Under Your Scars: A Dark Romance Novel by Ariel Anderson

Author:Ariel Anderson [Anderson, Ariel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ariel N. Anderson
Published: 2023-09-29T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 25

THE SILENCER

Elena’s ultimatum sits heavy in my gut like a rock.

Her parents come back into the room as I leave. I don’t stop walking until I’m outside at a safe distance away from the hospital doors to smoke. I put the stick between my teeth and light it up, trying to puff out the agony in my chest. I run my hands through my dirty hair.

I don’t even know where to begin to try and fix this, but I have to. My entire life depends on it. If I don’t have Elena, then I have no reason to exist.

I would do anything for her, even give up the Silencer; but it’s not a matter of my willingness to do it. I just don’t think it’s possible. How can I rid myself of an unhinged, psychopathic, murderous alter ego that’s ruled my life for the past two years? It’s not a switch I can just turn off when I want. When I get the bloodlust, I can hardly think about anything else.

The one thing that makes him uncontrollable is Elena in danger, and Frank Valenti is still out there somewhere. I can’t make her a promise I can’t keep. There’s no way I can let go of the Silencer while he lives. It’s not possible.

It’s not possible.

It’s not possible.

It’s not fucking possible.

“What’s not possible?”

I stop my pacing and turn my head to find Elena’s mother, Bethany, standing a few feet away with a soft, motherly, warm smile on her face. I hadn’t realized I’d been speaking.

I blow out some smoke and then drop the cigarette to the floor and put it out with my boot.

“Nothing,” I say quickly. “Is Elena okay?”

She chuckles and smiles again. “Ellie is fine,” she assures me. “I came out here for you.”

“Me?” I ask, dumbfounded. “Why?”

She sighs. “Because you look like you’ve been through hell, and I wanted to make sure you were doing okay.”

Her concern seems genuine, and an unfamiliar emotion stabs me in the chest. It almost feels like motherly compassion. The first taste of it I’ve had in thirty years. “I’m fine.”

“Christian, I can smell a lie like a shark can smell blood in the water. You’re not fine, and I’d like you to talk to me.”

To give myself something to do other than stare at her blankly, I light another cigarette. “I’m not good at talking.”

She smiles at me and places a soft hand on my arm. “Luckily for you I’m an expert at getting people to talk. I’m a therapist. And a mother.”

I scoff. “I’m not sure what you want me to say.”

Unfazed by my stubbornness, she laces her fingers with mine and squeezes my hand. “I can care about you and Ellie at the same time, you know.”

I blow out a long breath, smoke wafting in the air in front of us. “I’m not sure why you’d waste your concern on me.”

“You’re feeling guilty about not being there to stop this from happening to her.”

I give her a sardonic scoff.

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