Desolation (New Rochelle Mafia #1)

10. CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 10

ELODIE

T he last twenty-four hours have been one of the shittiest days I have ever had. But I find myself feeling strangely comforted by the fact that Drake has always been silently looking out for me all these years. Is it a little insane? Yes. But at the same time, I’ve never had anyone in my life who cared about me like that.

Heading into the bedroom, I see so many boxes of stuff. Holy shit, when he said he got me a few things I thought he meant just a few things. This looks like a whole new wardrobe. And a lot of other stuff too. This must’ve cost a fortune. There’s no way I’ll ever be able to pay him back for all of this.

Resolving myself to only use a few things, I find a pair of leggings and a soft sweatshirt. Pulling on some underwear, I forgo a bra. There’s just no way I’m wearing one right now with my body feeling like this. Besides, it’s not like I’m going anywhere anyway.

Looking for a pair of socks, I see the teddy bear slippers and giggle to myself. His feelings will probably be hurt if I don’t wear them at least, so I grab them too. Once I’m dressed, I look around trying to figure out where to put the boxes when there’s a soft knock at the door.

“El,” Drake says, “are you dressed? Can I come in?”

Walking over I open the door. “Hey. Thanks for all the stuff.”

Shutting the door behind him, he walks over and looks me up and down. I still see the shock from how I look, but is there also something else there? Desire maybe? How can he feel that way when I look like this?

My body gets warm and I feel my nipples tighten. Shit, maybe I should’ve worn a bra.

Drake smirks a little and then walks over to start moving the boxes off the bed. Rolling my eyes, I go and sit down on the couch, pulling my legs up underneath me. He rummages around in a box until he finds a blanket and comes over and drapes it softly onto my lap.

“I thought you might like to have some blankets too, for comfort. Girls like that kind of stuff, yeah?” he asks, in a way that makes me think he thinks I’m going to laugh at him or something.

This blanket is probably the softest blanket I’ve ever felt in my life. I just want to wrap myself up in it like a cocoon and hide forever. Holding it up to my face, I rub it softly against my cheek. Drake’s pupils flare and a smile creeps across his face.

“Yes, it’s really nice, and I appreciate it so much. But I can’t keep all of this. I barely have enough money saved up to get started at college until I find a job there. There’s no way I can pay you back for all of this,” I say.

“Who said you have to pay me back?”

He looks hurt.

“I got this stuff because you are never going back to that house if I can help it. Not to mention, whatever I have is yours too, El. I meant what I said last night. You’re mine now, and I take care of what’s mine,” he says fiercely.

Okay, I can see we are going to have to have a serious talk.

“Drake, you don’t even really know me. I know you think you love me, but I think you just love the idea of me maybe? I don’t know how to explain it. You stalked me for eight years, then basically kidnapped me from my home, not that I didn’t need it, but the fact remains. You bring me here, buy me all these things, and tell me I’m supposed to just be yours. Do you really think that’s how things are done?” I ask softly.

He sits down hard on the side of the bed and scrapes his hand down his face, rubbing at the scruff that’s coming in.

“You’re right, I know. But that doesn’t change the fact that I’m not going anywhere, and I mean what I say. You’ll see,” he says solemnly.

Just then, there’s a knock at the door. Geez it’s like Grand Central Station here today.

“That will be Evan and Gwen. Our attorney, who is also my boss, and his assistant. They are coming to talk to you about a couple things,” Drake says as he heads over to the door and opens it.

A man and a woman walk in. The guy is handsome in a lawyery kind of way. Immaculate suit, clearly very expensive and custom. Very white teeth and well groomed dark hair and brown eyes.

The woman, on the other hand, looks like she has no business in a posh lawyer’s office. Long curly red hair, bohemian skirt, bracelets up and down both arms and a wide smile. Till she looks over at me with her kelley green eyes and her whole face crumples. “Oh my goddess,” she says, running over and kneeling in front of me.

“They told me it was pretty bad but I had no idea it was this bad. I’m Gwen. It’s very nice to meet you Elodie. I have heard so much about you for so long, but I’m sad it had to be this way,” she says, grabbing my hands and squeezing them tightly, tears in her eyes.

I like her immediately. She feels like I’ve known her my whole life. I can’t explain it, but there it is.

Evan steps over to me and I look up to see him holding out a manilla envelope with my name on it.

“Look these over. It’s a No Contact order against your parents. You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. But let me just say that if you do, it will make things a lot easier with keeping them away from you. If you decide to go ahead with it, we will need to get some pictures and that’s why Gwen is here. I’ve been told that you are pretty bruised up everywhere,” he says, clearing his throat in embarrassment.

Whipping my head over to Drake, he looks sheepish. “I’m sorry, obviously I saw everything when I came in to wake you in the bath. It’s need to know information for the document. I had to tell them so he could get it added.”

Sighing, I nod. I’m not gonna hold it against him. I’m the one that fell asleep long enough that all the bubbles melted and I really could have drowned if he hadn’t woken me up. But I am still a little embarrassed anyway.

“Drake, I’d like to talk to you if you have a minute. The girls can go over the document. Elodie, Gwen will be able to explain anything you need her to or answer any questions you have. She will also take the pictures whenever you are ready,” Evan says.

As he and Drake leave the room, I turn my attention back to Gwen, who stands and sits next to me on the couch.

Grabbing the corner of my blanket, she also holds it to her cheek and rubs it the same way I just did minutes before.

“Holy shit, this is the softest blanket I’ve ever felt in my life,” she says.

Laughing, I say, “I was thinking the same thing. Drake got it for me.” Waving my hand to the loads of boxes Drake stacked neatly against the wall, I say, “He got all of this actually. I don’t know what to do with it or how to feel about it.”

“I get it. You’ve had a very traumatic experience, though I hear this is a normal occurrence for you. But that doesn’t make it any less traumatic. Drake has been wanting to step in for a long time, but he hasn’t been able to until now. They are limited on what they have been able to do with the situation being what it is,” she says.

I get it. I mean I know enough about the mafia to know that turf matters. But it still doesn’t explain why Drake has focused his attention on me .

Pulling the pages out of the envelope, I decide to avoid this conversation by going over the document. As far as I can tell it’s pretty simple. Though it talks of years of abuse that I didn’t even know anyone else knew about. Fuck, Drake really wasn’t kidding. He has been stalking me thoroughly.

It basically says that they wouldn’t be allowed within a thousand feet of me at any time. No contact of any kind. If these terms are ever violated it would be instant jail time. There are a lot of other legal terms in there and some more things they aren’t allowed to do but that’s the basic gist of it.

They will be furious when this is served to them. And I know without a shadow of a doubt that they will violate it if they find me. What if they ask for Dominic’s help? It’s not like I can get one against him too. I don’t know what to do. On one hand, I know I should, but I’m scared.

My emotions must be showing on my face because Gwen takes my hand.

“Things like this are hard. I know,” she says, the look of pain on her face tells me she does know. “But I promise you when you take this step, you’ll feel better. It’s a start to your freedom. It’s a start to the new life you are going to have where you can be happy and feel loved by someone. Don’t get me wrong, it’s scary as fuck, and things won’t be easy. They will fight it. They will break it, given the chance. But Drake and Gio won’t give them a chance. I can promise you that. But you have to let them. That’s the scariest part of all. Asking for help.”

She’s right. There hasn’t ever been a time in my life where I had anyone else to lean on until I met Reba, and even that was limited because I didn’t want to bring trouble to her door. But this? This is a big step. Do I trust them? Do I trust that Drake means what he says? Am I crazy if I do? Can I just take the first hand that’s offered to me and hope that things will end in a fairytale?

“It’s completely up to you, Elodie. But let me say this. I have been in an abusive situation before. Evan gave me a job when I looked like you do right now. Though mine were more yellow, and he saw through the makeup I had on to cover it up. I haven’t regretted making my choice one single time since then, though things got a little bit scary for a while. The men in this family protect what is theirs viciously, ruthlessly, and without remorse. That itself can be a little overwhelming, but trust me when I say there’s no safer place you can be than right here,” she says.

I search her face, seeing the sincerity on it and in her words. Just because I’m doing this doesn’t mean I’m saying yes to Drake. I can take the help and make decisions about the rest later. Looking over at the boxes again, I sigh.

He rescued me, bought me all new things, stalked me to protect me for eight years, got me a doctor, and gave me a place to feel safe. At the very least I can think about what he has said. Make an effort to try to give him a chance, even if it’s just friendship for now.

“Do you have a pen?” I ask.

Smiling, Gwen takes out a pen and I begin to sign documents while she gets the camera ready.