Tormented Royal by Lily Wildhart

Chapter Seventeen

“Morning, sunshine!” Indi bounces onto my bed, and I groan, rolling over. The sun spills into the room through the open windows, and I pull the duvet over my head. We stayed out way later last night than I’ve stayed out in forever, and I definitely forgot how much roadies drink. I never used to partake; but when Jenna and the girls invited us out with them, and the crew came too, I decided to let loose. Indi was there with me, shot for shot, so I have no idea how she’s exuding her usual dose of sunshine like she is, but I am so not ready for it right now.

“Oh come on, grump. The sun is shining, the views are beautiful, and yesterday was possibly the best day of my life!” She literally bounces on the bed, singing her words. It’s a little bit annoying, but it still draws a smile out of me. I peek out from the sheets to find her grinning down at me. “I have coffee coming.”

“Thank fuck,” I groan as I squint through the blazing sunlight. My head pounds, and I almost want to just crawl under the covers again. “I’m glad you had so much fun.”

“Are you kidding me? After my little meltdown over meeting the girls, I thought I was toast. But everyone was so nice, and watching the show from backstage was fucking epic! Then going out after and being treated like a freaking goddess… What about that isn’t something I’d love? Best. Night. Ever!” Her joy is infectious, and my hangover ebbs a little.

I climb out of the sheets and sit up in bed, basking in her joy as she scrambles over me and jumps under the covers beside me. She rests her head on my shoulder, and I lean my head against hers, resting with narrowed eyes until a knock on the door jolts us into action. I climb from the bed in my tank and boy shorts, sorting out the tray of room service she ordered for us. I groan as I lift the plate lids and piles of bacon and eggs stare up at me. She walks into the main room of the suite and grins while I drool over the food and coffee. “You are a goddess.”

“I know.” She grins before coming to sit with me at the small dining table. We spread the plates out and pick at the food in a comfortable silence as music plays softly in the background. It doesn’t take us long to inhale the food and coffee, and once we’re done, I feel like I could sleep for an eternity again, but I don’t want to waste the time we have on our trip.

“What do you want to do today before we head home?” I ask, and she almost looks shocked.

“We’re not going straight home?” she asks, and I shake my head, finishing the dregs of my coffee.

“No, I figured we could chill here for most of the day and head home later, but if you want to go straight home, we can. It’s your birthday, and the world is your oyster.”

She claps her hands together and does a little dance in her chair, and I can’t help but grin at the sheer amount of joy bottled inside of one very small human. “Zoo! I want to go to the zoo so bad, and then maybe we can go snorkeling at La Jolla? Can we do both? Do we have time?”

“We can do whatever you want.” I grin, basking in the glow of joy she’s emitting. “So if you wanna do both, we can totally do both.”

“Yes!” She jumps to her feet and continues her wiggling happy dance. “I’m going to get ready. I am too excited.”

She bounces all the way to the bathroom, and I laugh, pouring myself another cup of coffee. Pulling up the San Diego zoo website on my phone, I buy us two all inclusive passes before looking for a snorkeling company in La Jolla. My dad always made a big deal out of birthdays, and it’s the one tradition I’m determined to continue.

By the time she’s done in the shower, I have everything booked that she asked for, and then jump in the bathroom to get ready myself. I wash off the grime from last night. As much fun as gigs are, they’re totally gross. I hate myself a little for not showering before I passed out last night.

It takes a little longer than I’d like to get myself ready for the day, the sluggishness from last night slowing me down. By the time I’m washed and dressed, Indi has our bags packed and the room straightened up.

She’s like the goddamn Energizer bunny.

I wouldn’t have her any other way, though. “Ready to go?” My question is a little redundant, but her eyes flash with mirth as she nods and grabs her bag.

“I am so ready. Let’s do this, San Diego!”

* * *

Our day in San Diego was fucking amazing. I don’t remember the last time I went to the zoo or went snorkeling. Or even just had a fun, almost regular day. It’s been so fucking refreshing and clarifying. It woke my soul up a little.

The drive home has me exhausted after the last forty-eight hours, so as I pull up out the front of Indi’s house, relief floods me. Reds, purples, and pinks paint the sky as dusk hits, and my bed is calling my name. I texted the security guy before we left and confirmed the new cameras and sensors were in place, but he said he’d be gone by the time I got home, and also confirmed that whoever got in before was a tech wizard, because the tapes were cut, but there was no trace of the hack into the system at all. Not scary at all. Nope.

He also sent me some lengthy instructions on how to set the new system but I’ll check that out later.

“Thank you so much for the best birthday ever,” Indi says, wrapping an arm around my neck and hugging me tight.

“It was my pleasure. Thank you for being the best friend ever.”

“You’re going to make me cry if you keep being this nice to me,” she says as she pulls back, her eyes already a little watery.

I smile and shake my head at her, the little softie. “Then prepare to cry, my friend, because I’m not going to stop. You’re a beautiful human, and if I can do things to bring the joy to you that you give me, then I’m going to.”

She laughs as a tear runs down her face. She wipes it away with a shaky sigh before saying, “See, look what you did. I’m going to go now, before I start ugly crying.”

“Go on,” I laugh. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

She shakes her head, looking a little sad. “Tomorrow is family day for my birthday, I have aunts and uncles and all sorts coming in for a big dinner. I’d invite you, but my family is weird as fuck. Plus, one of my cousins is weirdly obsessed with you.”

I bark out a laugh. There are absolutely zero interesting things about me to be obsessed with. “You’re fine. I should probably get some decent sleep and down time. I’ll see you on Monday then.”

“You will,” she says before climbing out of the car and grabbing her bag from the back. “I love you, and thank you again for the best birthday ever. Drive safe and let me know when you’re home.”

“I absolutely will. Have a good sleep. I’ll speak to you soon.”

She closes the door, and I wait until she’s in the house before I pull away and head home. I swear my eyes hurt—I’m that freaking tired, but it was so worth it. The drive home doesn’t take long, but as I get closer, the thumping sound of loud bass shakes the car and I groan.

Of course Lincoln’s having a party. The one night I want to sleep, there’s going to be so much noise that sleep is going to be a long time coming. I can’t complain too much. It isn’t even that late, but damn. All I want to do is crawl into bed.

I put in the new code for the gate that the security guy sent over and head up the drive. I should put the car in the garage, but I really can’t be fucked. One night out front won’t hurt. I groan at myself and decide to move it into the garage, especially with the party next door. Knowing my luck, some asshole will discover the gate and egg my car or some shit, and this car has been through enough in its short time with me.

Once the car’s secure, I trudge into the house, shutting off the alarm. It’s so eerie when it’s this empty and dark. It’s way too big for one person really. I have no idea how Smithy survived years in this place alone, but it’s home, so I doubt I’m going to change it any time soon.

I drop my bag in the entry hall. The bass from next door isn’t so bad in here, but I swear I can feel the low thump inside of my chest, almost in time with my heartbeat. I head to the kitchen and put on the coffee pot, and the smell is freaking divine as it brews. I figure if I’m not getting any sleep for a while with the noise anyway, why not?

I finally go through the new security details, happy that this new system has a room by room system, meaning I can have the ground floor protected but still keep the door in my room open to let in some fresh air. I don’t like to sleep with the air conditioning on if I can help it.

A crash out front draws my attention, and I groan. If their party overspills here, I’m going to be pissed. The Saint house is plenty big enough—there’s no reason for people to sneak over here.

Fuck my life.

I slip my Chucks back on, glad I left my hoodie on, and check the monitors before I head out front. I can’t really see anything on the monitors, though, and sigh. Of course I can’t. That would make my life too simple. The new alarm system might be awesome, but maybe I need to call him back and upgrade the cameras.

I find a group of drunk assholes literally starting an orgy around the side of the house. “How the fuck did y’all get over here?”

My shout seems to startle them, like they hadn’t even considered there would be someone home. The girl giggles as she does the buttons on her shirt up and one of the guys groans. “We didn’t think there would be anyone here. The lights were all off.”

“Well there is, but you didn’t answer my question.” I fold my arms over my chest. I’m aware I don’t look even remotely intimidating, but fuck it.

“There’s a break in the fence, through the trees. It isn’t easy to find, and we came across it by accident,” one of the other guys says as he zips up his jeans.

Of course there fucking is. Fuck my life.

“Show me?” I ask, and the guy nods. They lead me over to the hidden entry, and I curse under my breath. It isn’t big—they had to have squeezed through—but it’s big enough. I mean, it wouldn’t be the end of the world usually; but with Lincoln having a party, it’s a problem. They head through the gap, and I follow them through, coming face-to-face with the man in question.

“What are you doing?” he sneers as I come through the trees with the disheveled group. They scurry away at the sound of his voice, leaving me alone with him. Cowards.

“Coming to find you. I found them up against the house, starting a private party of their own. They showed me a weak spot between the properties,” I explain, and I can tell he doesn’t believe me from the sneer on his face. “I’ll get it sorted out, but if you can keep your drunken rabble of friends away from here, that’d be awesome.”

“Where were you? The house was dark. It’s never dark,” he asks, completely ignoring my request. I don’t know why I’m shocked, but I can’t tell if I’m more shocked that he ignored me or that he noticed I was gone.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but I was away with Indi for her birthday.”

“The girl with rainbow hair?” he asks, and I nod. “Where’s Smithy?”

I sigh, exasperated. “With his family, there was an emergency. Can you keep people away from here, or do I need to call someone out tonight to sort it out?”

“I’ll keep people off your property.” He scans the front of his house. The party is in full swing and spills out here. There are people everywhere, so good luck to him with that.

“Thanks,” I say before turning my back on him and heading home through the gap in the fence. He doesn’t say anything else, and I don’t expect him to.

I pull out my phone and set a reminder to call someone about the fence tomorrow, then remember to text Indi as I head back into the kitchen. I make sure all the doors are locked and the alarm is set on my way.

Me: I’m home, party next door. All the fun

Indi: Assholes. Earplugs?

Me: Nah, I’m going to fuck around in the music room for a bit, just exhaust myself so I don’t care about the noise.

Indi: Sounds like a plan. I’m going to pass out. Good luck with the noise!

I pour a mug of coffee and pad downstairs to the music room. The quiet is such joy after an intense few days. I sit down at the piano, flicking through the sheet music I started writing when I was down here last.

I twinkle my fingers on the ivory, falling back into the place of utter peace at the feel of it at my fingertips. Emotion swells in my chest as everything I shoved down last night wells up. Being back there, with the people who loved my dad almost as much as I did, hurt me. But they’re the only people who seem to miss him like I do. Nobody else knew him like we did, not really. They didn’t see the highs and lows that came with tour life, with the success and the fame, or with the crazy fans and people who only seemed to want things from him.

I won’t lie and say it was easy, but his love for music made it all worth it to him. I can’t say that I agree with those decisions, but they weren’t mine to make for him. Even if I think the toll of it all is part of why he isn’t with me anymore.

I let my emotions flow out through my fingertips and onto the ivory as tears stream down my face. I find myself playing the song I wrote with him at the beginning of summer, and I sing through my tears. My voice breaks as I sing, but I keep going. Music’s the best therapy I’m going to get. I play and cry until my shoulders shake and until my tears blur my vision so much that I can’t see anymore. I close the lid on the piano and fall apart in the one place that I can feel my dad in this entire house.

I curl up in a ball in the corner, my heart in a million pieces in my chest, until the tears won’t come any more. I miss him more than I can express, but music makes me feel so close to him. Being at that stadium last night with everyone made everything so raw.

Once I’ve gotten a hold of myself, I trudge up the stairs to my room, too broken to care about the noise anymore. I crawl into bed still in my hoodie and leggings. I close my eyes and let sleep take me to a place of peace that I can’t seem to find when I’m awake.

* * *

Something startles me awake. The room is still dark and silent, but it feels wrong somehow. An icy drop of dread runs down my spine and my hair stands on end as I spot something moving in the darkness of my room. My heart races, and I can hear the blood rushing through my veins, like white noise in my ears as I become hyperaware of my surroundings.

Someone is in here with me. I don’t know how I know, but I just do.

I move to try to grab my phone from the bedside table, but a hand clasps around my ankle and pulls. I scream, and another hand clamps over my mouth.

Everything Mac ever taught me about self-defense goes right out the window as I try to fight off my attacker. More hands cover me, and I suddenly realize there isn’t one person here.

There are at least three.

Fear floods my system with icy dread, and my blood feels like it’s on fire as I try to kick and wriggle out of their hold as I’m ripped from my bed.

They don’t say a word as they manhandle me. I lash out with my hands when one of them captures my wrists in one hand, and it would be silent if not for my grunts of protest.

I try to bite the one who has their hand on my mouth. I just barely manage it, and the attacker lets go, hissing. The top half of my body starts to fall, and I think I might have a chance, so I flail. They drop me, and the breath leaves my body as I crash to the floor.

I can’t move for a second. It’s like my soul is ripped from my body for a minute, and then everything whooshes back to me. I scramble onto my hands and knees as I try to crawl away. I can’t see shit—it’s too dark—but there’s a pressure on my back, and I’m forced to the floor, face down. One of them is on top of me, grappling with me until they have my hands bound in theirs behind my back. I scream out again, and someone pushes my face harder into the carpeted floor to smother the sound.

I suck in a breath, but my mouth’s covered again as I’m lifted.

I hear the door open before they start walking with me, but we don’t go far before I’m thrown. I smash against a wall. A door slams closed, and what little light there was completely disappears. I move to stand and get stuck.

That’s when I realize where I am.

The half closet in the hall.

No, no, no.

This can’t be happening. I can’t even stand up in here, it’s so small.

I bang on the door, screaming at the top of my lungs when I can’t get it open.

Please, God, no.

“Please! Please let me out,” I beg, my voice breaking as fear grips me round the throat. “Please.”

I feel a pressure against the door, and I know someone’s out there, leaning against it.

“You don’t have to do this. Please. You can take whatever you want, but please don’t keep me in here.”

I push against the door with everything I have and scream until my throat is hoarse.

I can’t be trapped in here.

Not again.

Panic swells in my throat, and it feels like I can’t breathe.

I need to get out.

So I bang, kick, and push against the door until my hands bleed. I scream until no more sound comes from my ravaged throat. Tears stream hotly down my face.

I hear movement outside the door as someone walks away from the cupboard. I push against the door in hope, but I’m crushed, realizing that the door is locked. I’m trapped.

I fall to the floor, spent, curling in a ball and rocking.

I can get through this.

Someone will come for me.

Someone will find me in here.

Right?