by K. L. Jessop
I shower and dress for work as dread glazed my body, gripping my stomach with its painful twist. Today is my first day back to work after I’d called in sick yesterday and the thought of possibly seeing Marcus jabs my heart with a spike. I miss him more than I ever thought I would and as soon as I was home I knew I needed someone to be by my side as I went through this new area of torture. I called Megan asking her to come home early and gave her the rundown of the situation, and like before I never told her Daniel was back as she needed the protection just as much due to her and Lucas getting me out all those years ago. He could destroy me all he wanted but I wouldn’t let him hurt those I loved.
Heading into the kitchen in search for my keys, the anxiety cripples my belly causing me to halt and hold my stomach. I hated attacks like this. It’s like a decay that’s slowly eating away at me and one I had no control over. Even though I didn’t face going into work I knew I couldn’t hide forever and right now the last thing I wanted was to be late and give him a chance to throw some form of reprimand at me.
“Looking for these?” I freeze at the sound of the male voice and slowly turn. Sat like a king in his fucking castle was the asshole that caused so much anguish in my life holding up my door keys.
“Doors locked by the way, less chance of anyone disturbing us.” My eyes flick from the keys to the door. My chest becoming tight as I grip my hands hard on the counter that’s stopping my legs from buckling.
Scanning the area discreetly Daniel holds his other hand up, shaking the item I’m searching for. “Looking for this too?” he snorts before standing. “You’re so fucking transparent, Amelia.” Dropping my phone to the floor he stamps his heavy boot on the screen smashing it to pieces.
“There,” he looks at me with cold dark eyes. “Now no one can disturb us.”
“How did you get in here?” I breathed noticing the panic in my voice.
“It’s not hard to have a set of keys cut and return the originals without you even realising. Maybe you should be more careful who creeps into your house uninvited.”
The thought of him here now terrifies me, but the thought of him being in here unaware makes me want to vomit. This was true Daniel style and I hate myself for not thinking about his twisted games sooner.
“Why are you here?” I tried to stay as calm as possible, trying not to let on I was anything but calm on the inside as my body become more unsteady.
“You know why. I’m here for you and for my money.”
“I-I haven’t got it all. I could only get half of what you wanted.” As soon as I left the hotel the other day I went and cleared my savings hoping that some of what he was after would be enough. Only as he walks towards me the foul look on his face tells me otherwise as the smell of brandy rolls off his tongue in an unpleasant form. Daniel was always evil but with alcohol inside him I could never stop his anger from exploding.
“Get it from your fuck buddy that thinks it’s acceptable to throw his weight around,” his voice gravelly and cold.
“I can’t.”
I dart my eyes from him as the piercing stare was making me uneasy. He grabs my wrists and begins to squeeze, I whimper as he leaned in close causing my back to arch over the breakfast bar. His eyes now darker than they were and his chest started expanding from losing patients. “You can and you will.” He sneered.
“I-I’m sorry. I’ve not seen him. H-He won’t talk to me.” My breathing had become out of control as I gasped out the words in panic, knowing that I wouldn’t get out of this anytime soon as the door was lock and the keys in his pocket. Constantly praying that someone will come for me.
“How’d you manage to find someone like him when you’re a nobody? I mean look at you,” he runs his eyes up and down my body. “You’re dressed like a slut, your make-up is cheap and your perfume is not the one I like. You’re a fucking mess, Amelia. Why would he want you?”
“He loves me.” I snap.
“Ha! Please, he doesn’t love you, he just loves the idea of you. You’re just some slut to make his profile look good. He doesn’t want you or he’d be here.” His words stung my heart and for a second I believed him. But I now knew the difference between love and hate and the man stood before me I despised more than ever.
Like always his bipolar mood changed again as he continued crushing my wrist. His other hand slowly runs up my body to cup my cheek, my stomach tightening with the knowledge of what his strength could do as he tried his best to show me his other side. I fell for those games one to many times and I’m not falling for them today. I have nothing more to lose. He could have me anyway he wanted, but this time I’m not going down without a fight. “But me, Amelia. I want you. I’ve changed.”
“Someone who never saw an issue with their actions will never change!” I hissed.
The flash of anger in his eyes told me I’d hit a nerve as his jaw clenched. The want to fight him soon made me question if I were making the right choice when he growled out his words in rage. “You made my life hell, Amelia! I couldn’t do anything without looking over my fucking shoulder, waiting to be picked up by police and now it’s time to pay the price.”
“You emotionally abused me, beat me shitless and broke my bones, yet I made your life hell? Jesus, Daniel, you really are something else.”
He steps away, releasing me from his painful proximity before spinning back around. His chest now expanding as far as it would go while the redness in his face increased. “I was a good man and you destroyed me, my reputation! It all went to shit with your crying over you parents and demands for fucking attention!”
My blood now boiled from his pathetic excuses. My eyes couldn’t possibly widen any more than they were and I suddenly didn’t give two shits about my response as my voice raised to match his with my screams.
“Oh I’m sorry I lost my mother, what should I have done jumped for joy? And as for attention we were meant to be in a relationship not a fucking boxing ring you bast-” My yelp filled the space between us when his fist made contact with my face. My hand covered my lips that stung with the pain, the metallic taste of blood coated my mouth as I ran my tongue over the split. All the while eyes of fury sprung back at me.
“You deserved that.” He seethed through gritted teeth. “Just like your blonde bitch I saw on my way here. She needed a lesson a long time ago.”
My blood ran cold. Everything seemed as though it had stopped and only his sick cackle from his lungs played out, tipping his head up to the ceiling and loving every minute of being in control.
“What?” I breathed in panic.
“She needed telling, so I told her.”
“What have you done to Megan?” I cry as he continued to laugh. I’d now lost all ability to hold back my tears at the thought of not being able to protect her. I never even told her he was here yet he managed to find her and I couldn’t do anything to stop it happening. “What have you done with Megan?!” I screamed, lunging at him and hitting his chest hard with my fists as years of my fury towards him left my body uncontrollably.
“Oh, so now you fight back, good job. Only you forget I always win bitch.”
His solid blow to my cheekbone knocked me sideways with the impact, smacking my head on the corner of the counter and falling to the floor. The pain radiated throughout my frame as white spots formed in my eyes. Using every muscle in me I scrambled my feeble body to my feet as quickly as I could. My head felt dizzy and top heavy, my eye failing to focus from the blood that laced into it. “You really are a vile excuse for a human being.” I disdained, making my attempt to escape but knowing it was useless as he had my keys. But I had to try.
I cried out begging him to stop as he pulls me back by my hair, slamming my back against the wall and punching the air from my lungs. “I’ll stop when I get all my money!”
“I. I’ve not-” I gasped as my lungs blazed, unable to get my words out. His hit was powerful and he now towered over me, I leant forward clutching my waist. Holding my arms out to try to pr
otect myself but he hit again and again. I couldn’t take much more, but I knew I couldn’t let him win.
His yelling became white noise as my eyes clocked the empty whiskey bottle on the counter beside me. Everything happened so fast. As he lunged towards me I felt my body swerve, gripping the bottle in my hands and with every ounce of strength I had I swung my arms full force like a cricket bat to a ball. Making contact with his skull as the glass shattered around us and the traces of leftover whiskey lingered. Daniel’s body twisted and stumbled back to the unit, holding the counter top startled and dazed. My body trembled with the shock of what I had done, focusing on the blood that dripped from his head as the remainder of the bottleneck slip out of my hand. Yet he never failed to let the putrid laugh leave his throat as he turns his head and smirks, “Can’t get rid of me that easily. I always win, remember.”
In a flash his hand struck my belly with a turbulent blow, excruciating pain ripped through me as the ragged razor sharp glass tore through my flesh. The same pain I’ve felt before on my back as it burns its way through my body. I cry out, my back arched and face contorted. Lungs heaved for air while my body convulsed. His laugh pounded my ears as he wrenched the glass free and dropped it to the floor. Hot fluid oozed soaking my dress in crimson. Even though I knew, I brushed my fingers over the wound to make sure of the reality. Deep red traced over my fingertips and manicured nails as my body become unstable. He stepped forward with an unsteady sway. Blood running onto his shirt.
“Nobody cares, Amelia. Nobody wants you.”
Another blow to my face and I’m on the ground, screaming out with the pain that shot through my abdomen before I felt my bones snap with the blow to my ribs. Hit after hit, he slowly took the life from me. Every inch of my body felt as though it were failing and all I saw in my blurred vision of my mind was Marcus and that he wasn’t here with me. Maybe Daniel was right. Maybe this time he really had won.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Marcus
“I’m meeting Amelia for lunch today, I’ve not seen her since I’ve come back. Will you be joining us?” Mum’s sympathetic voice disturbs me from my work as she sits in the vacant seat of my office, she returned back from the city late last night after disappearing for the wedding. All of which I now face a lawsuit from for smacking one of Nadia’s people.
“No, I’m finalizing work here before she arrives. I’m not ready to see her yet.” Work had gone to shit since everything that happened. I can’t breathe let alone concentrate and I still hadn’t figured out if I believed her or not.
“Oh for Christ sakes, Marcus, have you ever been in a situation where a woman has kissed you unexpectedly? Because that’s the position Amelia was in.”
I look up from my desk and shot her a look. “You believe her?”
“She rang me upset and told me her version and yes I believe her. And I also believe you do to, only you’re punishing her by ignoring her calls and making her think she’s done wrong. You forget that I use to do the same thing with your father.”
I sigh and threw down my pen knowing she was right, only I don’t know who I was punishing more me or Amelia because the longer I wasn’t with her the harder it got.
“Tell me what you’re feeling, Marcus.”
Truth was I’m not sure what I’m feeling. I’ve hid away from the world, not given two shits about my appearance and as for sleep-it’s non-existent. All the while I endlessly sat yesterday and the night before in a darkened room with the whiskey bottle listening to the voicemails of her own anguish. Maybe it was all him and it was just a stupid kiss that took her by surprise, but to me it meant more than that. I never wanted to re-experience what I felt when walking in on Sadie and Sean but in a flash my happiness was once again crushed by the hands of another. I never thought I’d be that man again.
“I don’t know how I’m feeling. I loved her. I still fucking love her and I have a sick feeling in my gut because I have this need to save her for some stupid reason, and then all I can see when I close my eyes is them together.”
“Sweetheart, maybe you need to talk to-” My office door swung open and before I had chance to react Megan’s hand made contact with my face with a hard slap.
“Where is she?!”
“Megan, you’re back early.” I sigh, rubbing my face from the slap I’d been waiting for.
“You know you’re many things, Marcus, but I never had you down as an asshole. You promised me you wouldn’t hurt her and you’ve pushed her right into his trap.”
“She’s only got herself to blame.”
“Bullshit! Did you even know who he was?”
“You need to leave, I’m done talking.” I command pointing to the door with my eyes; I don’t wish to continue this interrogation as her eyes try to kill mine through the daggers she throws. She’s here for Amelia I get that but so help me god I’ll have her ass dragged out by security if I have to. I push back my chair and make my way to the window, trying to find some form of control. I like Megan but I can’t face this right now.
“This is serious, Marcus, she said she’d be here, I’m worried. Rosa, he cheated his way into the Lenton work system. She’s not-”
I spin as she tries to make excuses for her friend. “Fuck sake, Megan, it doesn’t matter who he is-”
“No, Marcus, you have to listen to me. She’s not safe on her own.” She interjects.
Andrew now enters my office and hesitates for a second when seeing a tearful Megan and me a raging mess. “Um, Amelia’s not turned up for work and she’s not answering her phone.”
Megan frantically rummages in her bag to pull out her phone with shaky hands, dialling a number I can only assume is Amelia’s. “I got back late, I’ve not seen her. She said she’d meet me here. We need to find her, Marcus.”
“Megan, sweetie calm down, what are you saying?” Mum questions as I become more irritated by the second.
“Yeah, Megan, what are you saying please enlighten us because-”
“It’s Daniel!” she screamed. “The guy you saw her with was Daniel. He’s back. He’s found her.”
I felt like I’d been hit by a freight train. My face drained in colour and my chest hurt with the impact that come from her words. The ice cold shiver that cascaded through my body was unwelcoming. My knees weaken, causing me to collapse down to the sofa as I find it difficult to breathe.
“She was protecting you, Marcus. She was protecting all of us. That’s what she does when it comes to him. Why would she want him after everything he’s done?” the tears fall over her cheek, her eyes pleading with me. “She never did those things, she was scared. She loves you.” The anger in my body was boiling with the realisation of who that fucker was, I had him in my own hands and I had no idea. But even after Megan’s admission the asshole part in me still felt betrayed. I should feel at least some sort of relief and understanding. I should be wanting to rush to her begging while I crawl on my knees for her mercy. Hurt, confused, bitter, love. I don’t know which one I’m feeling.
“What the hell happened to your face?” I looked up to find Andrew lifting Megan’s chin. In our fight over Amelia I never noticed the red shimmer on her cheek that was too fresh to be from a Tequila fuelled fall at the weekend. Her lip quivers as she looks up at him, answering the question I never needed her to say. “I saw Daniel on my way to work and we argued. That’s when I realised what was going on. She never told me he was here. I-I didn’t know what to do, Andrew. I came straight here. She said she’ll met me here.”
“Jesus, Megan.”
Wrapping his arms around her he opens his mouth to speak when Claudia rushes in. “Megan, I ran Nadia’s Security guy through the system and it’s still coming up under a Lloyd Newman, however the guy in question checked out this morning and was last seen heading towards Briston-” Megan was out the door in a flash, followed by Andrew and me. A deathly chill now gripped my gut. Briston Pier was on the way to Amelia’s and in the opposite direction to any Coach, Train or Airpor
t out of here. Adrenaline pumped my veins with dread as a thousand images invaded my mind of what or where she could be.
“Stay here.” Andrew ordered when he caught up with Megan, pulling her back by the arm.
“No. Andrew, I need to find her, you don’t know what he’s capable of.”
“Which is why I don’t want you anywhere near him,” he growls. “Stay with Rosa.”
“Marcus, please?” she cries, her tearful eyes full of fright and anxiety.
“Megan, he’s right. Stay here with mum and call the police.”
“Marcus, shouldn’t you wait for them?” Mum questions, dialling the number.
“We can’t, we’ll get there quicker. Stay here, Megan. You’ll be the first to know anything I promise.” She looks at Andrew who only confirms his agreement with a nod. A sob leaves her chest as I kiss her head before rushing out the hotel.
The repeated slam of Andrew’s boot on the door forced it open with a swing. Barging into her house I called out for her as my heart was pounding like a bitch. Crunched glass grated under my feet and my eyes darted to the floor then Andrew. Blades of glass lined the floor with blood specs glistening on the razor edges.
When I turned to pass the breakfast bar movement caught my eye and everything stopped. Sickened by the sight in front of me a cold sweat claimed my body. Her feet struggled to get a grip of the floor as his large body straddling her small frame while she fought for breath from the hands that pressed hard around her throat.
“Get off her!” Both Andrew and I lunged towards them, smacking my fist solid against Daniels’s skull to startle him as we dragged him off her. Amelia’s desperate need for air comes with a harsh gasp, choking her with the invasion that consumed her lungs while I continued to beat the shit out of the fucker in front of me.
“I’m gonna rip your fucking head off.” I growled with another blow to his face, blood ran down his head and the satisfaction inside me roared knowing my girl had fought back.