Chapter Eighty-Eight:

Lydia’s POV

I struggled to open my eyes. My entire face feels swollen. Everything hurts and that’s an understatement. I groaned and tried to stand up. I didn’t get very far. I managed to push myself up a bit, but fell off of the couch.

When did I get downstairs? I don’t even remember. I remember being… I was upstairs and… Adam wouldn’t stop hitting me… He was just so angry. I wasn’t sure if he was ever going to stop.

I forced myself to crawl across the room. I spotted a glass bottle lying on the floor. If I can reach it, maybe I can break it. Maybe, I can use it to fight my way out of here.

I don’t even know how long I’ve been here for. I don’t know what day it is or what my twisted-ass father is planning. I just know that if I stay here, I’m going to end up dead. I don’t want to die. I’m not ready to die. I’m not ready.

With every inch I moved, I became more and more nervous. If Adam comes in here and catches me trying to get a weapon, I have no idea what he’ll do to me. I just know that it won’t be pretty. I have to risk it. I can’t go through another beating like that. I don’t know if I’ll survive it.
Despite feeling like someone ran me over, twice, I have no idea what condition I’m in. I don’t know if anything’s broken or what. I just know that I can’t keep being helpless. There is already so much against me.

I stopped moving and stretched my legs. They feel better off than anything else does. I pushed myself up onto my feet and took a few tentative steps. I reached the bottle and I slammed it on the wall, as quickly as I could. It’s like a band-aid – right?

The bottom of the beer bottle shattered. I looked at the jagged points, satisfied. I grabbed a discarded towel from the floor and started pushing the glass shards into the corner of the room and left the towel over it. Hopefully, he doesn’t look under there.

“Little Dove, what do you think you’re doing?” Adam asked me. I jumped and spun around to face him. A merciless smirk played on his lips and I shivered, involuntarily.

“N-nothing,” I lied, knowing that I had been caught. He chuckled, darkly. I could see the fury building.

“I ASKED YOU WHAT YOU WERE DOING!” He bellowed. I flinched and took a step back, praying that my knees wouldn’t buckle under me. “Don’t you dare fucking lie to me!” He growled. My breathing was running on overdrive and I knew that I needed to slow it down. If I pass out right now, it’ll only hurt me more. I can’t even attempt to defend myself while I’m unconscious.

“I was making something to defend myself.” I whispered, suddenly wishing that I was invisible and anywhere but here.

“Why would you do a stupid thing like that, little Dove?” He taunted me, taking a calculated step towards me. I took another trembling step backwards. He sneered at me.

“I-I’m tired of you h-hurting me.” I told him, just as quietly as before. He stopped moving and I swear, his gaze burned right though me. I followed his eyes and gulped when they landed on the bottle that I was unsuccessfully trying to hide behind my back.

“You were going to win your freedom with a bottle?” He asked me, softly. I stayed perfectly still and held my breath. He’s calm, too calm. Right now, he’s unpredictable and that terrifies me. “Give it to me.” He ordered. I shook my head, frantically. I brought my only protection to my front and clutched it with both hands, holding onto it for dear life. “Now, Lydia, I’m losing patience.” He demanded. I didn’t budge. I blinked and he was in front of me. He tore it from my fingers and smashed it into the wall, next to my face. I flinched and cowered in front of him. “YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN DEFY ME?!” He demanded. I whimpered and felt tears blaze down my face.

“P-please d-don’t.” I begged. His smirk grew and distorted his face, even further. I tried to press myself further into the wall, with no luck.

“SHUT YOUR WHORE MOUTH!”

“D-Dad, p-please…” I pleaded. I knew it was a waste of time, but I had to try. What did I really have to lose?

“YOU WILL LEARN TO OBEY ME!” He screamed, before slamming his fist into my gut. I screamed. It didn’t even sound human. “Get up!” He demanded, through clinched teeth.

I didn’t even realize that I was on the floor. I don’t remember falling. I don’t… I don’t remember… I tried to control my breathing and do what he told me, but I couldn’t focus. My chest feels like it’s tightening and he sounds so far away. I can’t focus. I can’t. I can’t. I sobbed.

He grabbed me by my hair and dragged me across the room and back onto the couch. He sat me up and pinched my chin, trying to get to look at him. I probably was looking at him. I can’t tell. Nothing matters.

“Look at me!” He yelled. It barely registered. I felt white, hot pain in my side. My gaze flickered down and I saw brown pieces of glass sticking out of my side. Adam’s hands are covered with blood. Is it mine? Did he just stab me? I looked up at his face, confused.

I felt something else in my shoulder. Something loud sounded through the room. It took me a minute to realize that it was coming from me. I was screaming. It doesn’t even sound like me.

“St-stop.” I whimpered. He stayed impassive and I saw something move out of the corner of my eye.

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Tony’s POV

I grabbed my gun as I heard screams come from inside the house. It has to be Lydia. Doug just called me to say that he was five minutes away, but I can’t wait for him. What if she ends up dead and I could’ve stopped it.

I sent Doug a quick text, letting him know that I wasn’t waiting. I ran from my car and in through the garage door. He didn’t remember to close it when he returned.

Notes

Brace yourself for tomorrow's chapter. The rest of the rescue/showdown will be in tomorrow's chapter. There will be bloodshed and someone will die.

Also, less than 10 chapters left. (I hope.)

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Cookies and love,
Katie