A blinding ray of sunlight seeped through her wide open bedroom window, the curtains blowing against the breeze that brought a settling cool to her as she lay in the big four poster bed. It was too flash, too expensive for her liking but it was her "home". The bed next to her was empty, as it always was when she woke up, Devon got to bed late and left bed early. She would see him only when he needed her, for work or pleasure. That's how it had been from the minute she realised what she had landed herself into, he had dropped the act of all loving boyfriend as quick as he had started it, leaving her confused and trapped.
She climbed carefully from bed, her tanned skin was bruising around her hips and upper thighs, her body ached from his touch, he was too rough with her, but he never cared that he marked her or hurt her, as long as he got what he wanted. She let the soft silk material of her bed shorts and tank top shimmer her body, offering small cover to her bruises. They didn't hurt anymore, new ones mixed with old ones and eventually they would just disappear, eventually. Her hair fell to the centre of her back, naturally straight but thick and lively, she had been made to dye it by Devon, her raven black hair too plain and boring for his liking he had chosen her to be chocolate brown, with a mixture of soft blondes, chestnuts and lighter browns running through it, giving her the slight sun dyed look. She liked it, it did offer more to her than her black colour had, but she had wished she had been the one to choose it, not him. It was just another aspect of her that he controlled.
Exiting her sunlit room she walked delicately through the airy house, the walls were all a beige colour, ornaments and pictures placed in their precise, perfect spots, the floors were a marbled stone which made the house feel even bigger. It was more of a show home than a home; it was big, empty and cold. But she was grateful that she at least had a house, she knew girls who worked at Candy Lane, Devon's strip club, that were homeless or lived in women refuge centres. So she was never ungrateful, she knew she had a good life when compared to those around her. She just wished it was a good life built on hard work, love and a family, not lies, violence and illegal money. The house was silent, as it was most days, it would be full with people but still so silent, it wasn't a home, it was a house but it wasn't a home.
The sound of life only met her ears as she rounded on the kitchen, Maria, the housekeeper was stood behind the stove, cooking breakfast as she did each morning. The hissing of the pan sent waves of the beautiful smell of bacon to Alianna.
"Morning Maria" Alianna sang softly as she took her seat on one of the stools surrounding the breakfast bar.
"Buenos dias Alianna" Her Spanish accent was as smooth as ever, it made Alianna smile, she like Maria's Spanish. She had learnt to speak some of it herself in the years she had spent here. It was a way of escaping her boredom, learning a different language and becoming friends with Maria, she would help with the housework, make the beds and even scrub the toilets. But George the security mad at the front gate would always buzz up to tell them when Devon was home, so Alianna didn't get caught doing something so simple as scrubbing a toilet.
"I have made pancakes, I have also aspirin, for the head" Maria smile kindly as she placed the breakfast tray in front of Alianna. She was good like this, Alianna had quickly realised Maria stayed only for her, to watch over her. She was in her 40's, motherly over the young girl who had been thrown into this life so suddenly.
"Has Devon left?" Alianna's voice was quiet, making sure that is Devon was still in the house he did not hear her questioning over his wear about.
"Si, he said he will be home after. He has a business meeting" Maria stopped, she hated Devon, and had quickly come to know what it meant when he had a business meeting , he was out doing something he shouldn't be, with people he shouldn't be with.
Alianna nodded, also understanding the words. She gulped the aspirin and took another bite of pancake before slipping from the stool.
"Gracias Maria" She glanced at the clock on the wall, it was 10.30am. She walked back to her room, locking the door behind her as she slipped her silk pyjamas off and walked to her shower. The steaming water hit her aching body, offering relief from the pains in her hips.
...
"So now you're saying you won't be here for my birthday either? You weren't here for Christmas, or my birthday before that. Ally I haven't seen you in two years. Just come home already" Her younger brother whined down the phone, his low voice no longer surprised her, it had changed three years ago, he sounded in his twenties rather than the little boy she still pictured him as.
Her heart was tugging with each word he spoke, she would do anything to be there for his birthday, to actually see him open the present she sent him. But she knew it would never happen, La Push was a distant dream, a place she had once longed to leave, but now longed for.
"Brade, I would be there if I could but I can't, we have stuff going on" Which wasn't a lie, there was stuff going on, just not the sort of stuff her brother thought.
"You always have stuff going on, what about me? I have stuff going on too you know. Stuff I would love to be able to actually share, face to face with my sister" She could hear the underlying tantrum that made her smile, at 17 nearly 18, Brady still threw tantrums like a child.
"Ok I know that, you can tell me anything, I will always answer the phone Brady, I just can't be there" It hurt saying it, her stomach lurched every time she thought of the birthdays she had missed. Her dads promotion party, she missed that too, he had finally been made chief of police in Forks, but she hadn't been able to go.
"Whatever, don't bother sending a gift, I don't want to cause too much hassle on your life" And with that he put the phone down on her.
Bending over her crossed legs Alianna let out a frustrated cry, she wished Brady could see her life, see how being able to get him a birthday gift was an escape for her, shopping for him made her feel normal for a slight second.
"Ally!" Devon's harsh voice travelled up the stairs, echoing through the empty halls to their bedroom, Alianna sat upright, shaking off the feelings her brother had lashed from her.
"Coming" She shouted back, he probably couldn't hear her but it was an automatic reaction to respond.
She leapt from her bed and walked hurriedly down the echoing hallway, she was in shorts and one of Devon's shirts, the most comfortable thing she could find in her prissy, designer wardrobe. She hated designer clothes, she had grown up a simple life, as single dad who struggled to make ends meet, she had come to be comfortable wearing basic clothes, jeans, tops and hoodies, so these high heeled, tight jeans and bodycon dresses that filled her closet, were a cause of hatred from the young girl.
As she rounded on the last few steps to the ground floor of the oversized house, she looked around for Devon, but instead was met with Maria, her disapproving look meaning Devon was up to no good, yet again.
"He is in his office Miss Fuller" Maria stated to Ally as she walked past her, shooting her a knowing look before hurrying off to fix dinner.
Knocking on the heavy pine door Alianna stopped, waiting for permission to enter, why she did it was beyond her, it seemed ridiculous to have to knock to go into a room in her own house. But that was the way it was done around here.
"Yeah" Devon called out, the door opened before she had to chance to push it, the big balding head of Cole popped out, grunting at Alianna as he took her in and widened the door.
The sight on the other side was a normal one, but it made it no easier to digest. Alianna took in a deep breath as her eyes glanced over the piles of wrapped white powder that was being loaded into a duffle bag by more of Devon's followers. White powder that funded this house, but ruined so many people's lives.
Devon's body twitched with desire as he watched his girl float into the room, her eyes glancing nervously around at the big men that surrounded him, her body looking delicious in his bright white shirt that draped her like a dress, she looked irrespirable and Devon coughed, tactically warning the guys in the room to keep their eyes off. He didn't care to stop his own intrusive thoughts of her naked body as she got closer to him, it was the main reason he cared so much for her, her body, her skin tone, the way her blue eyes contrasted against the olive skin she had. She in herself was nothing special to him, he thought of her as a plain girl who had been easy to lure in, but her body was another matter, she was in no way plain physically. His grin turned into more of a sneer as she leant in to kiss his cheek.
"I'll be working late tonight, new clients, we will be visiting the Laton brothers tomorrow, you too, so be ready for 10am" His voice was purely business, no affection crossed into his rough voice as he addressed her. The Laton brothers made her stomach drop, they were vile. Strange and vile.
"Sure" She was leaning on his wooden desk, watching the boys who were counting through the stock of white wraps. Her disgust was written in her eyes, it was one thing she was bad at hiding, her distaste for the drugs he brought into her home.
"All there?" Devon stood up suddenly, his arm slipping around Alianna's small waist as he pulled her from the desk.
"Yes sir" The youngest of the guys on the floor looked up, a greedy glint to his eyes, Alianna felt pity for him, he was no older than the guy who had been murdered last night. Early twenties, caught up in what seemed like a bit of fun, easy money as Devon told them, but easy money came at a hard price.
Leading her from the room his grip got tighter, the lust he felt for her body growing within him as they reached the entrance hall.
"See you in the morning, I will be at the club tonight, sorting out the books" Translation, doing one of the drugged up underage girls, although he liked Alianna's body, and she never refused him, the thrill of one of the girls was too hard to resist.
"Sure, love you" She tried to mean it as she said it, tried to let the feeling he gave her all those years ago float back, but as usual, it flopped, instead making her stomach feel queasy.
"And me you" Devon replied his usual reply, again, his voice showed no affection, just business mannerism.
She stayed in place as she watched them pull away from the house, the front gate shut again and she finally locked the front door. Her whole body feeling deflated. She was alone, as usual, alone in this big dark house. The usual missing feeling washing over her body as it longed to go home. I am home. She reminded herself, repeating it over and over again as she walked back to her room, cuddling up in the big double bed to herself.
As she lay there she thought over all the times she had missed opportunities to escape this. The times her old friends would ring, beg her to come home, for weddings, for birthdays, for christenings. And Even for funerals. All times she refused. Insisting she was busy with work, the work she didn't have.
Are you sure he is the one?
Leah had asked her, the day she had rang her to tell her she was moving in with Devon. Yes, she had told her, she was sure he was. How naive she had been.
She had always been this way, stupid when it came to dangerous things. As a kid she had been the one to always get hurt. When she and Leah would be playing, Leah was careful, never lingered to close to anything that wasn't 100% safe. But Alianna, she liked the thrill, she had gone cliff diving when she was 11, by herself. Nearly killed herself. But the thrill of it had lured her to do it, again and again. That's how it had been with Devon, he had a mysterious edge from the beginning, and she found him refreshingly dangerous. And then when she realised what business he was really in, she still hadn't ran a mile, again, the thrill of it being too fresh. But now, she had learnt her lesson. Danger, meant danger, it meant run, as fast as you damn well could. And she would remember that, if she ever escaped this life, she would remember it damn well.
Ahhh I actually got reviews, and followers ! Thank you so much!
This one isn't as dramatic as the first, it's more of a bridge, introducing the characters a bit more. But thank you for your support and I hope it continues and that this story can grow :) It's good to see some people from my other stories, names I recognise! :D so hello to you all!
Karu, HELLOO ! Don't worry it is nothing like Safe and Sound, she isn't being abused physically in this like Jodie was, it will become clearer as it goes on, it's more about her being around the wrong people and getting into deep trouble that way rather than with a crazy fiancé who just wants to murder you! So hopefully it is good as it goes on.
I do try to update most days or every other day, I don't like stories where the author takes weeks to update a tiny chapter so I try not to do it to my readers, and I won't just abandon it midway unless it is terrible and everyone hates it. So hopefully you all continue to read and I look forward to writing more !
I do not own Twilight or any recognised characters.
