Her white lace dress was smudged with dirt and ash from the cold cement floor, but she didn't care. He couldn't find her and even if she had to hold her breath to keep him away, she would do what she could to save her life. Her knees hurt from bending down for so long, it seemed as though hours had passed even if it had only been five minutes.  She swiped her bangs behind her ears and listened. Soon enough she heard the sound she was worried about the most. The sound of his boots hit the cold hard cement as if they were thundercracks in a meadow. She held her breath and prayed in her head. When she closed her eyes, his face clouded every part of her mind. His laugh was the most wonderful thing about him. He had a smile that shown so bright, especially when she did something silly. She loved watching the way his eyes humorously watched her every move. Like she was the most fragile thing in his world. Her heart flipped a million different ways when he'd asked her to dance that night. His tan skin to her white, holding her hand so tight, he would never let go.

"I know your fucking in here you dirty cunt!"

Her eyes flew open and she gasped. As soon as she realized her mistake she held her breath some more.

" You think I don't know your in here Elle!? After 10 years of fucking, and being there for your cheatin ass, you think youve gotten any fuckin smarter?? Like thinkin you can just walk the fuck away from me after I provided for you and gave you fuckin everything?! Your a selfish bitch just like your whore of a mother!"

Tears cascaded there way down Ella's face, but she held firm and still...she wasn't going to let this monster have the benefit of her broken heart. She had done that way to many times, and each time he broke her down a little more.
    She heard him move a couple of boxes and throw the table she was next to upside down. Moving her knees she inched herself back a little farther beneath the stairs.
She had lost so much weight that fitting into small spaces wasn't as hard as it could have been. She was proud of her slim figure, finally letting go of all the hurt and torture, being with Dominic had put her through.


"Fuck you! I'll fucking find your ass bitch..I swear to God I will! I put my whole life into you, and I swear to fuck I will not let you go! I'll find you bitch..and next time you won't be lucky enough to get away!"

The room got quite as his steps disappeared into another part of the building.
Elle took a much needed breath and moved off her knees. She lay her head back against the wall and sobbed quietly.

His face came back into view. His smile, oh God how she loved his smile. It lit up her heart in so many ways. Just looking at him, she knew in no way did she deserve someone so kind. Though still, he kept on asking her to come with him. Each time letting her feel what normal should feel like.
     He didn't know her though, her past and her mistakes. How she had let someone in that never should have been invited in. How he destroyed the very beauty of who she was.
Her focus rested directly on his hand in hers. How strong they were. He moved his thumb and brought her face up to his.           " Look at me Ella"
She couldn't though...
" Ella... Ella..look at me"

Her best friend Grace looked at her with concern.
" Grace...wh..what...how did you find me?"

"Um...find my cell phone..remember?"
 A slight grin formed on her friends face

"He found me G...he fucking found me!"

Grace grabbed Elle's elbow and pulled her out of the tight spot that she had wedged herself into.

"Dom found you!? What the fuck!?How??"

Elle looked at the floor and tried to steady her quivering emotions.
" I let Jace take me with him outside...I never thought in a million years that he would have found me here! He fucking punched him in the face and knocked him out. I started screaming, so maybe someone would come outside but he pulled out a gun and told me to go down here. Luckily he tripped over my foot and somehow I managed to run in here"

Just speaking of the last 30 minutes made her heart break even more. She had put Jay in danger by just being with him. The very thought of him hurting Jay broke her down and the tears wouldn't stop falling.
Grace went to console her friend, 5 years of friendship and she had never seen her friend look so lost. She wished with every fiber in her being that she could take this pain away. Dominic had controlled Ella for so long, longer than they had even known each other.
The first day Ella brought Dom over, she could sense the power he had over her and she hated it. She hated how every time he was near her, Ella changed into a different person. Someone who walked with a leash tied around her neck, terrified to look the wrong direction. From that day Grace had promised that she would be there for her friend, no matter the circumstance. So when Ella finally got away from Dom with her little girl Emma, she knew it was time to get them to safety.
Grace's family owned a decent sized home just inside the Georgia state line. It was a home peppered with Spanish moss Oak trees and beautiful red buds. A place where she knew Ella could come and feel safe with her child. Grace had already let her parents in on Elle's situation and they knew that whenever the moment came when Elle could get away, they would make her feel welcome in their guesthouse. It was only a matter of time when Ella came to her with mascara lidden cheeks and and told her that he was never going to let her hand Emma.
The next night the plan was set, Ella and Grace packed their bags when Dom went to work and took Emma out of school. They took 95 all through the night and made it to Graces home close to midnight. Elle's anxiety made her paranoid and grief stricken that she had taken Em away from her father, but grace was relieved they they both had gotten away safe. Now she didn't know if Elle would ever be free from Dominic's contiuing presence in their lives.