Neither of us said a word for the next twenty minutes. Ty didn’t put his phone down and I just stared at his long fingers as they cradled it.
My mind wandered several times. What else could he do with those fingers? I shoved those thoughts back down, deep down, and locked them away for good measure.
His phone buzzed and a couple of minutes later there was a knock on the door.
“I’ll leave your keys next to the door, if you let him in you’ll never get him to leave.” He forced a smile and was out the door before I had a chance to even say thank you.
I spent the rest of the night going over things in my head. The only explanation was that I’d done something wrong.
It made sense, that’s all I seemed to be able to do.
*~*~*
Over the next couple of days, I barely slept. All I did was clean puke up from various surfaces and washed countless items of bedding and clothes. Max wasn’t pleased.
“I better not catch that or else,” he’d warned.
I knew what ‘or else’ meant so I kept Eli away from him, it wasn’t that hard as Max stayed on the couch most of the time anyway.
Saturday morning, Eli woke up with some color in his cheeks. I gave him some breakfast and a few hours later he’d kept it down.
He said that he wanted to go and see Henry so I waited to make sure that he was well enough. Once he started to jump around the room like he was a kangaroo, I was assured that he was back to his usual self.
It amazed me how quickly he could recover.
We went to Miss Maggie’s, the cat practically leapt at Eli. They sat on the couch together and didn’t move for the next couple of hours whilst I told Miss Maggie all about my new position and the new tools that I had.
Her eyes lit up when I told her about the bulletproof vest.
“Is that a possibility? That you could get shot?”
I shook my head. “Ty said better to be safe than sorry.” I shrugged.
I lost track of time whilst we were there and I even dozed off for a little while. I’d barely slept since Eli had been sick and it was catching up on me now.
I rubbed my eyes and searched for the clock. My eyes widened when I saw the time, Max would be home by now.
I rushed us out of there and straight back to the apartment.
Max wasn’t happy when we came home. He was sitting at the kitchen table, his jaw clenched and a dangerous glint in his eyes. I smiled at him tentatively and told him that I was just going to start dinner now.
My stomach rolled, all the while, knowing what was coming but that didn’t make it any easier. We ate dinner and I could feel his eyes on me the whole time.
That night I only received a slap to my face. It hadn’t even bruised so things were improving. Right?
I’d had worse for smaller things, I held out hope that maybe things were changing again. He’d held back this time. It was a sign. I was sure of it.
I kept Eli off preschool on Monday. Ty was fine with that and I was relieved that he wasn’t angry or upset about me missing work. I didn’t like letting the guys down, but I came to reason that it was better than being called out of work to pick Eli up.
I’d set everything out on Monday night ready for the next morning. Eli dragged his feet, not wanting to get ready. It took a great amount of effort and even a bribe to get him out of the apartment.
I was half way to work when I realized I’d forgotten my belt. I’d hid the belt and shirt away when Ty had left on Wednesday, there was no way I’d risk Max finding it.
I did a U-turn and headed back to the apartment.
I’d left it on the bed for me to pick up on my way out so I hadn’t got a clue how I’d not picked it up. My morning had been a nightmare, all I wanted to do was throw myself back into bed, pull the covers over my head and forget this day all together.
I double parked right outside the building door not noticing anything on my way inside.
I pulled out my phone to ring Ty and tell him that I’d be late, the tone came through the speaker as I pushed the apartment door open.
I walked to my bedroom, completely unaware of my surroundings. I frowned.
My shirt and belt weren’t on the bed; I was sure I had left them there. I spun round and headed to the kitchen.
“Kay?” Ty said through the phone. I pulled the phone down and pressed the end call button. I felt the blood drain from my face as my hands started to shake.
Max sat at the table. One hand clenched into a fist, the other clutched onto my shirt.
“What the hell is this?” He threw it onto the floor and bought those evil eyes to mine.
“Max-” I croaked, my throat dry.
“Kaylee.” He was calm. Too calm.
“I can explain.” I lifted my hands in the air, the international sign for keep calm.
“Yeah?” He stood lifting the belt off the table. Everything was in the same place I’d left it, including the radio in one of the pockets.
“If this is what I think it is, then you’ve been a bad girl.”
I swallowed, my dry throat scratchy.
“Ma-” He dropped the belt, the metal pepper spray bottle clanging loudly on the floor.
“You know what happens to bad girls.” He took another step, his eyes almost black.
“Bad girls have to be corrected.” He sneered.
Chapter Fourteen
I thought I’d be prepared for when this day came.
I’d never seen anything like that look in his eyes. Pure evil. He’d waited for this day, I could see it written all over his face.
Why did he always want to hurt me?
What had I done that made him so angry? He had some inexplicable need to exert power over me, as if I already didn’t know where my place was.
I stared into his eyes, the realization that this was about him and not me slammed into me.
My back straightened and I met his soulless eyes. I wasn’t going to keep living like this. I’d had enough.
“What did I ever do to you?” I asked. He stalled a few feet away, narrowed his eyes and looked me up and down.
“What did you ever do?” he sneered.
“Yes.” I nodded.
My body was strung tight but for the first time I felt strong.
Somewhere in the back of my mind a voice said I shouldn’t poke the beast, that I should get out of there while I still could.
I pushed that voice away. I wasn’t going down without a fight, not this time.
I was sick and tired of the way things were, having to make sure his dinner was done on time, that his socks were paired a certain way. Being careful of what clothes I wore.
He’d established early on what clothes were acceptable and what weren’t. At the time I thought it was sweet.
It wasn’t until now that I realized how much I’d let him control me. Ty and the guys had opened my eyes.
I didn’t deserve this.
“You came into my life,” he growled and pointed to his chest “You got pregnant” he turned his finger to me.
“We got-”
“YOU! It’s all your fault! You turned me into THIS.” he waved at himself.
My eyes widened, how had I turned him into this?
“No, I didn’t-”
I flinched as he flew toward me, his hands wrapping round my throat. I gasped.
“This is your fault” he spat.
He squeezed his hands tighter and pushed me back against the door. I gripped his arms, my nails digging into his clenched muscles.
I could feel myself slipping back into the box that he’d tucked me away in. If that was the only way I could survive then that’s what I’d have to do. All my earlier bravado slipped away.
“Please.” I croaked.
“You need to be taught” he sneered.
I scraped my nails down his arms digging into his flesh. I begged him to let go.
The edges of my vision blurred, I could feel the fight leaving me, my body was cavin
g in.
Then Eli flashed in my mind. His bright green eyes begging me to stay. To fight.
I couldn’t give up.
I couldn’t leave Eli with him.
I lifted my leg and kicked out, the front of my chucks catching his shin.
“Fuck!” he let go and stumbled back rubbing his leg.
I bent forward gasping, I needed to get out of there quick, I spun around fumbling for the door handle.
I could see the apartment door from here. My escape.
I’d got the door halfway open and was about to step out when his hand came down on the back of my head and pushed.
My cheek slammed on the edge of the door as I fell. I cried out at the pain as he pulled me up from the floor by my hair.
Wetness trickled down my cheek, flowing down my chin and onto my neck. My throat burned from him choking me, the pain so intense I couldn’t concentrate on anything else.
“Where do you think you’re going? Huh?” he pulled my hair again then pushed me back into the middle of the kitchen floor.
Landing on my hands and knees I tried to scramble up but I wasn’t quick enough to get away from his boot as he kicked me in the side.
“Please, stop.” I groaned, falling and curling into a ball. He bent down next to me, lifted my head and stared straight through me.
The air stilled. His eyes unmoving. He waited a couple of beats, then pushed me over onto my back.
I saw his foot lift and watched in slow motion as it came closer.
I gasped when his boot connected with my ribs again curling into a fetal position, the pain too much to bear.
“I’ve had enough of your attitude.” He sneered and took a step back. I closed my eyes wishing for something or someone to make him stop.
I heard a drawer open and close, then his footsteps came towards me.
His body blocked the light coming through the kitchen window as he stood over me.
His face a mask that could only be described as pure evil, his eyes twinkled, a smirk lifting the corners of his mouth.
How had I never seen that before?
Or had I seen it? But chose to ignore it?
My eyes caught the glint of something in his hand. I gasped when I saw the large knife.
I wriggled between his feet. The pain in my ribs intensified, but I had to get away.
“Now, now” he said in a calm voice and lowered himself, straddling me.
I wriggled and bucked determined not to get caught underneath him. I didn’t care about the pain, all I wanted was to get away from him. From that knife.
He cursed when I smacked against his stomach. He answered me with a punch to the face, his fist slamming into my eye two more times before he pulled back.
Each blow harder than the one before.
I’d never felt anything like the force of those punches. He’d never hit me as hard as he did then. I struggled to keep my eye open, I had to see him from all angles otherwise I’d be in real trouble.
If I couldn’t see what was coming things would be worse.
A lot worse.
“Keep still,” he warned with the knife in the air. I thrashed again until my belt caught my eye, lying on the floor just a few feet away.
I stilled.
This could be my way out. If I could just reach it then I could use something out of it against him, I didn’t care what it was. I was just desperate to get away from him.
“That’s it,” he smirked “Be a good girl and keep still.”
I stared at the belt as he ran the knife up the middle of my shirt, the fabric splitting in two. He stopped just under my breasts and ran the tip of the knife down my side. The cold metal sending a shiver through me.
He groaned. His eyes flashing as they landed on my side.
I moved my arm out slowly, careful not to alert him.
I gasped, his fist catching me by surprise. His punch landing in the same place that he’d just kicked me.
The pain so intense that I was sure I’d pass out.
“Ahhh,” he groaned, his eyes closing as he tilted his head tilted back.
I moved my arm back out, aware that it was one of those now or never moments. I didn’t know this man anymore, I was starting to think that I’d never truly known him. How had I not seen how unpredictable and dangerous he was? The heavy weight of his body made it hard to move much but I managed to crawl my fingers closer to one of the belt loops.
His eyes popped open. I stilled.
“You like that don’t you?”
I kept silent. I wouldn’t win in any verbal match.
Praying that he didn’t notice my arm making its way towards the only things that could help get me out of this situation.
He shuffled down my hips and onto my knees. I had more freedom now, it was a test. I could see the glint in his eyes, he was waiting for me to move.
He lifted his arm, I watched the knife lower to my stomach. I held my gasp in when the metal tip ran down my stomach.
“So, I’ve come to two conclusions,” he said and glanced up at me “You’re either fuckin’ someone or you went ahead and got a job.”
I stared right at him, knowing how much he hated when I did that.
“Answer me!” he roared when I stayed silent.
“I-”
“Not that anyone would want to fuck you anyway,” he cackled “I mean, look at you.”
His arm lifted again, I prepared myself for the knife to plunge into me but it didn’t come.
“Either way you disobeyed me,” his eyes flashed as my fingertips touched the edge of my belt, stretching further I gripped one of the loops. Slowly trying not to gain his attention as I inched it closer.
I panicked as I struggled to open one of the pouches. Finally a loud pop in the kitchen alerted me that I was one step closer.
I paused peering up at him out of my better eye, I couldn’t tell if he had heard it or not. If he had then he wasn’t letting on, he was too focused on the knife. Trying to get a hold of whatever was in the pouch, I realized it was the baton. I could feel the heaviness in my hand, I wouldn’t be able to flip it open but I hoped that the handle would be heavy enough.
His eyes moved to mine as I started to raise my arm, a smirk crossing his face.
“And you need to be taught a lesson.”
Then I felt it; the sharp pain as he stuck the knife in my leg. I squealed as he pulled it back out, and felt the blood oozing out.
I hesitated with the baton.
He looked down to see his handy work, that was my opportunity so I took it and lifted my arm higher putting all of my weight behind it.
The chilling sound of metal on bone as it hit his head made me cringe, the vibrations spread up my arm causing me to drop it as I panicked. He stilled, his eyes wide.
Then he fell forward, his weight crushing me. The knife scattered along the floor.
The only thought running through my head?
I’m free.
*~*~*
I lay there for a few seconds, the adrenaline pumping through my body numbing the pain. I struggled to breath from the weight of Max and I needed to get out of there. I tried to push him off several times but he wouldn’t move.
My leg throbbed as I started to panic and I could feel the wetness from the blood as it soaked my jeans. Each time I tried to move and shove him off me my ribs screamed in agony.
I gritted my teeth, counted to three and put all the strength I had behind the next push.
His body finally rolled off me, his head lulled to the side. I stared at his face. With his eyes closed, he was completely defenseless and he looked like any other man.
Any normal man.
But I knew better than anyone what lurked beneath his fake exterior. Behind his handsome face and the show that he put on in front of people. Nobody knew him, he always wore a mask, only ever taking it off when he corrected me. I’d seen the evil behind his eyes today and I would never forget.
I reached for my belt and bato
n and started to crawl to the door. My work t-shirt lay in a crumpled heap on the floor so I pushed that along with the rest of the stuff.
Sitting against the door to catch my breath I stared at Max. He lay there in a crumpled heap, looking like he wouldn’t hurt a fly. I scoffed at that.
I tore my gaze from him and folded the t-shirt up, it would do until I got somewhere that I was safe. I tied it around my thigh, the upside was that it was black so the blood wasn’t visible.
I took a deep breath and got onto my hands and knees my leg throbbing with the pressure, my ribs screamed. I gritted my teeth and pushed up, using the door knob to help me up.
My head spun, and for a second I was sure that I’d pass out.
My stomach dipped at the sound of Max’s groan, I looked back and saw him starting to stir. I didn’t waste any more time, I grabbed my keys, my belt still in my hands and limped down the hallway.
It wasn’t easy going down the stairs, I threw myself down them as fast as I possibly could checking behind me to see if he was coming. I said a silent thank you when I was out of the building and headed for my car.
I’d never been more grateful for double parking than I was in that moment.
I pushed the key into the lock, my hands shaking so bad that I missed it a couple of times before I finally got it in. I heard the building door squeak just as I was pulling the car door open.
My head shot up, I stared into Max’s eyes, his smirk told me that he thought he’d just won.
But I wasn’t going to let him, not this time. I pulled the door open and slumped into the seat sticking the key in the ignition, I flipped the locks on the doors and started the engine just as Max got to the door.
I didn’t look at him, or listen to what he was shouting through the window, instead I sped off.
The only thing on my mind was Eli. What if he tried to go and get him?
There was no way that I could turn up at the preschool like this.
I could barely breathe or walk. My jeans were soaked with blood, my ribs screaming every time I moved. I shouldn’t have been driving with only being able to see out of one eye but I didn’t have a choice.
I pulled my phone out and found the number for the preschool. Not even thinking about what I was doing.
Fractured Lies: Book 1 MAC Security Series Page 12