Empire of Hate (Empire #3) by Rina Kent

But in order to do that, I have to run—

Chris grabs me by the ankle, but I kick him as hard as I can.

He’s bigger than me, though, stronger, and no amount of adrenaline can help me.

“Seems you chose violence, and I will deliver.” He crawls atop my frail, thrashing body and slaps me so hard, my head hits the ground with a thud.

My vision blackens out and white dots start forming in my head.

I think I have a…concussion.

What happens next is a blur of motions. I’m disoriented, and my body feels like it’s a different entity from mine.

The assault.

The violation.

The burning pain.

Sometimes, I think I’m lucky I don’t remember most of it.

I’m lucky I only remember lying on the ground after he’s done and thinking everything’s going to be all right.

I think I saw Astrid in the middle of it all, but I also saw Daniel coming to save me, so it was probably a play of my imagination.

I hope the blood that’s on my white dress is also a play of my imagination.

My body still feels like an alien entity as I crawl to the bathroom on my stomach. My nails break on the floor in my attempts to get there faster.

Or maybe they broke when I tried to scratch him. The stench of weed, cigarettes, and male musk clings to my skin, and I need it gone.

I also need the blood on my dress gone.

I need all of this gone.

It’s a compulsive reaction, a need to get rid of it all, which is why I crawl faster, break more nails and scrape my knees against the ground.

Once I’m in the shower, I strain to hit the water button.

Cold.

Like my soul.

I sit against the wall in my clothes and pull my knees to my chest.

I don’t cry, though. I don’t have the right to.

My eyes lift to the ceiling and I whisper, “Papa… Please take me with you.”





I spend hours under the spray of water until I think I’ll surely get pneumonia.

Then I scrub my body until it turns red and painful, but I still can’t get rid of his rotten smell.

Of the stench of cigarettes and weed.

No idea where I get the force to rip the bloodied white dress to pieces and change into a pair of jeans and a tank top, but I do.

I have to get out of here.

I have to forget.

My whole body shakes as I drive my car. I have to stop on the side of the road every five minutes to keep myself from hyperventilating.

But I don’t abandon my plan. I don’t turn around. I keep driving until I reach my destination.

Daniel’s house.

Or more like a mansion.

His family is loaded and since his father is somewhat eccentric—and a horrible parent to both Zach and Daniel—he designed the house in a peculiar way. From the outside, it seems like a dome donned with different geometric shapes of windows and doors.

As soon as I step out of the car, the heavens open, and heavy rain soaks me in a second.

I feel nothing, not the water and not my steps. I’m floating on air until I reach the gate.

Aunt Nora appears, holding an umbrella, and lets me in. She’s a short woman with dreamy gray eyes and a soft bone structure.

“Oh, dear. You’re soaked. Are you okay?”

I must look like an injured puppy caught in the rain, and while looking less than pristine would’ve bothered me on other days, it doesn’t now.

I don’t think it will ever again.

“I…I’m fine,” I breathe out, having trouble speaking past the lump that’s been in my throat for hours. “Is Daniel home?”

“Yes, I heard his car earlier. He’s probably in the guest house.”

The house that’s as far away from his parents as physically possible. I know that because he’s been telling Astrid that he’s going to move out as soon as he’s done with school.

“Can I go see him?”

“Sure…” I don’t wait for her to say anything as I storm past her.

“You should drive your car inside, Nicole,” she calls after me, but I don’t hear her.

I don’t even care about the car that I left unlocked on the side of the road.

My pulse roars in my ears as I walk, then jog, then break into a full sprint under the rain, letting it wash away the rotten stench that clings to my skin.

By the time I arrive in front of the pyramid-shaped guest house, I’m panting, my hair covers my eyes, and my clothes feel heavy sticking to my skin.

My fingers spasm as I hit the doorbell.

A few seconds later, a light comes on from the inside and the door opens.

I take my first real breath in hours the moment my eyes clash with Daniel’s.

He’s my safety. The person who always made me feel calm and happy and…me.

And maybe I went the wrong way to have him. Maybe I should’ve just told him that I like him and I’d wait until he liked me back.

I love you. I think I’ve loved you since we were kids. I know you think I’m a bitch, but that’s only because I don’t know how to express myself and I was taught to never show feelings. But I promise to change if you teach me how.

I open my mouth to say just that.

“Daniel, I—”

“What the fuck are you doing here?” There’s a slur in his speech, a troubled look on his face, and a dark gleam in his usually bright eyes.