Come find me, Ophelia. I am sorry for everything. I will explain when I see you.
I love you.
Ophelia read the text over and over again. It didn't make sense. She hadn't seen Lucius since her brother's collapse. She wasn't sure she wanted to see him now, but if nothing else, her curiosity was piqued. There was a small part of her that loved him, but the majority of her soul could do without someone that couldn't be there for her when she needed him most. As she stared at the screen, she debated what to say.
I'm on my way.
She didn't answer. She knew she didn't have to. He knew that, if she didn't want to see him, she wouldn't be home when he arrived. She'd carefully lied to both her father and her mother to ensure she would have a good half hour or so before anyone noticed her absence. The urge to escape was strong.
She placed the phone on the kitchen counter and left it. Her eyes scanned the house. It amazed her how far the repairs had come along. It almost as if nothing had ever happened. Jax, Tig, Thomas, Victor, and Will had seen to that. It was important that Abel, once awake and given the go-ahead to go home, had a place to come home to.
"Such a waste," she whispered. She couldn't imagine Abel coming back here. She didn't even want to be here, and the rest of the family seemed to share that sentiment. They'd been bunking at the cabin since Hannah's abduction. Tig, Venus, and Althea had joined them. With either Jax or Tara always at the hospital, they felt safer with their Charming friends being there. Opie, after days of flashbacks, finally felt safe. The cabin was the closest to normal that she had.
Nightmares didn't live there. Here, they reigned, they crashed into her memory, and they wouldn't let go. Even though her fear edged into her heart, she knew that it was the last place anyone would look for her. Ophelia had made no secret of her dislike of the family home. As she stared out the window, she wondered if she'd ever have a home again.
The sun was setting. Purple, red, and gold shadows were cast across her parents' massive living room. This room was once her favorite. It always had the most beautiful light, and the heat that radiated from the sun always kept it cozy. Once upon a time, she never felt more secure than she did in that room. It amazed her how fast that all changed.
"Ophelia." The word was barely whispered, and she jumped. When she turned, she saw Lucius standing in the entryway. Her heart pounded against her chest as she stared at him. He looked better than she'd remembered.
"I didn't even hear you," she shakily replied. In Lucius' absence, Opie no longer knew if she loved him. Theirs had been a relationship of comfort, of young passion, of pure desire. That could really get confused with love. Still, as he stood before her, her pulse raced. He looked damn hot, and no matter what, she couldn't deny that.
Lucius held up his keys in response. Dressed in loose fitting jeans and an emerald green t-shirt, Lucius pale peridot eyes sparkled against his dark hair and newly tanned skin. They were full of remorse and longing as he stared at her. He wrapped a possessive arm around her waist, but she pushed back.
"Hello to you too, Lucius," she rasped as she pushed herself away. Her blue eyes were cautious as they stared at him. "Where the fuck have you been?"
The slick, easy smile that had been plastered across Lucius' lips faded. He crossed his arms across his chest. He appeared ready for the onslaught. To his surprise, Opie stared back at him. She said nothing. Beautiful and stubborn, he thought. What a shame I can't grow old with you. He'd known this when he became involved with her. He was part of a bigger mission, one that couldn't be jeopardized just because he'd fallen for a copper-haired vixen. It still hurt though. He'd gotten used to her in his bed, and these last few days without her had been hell. It was the closest Lucius had come to real emotion, and he hated it.
"I've been scared, Opie," he lied easily. At this point, he didn't know where the lies ended and the truth began. It no longer mattered. He was too far in to go back now. "When Hannah—disappeared-and your brother collapsed, I freaked out. I got scared. My whole life has been spent running. I did what came natural."
Opie kept staring. She was unmoved.
"You think I was calm?" she questioned. "Do you think I was alright watching my whole life implode? I know you came from a bad place, but I needed you. And you left me."
Lucius nodded. He struggled to remember the details of what he'd told her about his past. In his mind, he'd only slightly doctored the truth.
"You know what I grew up with, Op," Lucius wheedled. "My crackhead mama couldn't support me, so I was thrown in foster care. When I turned sixteen, I was out, but that was only after I'd been in three bad homes, each one worse than the next. I ran every time things were bad. It was in my blood to run."
"How fucking poetic of you," Ophelia stated. She didn't realize how angry she was—until now. At least when Lucius was gone, she didn't hate him. He was out of sight, out of mind. Now, standing before her, she no longer cared about his hard luck story. Victor had grown up in hell, but he never left Delylah's side. She knew simply by looking at Venus and Tig that their lives had been less than ideal, but they were here for her parents. "I'm sorry if I think it's bullshit."
"It's not bullshit, Op," he returned. Lucius felt the ire surge through his veins. As beautiful and smart as she was, he also knew she had one helluva mouth when provoked. Now was one of those times. "I didn't know what to do."
"You could've stayed by me," Ophelia returned. "You could've overcome your fucking fears and helped me through my own. It's not like you're a kid, Lucius. You're almost twenty-one. You can't just fucking run when things get weird."
"Weird?" Lucius laughed. He was so far into character, he felt as if he was actually arguing with her. She had no idea that he was the gatekeeper to her sister-in-law's cushy prison. Ophelia had no idea he held Hannah Teller's life-and the life of her unborn child-in his hands. All he needed was the go ahead, and Abel's tiny little family would fade into oblivion. "Hannah is gone, Abel is knocking on death's door, and you call that weird? Are you insane?"
"It's the only way I know how to deal with it," Ophelia responded. Her voice was choked with tears as she turned her back. She didn't want to break down in front of him. There were pieces of her that didn't want any kind of vulnerability. Being breakable left her exposed, and she now realized she hated that feeling.
"Oh, baby," Lucius sighed. Wordlessly, he walked to Ophelia and gingerly put his arms around her. She stiffened, but she let him continue. Again, he struggled with his mission and his feelings. It was hard to ignore Ophelia's sweet, open fear, but it was equally hard to ignore the demons that waged within him. It was true; he was brought up by a crackhead mom. Years spent in and out of the foster care system left him emancipated at sixteen. All that was true. What he kept hidden was the benefactor that helped him rise above his fucked up background. That was a secret he'd die keeping.
"I'm not your baby," Ophelia defiantly whispered, but she didn't pull away. Lucius placed a gentle kiss on her neck, and she shuddered. He reveled in his effect on her. Slowly, carefully, he turned her to face him. Her eyes locked with his, and for a moment, he felt her give in. He said nothing as he brushed a careful hand across her cheek.
"I love you, Ophelia," he said low. It wasn't a complete lie. When he was with her, away from a captive Hannah, he felt a genuine affinity for her. He felt like he'd been free from his horrible past. She didn't respond. Instead, she pulled away and faced the window. Night was taking over. The reds and purples had bled into darker blue and black. A sliver of sunlight still remained, but it was slim.
"I need to go," she said quietly. "My parents will be looking for me."
Lucius felt nauseous. She didn't say I love you back. His eyes narrowed as he stared at her.
"So?" The word was venomous as it escaped his mouth. Opie turned to stare at him. Her blue eyes were daggers in his chest.
"So?" Opie spewed back. "So? My parents are going to be worried. Neither one of them knew I was coming to see you. They'd kill me before they'd let you back into my life."
"Why? Because I got scared?" Lucius felt his anger bubbling.
"No," Opie answered. "Everyone gets scared. Not everyone runs."
"Then fuck your family," Lucius spat. Opie's eyes were massive as she opened her mouth to speak.
"Get the fuck out!" she screamed. She didn't understand how Lucius could change within seconds, but that just made her hate him more. Disgusted and furious she tried to push past him, but he blocked her way. 4
"Move," Opie demanded. Lucius laughed. It was a haunting, crazy sound.
"No," he whispered. He could feel the adrenaline course through his veins. His senses were heightened, and he enjoyed every single moment of it. He even found Opie's rebellious stare incredibly hot.
"Yes," she yelled as she pushed him. Only three or inches separated them in height, but he outweighed her by a good fifty pounds. She darted in the opposite direction, but he was faster, and he grabbed her by the wrists and pinioned her arms by her sides. Fear all but paralyzed her as she struggled against him. He laughed at her.
"Just go, please," she whimpered. Her lips trembled as her eyes filled with tears. A small part of Lucius pitied her, but she'd gone too far to allow his emotions to take over.
"I'm not leaving without you," he growled.
"But my mom—" Opie stammered. Her wrists ached from his grasp. The room was almost completely dark now, but the lights that illuminated the driveway allowed her a view of his face. A cold, frightening smile all but sparkled in the darkness. He lowered his lips to hers. She stiffened he forced her mouth open with his tongue. She screamed into his mouth, but that just excited him more. Her survival instinct kicked in. She ceased her screaming, but before he could react to it, she sank her teeth into his tongue. An anguished scream erupted from his throat.
This is my chance, her brain screamed as she attempted to bolt. Again, Lucius was too fast. She'd managed to get away, but she simply wasn't quick enough. As she ran, he dove after her, and he grabbed her ankle. Ophelia fell to the floor with a sickening thud.
"You fucking bitch!" Lucius screamed as he knelt beside her. His knuckles crashed into the soft skin of her cheek, and Ophelia saw stars. She felt blood pour from her mouth as she tried to maintain consciousness. Another brutal backhand splintered her nose. She was struggling to breathe as she felt blackness surrounding her. As her consciousness faded away, she felt him move to stand, and even though every cell in her body told her to crawl away, Ophelia simply didn't couldn't move. A savage kick to the side caused her to scream. She could hear him laughing as she gave in to the pain.
As kick after kick came, Ophelia prayed for the agony to end. In the distance, she heard her phone buzz repeatedly. They know I'm missing now, she thought as the blows kept coming. Please just let them find me alive. It was the last thought she had before she mercifully blacked out.