Devotion to Danger

Having a Drink

{Clara’s POV}

[This chapter contains themes of S/A, kidnapping, assault, and blood, reader discretion is advised.]

“Adrien has a boyfriend, so why don’t you just fu** off you little home wrecking tra**!” She shrieked.

I closed my eyes, and shook my head. “Sister.. I was going to say, sister..” I said, looking up at her. “I’m Adrien’s younger sister. You must be Daniella.” I smiled up at her.

“Oh.. oh, I’m so sorry about that.. I just..” she sighed. “I get so territorial about my brothers.. and Adrien and Dimitri have been together for so long.. I was just worried that you were here to try to steal him away or something.. I’m really bad at letting people finish their sentences..” she said awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck. “Hi, yes, I’m Daniella, it’s so nice to meet you.” She smiled.

I couldn’t help but smile back, knowing at least that my brother had someone so fiercely protecting his relationship, it was heartwarming. “Clara..” I smiled back. “Thanks for looking after my brother.”

She shrugged. “He’s practically part of the family.” She turned, grabbing a bottle of wine from the fridge and setting it on the counter, she grabbed two glasses and set them down beside it before popping out the cork and pouring wine into both of the glasses. She handed one to me, before taking a sip from the other.

I stared at it for a moment, even though I was old enough, I’d never had a drink, my mother’s control freak tendencies wouldn’t allow it. She banned alcohol in the house, but more than that, she bought a breathalyzer and began testing me when I would come home. She always treated me like a child, like nothing I ever did was good enough for her, but this.. this was one of the things that truly made me want to leave. She refused to let me grow up.. she wouldn’t let me date.. or even talk to boys taking away my phone anytime she caught me texting anyone that wasn’t Adrien or dad. She even stopped allowing me to go out unless it was just to work and back home. I tried so many times to tell her, I’ll be responsible, I can handle myself. After today.. maybe she was right.. maybe I am too weak to do anything on my own.. I shook the thoughts out of my head, looking down to the glass in front of me before taking a small sip. It was sweet, but had such a strong bitterness that came through in the aftertaste. I took another sip, before taking a big gulp, and holding the glass in my hands.

“Thank you.. I honestly think I may need this after the day I’ve had..” I said, downing the rest of the glass.

She giggled and shook her head. “You seem like you do!” She poured another glass full for me, and for herself. “Anything you wanna talk about? I can be a really good listener.” She smiled softly.

I chugged down the whole glass and set it down, shaking my head, before tears began to prick in my eyes. “I-I’m fine.. I’m fine.. really I’m okay..” I whimpered, trying to smile through it.

I felt warm arms envelope me in a hug, and looked to see Daniella. She was hugging me tightly, her hand rubbing up and down my back. “Listen.. I’m awful for putting my foot in my mouth, I’m even worse for always saying the wrong thing.. please tell me, do you need anything? Do you wanna talk about it? I know a place we could go, it’s quiet, private, and comforting.” She said, pulling back.

I nodded. “Can we really?” I asked, tears sliding down my cheeks.

She pulled back, grabbing my hand, and the bottle of wine. “Come on.” She smiled, pulling me up a staircase and down a hallway. At the end of the hall was a large painting, it took up most of the wall. She walked to it, grabbing a keychain out of her pocket. She used it, sliding it up on the side of the painting. I heard a lock clicking, and watched as she slid a panel over and a door opened behind the painting. “Come on in!” She smiled, holding it open, and closing it behind us. We walked up a spiral staircase and I found myself in a small room. One with one person swinging chairs, a large comfy sectional couch in front a fireplace, with a tv hanging over it. There were blankets and pillows scattered on the furniture, and a bookshelf that spread across the back wall, with a sliding library ladder connected to it.

We walked over and I sat down on the sectional, she tossed a blanket around me, and walked to a small kitchen area grabbing us a couple of glasses and bringing them over. She smiled, “I think we may need these!” She set them down on the coffee table and poured the wine in, handing one to me. “Alright, talk to me.”

“I-It was awful..” I whimpered out, choking back a sob. “I-I couldn’t get away., I thought.. I thought they were going to.. going to..” I shook my head. “They had me tied to that bed.. I couldn’t get out.. all I could do was kick and scream..” I chugged the rest of my glass and poured myself another one. “They said that what they had planned was just the beginning.. that their boss would do so much worse.. but death would have been better..” I cried, wiping my eyes as I chugged another glass full.

My head began to spin, and my vision blurred, my whole body felt hot. “I’m so sorry..” she said, placing her hand on my shoulder.

I shook my head, “W-Why would they do that? What would possess someone to do something like that? T-They almost took something from me, something I could never get back..” I whimpered.