of green Pierce's eyes were. Two years had passed and I still can't get away from him. Suddenly my chair spun away from my desk and Draco's face was in my vision. Slowly the ghastly green tint on my vision disappeared and I focused on the soft grey of Draco's eyes. Draco's eyes were wide with worry and he was saying something. My name. He was saying my name. I could hear it now.

"Jen? Jen. Can you hear me? What's wrong? What happened?" Draco put his hands on my cheeks, staring me down, trying to get a read on me.

I still couldn't speak so I just handed Draco the letter that I was still gripping in my hands. Draco took the letter from my hands and scanned the contents. Draco clenched his teeth and crumbled up the letter. I could see the anger in his eyes but he looked at me and the anger seemed to evaporate. He collected me into his arms and buried his face in my hair.

"I promise to protect you for as long as I live. No matter what happens I swear to always keep you safe. Don't listen to anything Pierce says because he's wrong. He won't touch you. Not while I'm around. Okay?"

I didn't trust my voice so I just nodded. Draco pulled back slightly to look me in the eyes.

"I love you, princess." Draco kissed my forehead. "Now let's go home."

I nodded again and Draco intertwined our fingers. A second later I felt the familiar pull of apparation and then we were standing in our bedroom.

"Jen. Please say something. You're scaring me." Draco rested his hand on my cheek and tilted my head up so I'd look at him.

I swallowed. "I-I'm okay." I whispered, huskily. ​​​

"I'm glad you're talking but I know you're not okay. It's okay to not be okay sometimes. I know you put up this front of toughness and you're afraid to show anyone that you're not okay. But I want you to know you don't have to have a front with me. In fact I don't want you to have a front with me. I want to be able to know what you're feeling and thinking and I can't if you keep this front up. Please, princess, tell me what you're really thinking."

My throat swelled up and my eyes filled with tears. "It's like I'm seventeen again. Pierce is cornering me again and I can't escape. I keep screaming for someone to hear but he's taken my voice. I can't speak or move, I'm trapped. Whenever I get one of these messages it's like he's putting more bars on my cage. I haven't felt this way since I was a teen and I thought I'd never feel this way again. I've fought and captured dozens of deatheaters that were a lot stronger than Pierce but when it comes to him...I don't know. He was the beginning of this mess and he'll probably be the end and that scares me. He's got a death grip on the most important person in my life and I don't know how to save you." Tears started streaming down my face. "I love you. It terrifies me that your life is literally in my hands and I still haven't found a way to save it yet. If I was the reason that you died..." I choked on a sob and Draco brought me into his arms, hugging me tightly.

I cried into his chest, gripping his jacket like a life line. "I can't lose you too." I sobbed.

Draco stroked my hair and kissed my head. "You aren't going to lose me. Also we don't even know for sure that it was Pierce's family that cursed yours all those years ago."

"It would make sense. The universe hates us and keeps throwing shit in our face. Why would it be easy this time? It never is."

Draco pulled away and cradled my face in his hands. "Jen. Listen to me. We will get through this. No matter who cursed your family we will get them to break the curse. I promise you nothing will happen to either of us."