Married Into The Mafia *Undergoing Re-editing*

Lies

--Eloise--

King had not spoken afterwards. It was utter silence for the rest of the trip. My muffled cries remained alongside a continuous stream of pleads for forgiveness. I had no control over them. Like some crazed religious figurehead, I preached them in hopes of someone to hear them and provide my fate with some divine intervention. 

It may sound foolish but it helped to soothe me. It was like I had someone else to watch over me them. Someone else to comfort me besides myself. 

We arrived at a hotel near the outskirts of the city. It was not pompously boasting in its luxury but the service and appearance were still decent. We were taken to a suite after King had flashed them his business card and was not questioned on the morbid and drenched state one of us was in compared to the other. Though I should've been clever and tried to signal the hotel staff of my situation, I could not find the energy to even lift my aimless stare from the carpeted floor. There were periods of blurred vision that I would experience alongside the occasional sway from one foot to the other as I followed both King and the staff member that was leading us to our room. 

The shivers had lessened but still remained. My arms crossed over my chest to grip onto either and conserve my heat. I had dried to the point that I was not dripping anymore, but stood covered in a layer of damp moisture. I could feel my body growing tired of the constant shudders to keep warm. 

"Please give us a call and let us know if there's anything else you'd like," the worker informed at the doorway to King in his farewell. I heard King hum in response before the door clicked shut, leaving just the two of us in this room alone together. It reminded me of the night of the wedding reception. Or the night of the wedding itself. Both, I had been coiled up tightly in frightened tension of what was to come. And, both of those nights also ended terribly. A situation where King and I were in a room together always did.

And, yet, now, I could not muster up the strength to care. If something bad was to happen either way, what was the point in worrying yourself to death over it? Was it not better to just let it happen if there was no escape from it, to begin with? What was the point of keeping up your pride by saying I fought until the very last minute? Who would even care now if I still had pride? All the people I had left around me, only worked to destroy it, so what was the point in fighting to keep it anymore?

I sat on the edge of the king-sized bed in the hotel suite. Hunched with both hands in my lap as my shivers continued. I could hear King moving around in the room but didn't bother to look up. I didn't care about whatever he was planning to do now anyway. 

Even if I was to be punished, there was nothing I could do about it after all. 

The sound of the heater being turned on registered, however, and internally, I flourished with gratitude for the heat it radiated. King's footsteps fell closer in approach towards me and I subconsciously stiffened as expectant as I felt for whatever was to happen to me. This time, I didn't even try to question what it would be. 

"Are you cold?" He murmured quietly once he was by my side. However, there was no gentleness to his gruff voice. Which was why it surprised me when his suit jacket was draped over my shoulders and adjusted to fit. "Is that better?" The sheer size was enough to envelope my caved-in body like a pair of large, comforting arms. The warmth, freshly extracted from King's body, smothered away any of the trembles that were quaking through my limbs. It was so nice and relaxing. It felt as though I could close my eyes and fall asleep right then and there. "One of my men will bring you some new clothes. We'll remain here until you've recuperated," King explained with a diffusing sigh. This time, I felt a stir of curiosity in my chest. His strange gesture had warranted a glance over to catch him loosening his tie from his neck.