Page 74 of Beaten

“Not one fucking word, you stupid bitch. You got me arrested and fired from my job.” Spit flew out of his mouth, his breath reeked of alcohol. “And now you’re gonna pay.” My cheek stung from the slap, and my eyes watered as he continued to pull a fist full of hair.

He’d violated the restraining order so it was his own damn fault he got arrested, but he didn’t see it that way. He didn’t blame himself for violating the law; he blamed me for reporting him.

He dragged me to the kitchen were both my parents were sitting at the table. My dad’s left eye was swollen, and turning black and blue. I could see an empty whiskey bottle and several beer bottles on the island.

“You didn’t have to hit him.” I tried to pull away but he yanked harder causing me to wince and stumble back.

“He shouldn’t have insulted me.”

I tasted blood when he punched me, splitting my lip. I bit back my screams, knowing he’d hurt my parents if he thought Dean might hear me. My dad stood up, then sat back down when Craig pointed the gun at him.

“You don’t want me to have to shoot you in front of your wife and whore daughter, do you?”

I cringed as my father scowled, but lucky for all of us he didn’t say anything. What could he say? Craig was holding a gun and threatening his family. My mother reached out andgrabbed one of my father’s hands as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Craig, let’s go in the living room and talk. You can tell me how stupid I am, and I’ll crawl on my hands and knees and beg for your forgiveness.” I watched him as he looked from them to me, considering it.

I tried to appeal to his compassionate side, hoping he still had one. “They don’t need to see that.”

I saw the glint of madness in his eyes a second before he grinned and said, “Yes, they do. I want them to see you grovel.”

He was too drunk, too angry, to feel even an ounce of compassion.

I got down on my knees.I’ll do anything to keep Craig from hurting my parents.They didn’t deserve any of this, and it’d kill them to watch this, but we didn’t have a choice.

Chapter 36

Jamie

Eric messaged me when he dropped the girls off just after seven-thirty. Dean’s text arrived a few seconds later, confirming they’d arrived and Ashley had left.

I’d decided to take Meg’s advice and talk to Emily tonight. I didn’t want to wait any longer. After showering, I talked to Isabelle as I got dressed, and asked for her blessing. It was getting easier to talk to her about Emily. I knew Isabelle wouldn’t want me to wallow in grief forever and I could imagine her telling me to take my head out of my ass and go tell Emily how I felt.

I stopped at a store and chose the best looking bouquet of pink roses available. Then because I felt like it wasn’t enough I bought a dozen red roses, too. My SUV reeked of roses by the time I pulled into Emily’s driveway a few minutes later. I’d texted Dean to let him know I was stopping by, and was counting on his discretion if, no when, he noticed thetwo dozen roses in my hand. Everyone knew I had a thing for Emily, but that didn’t mean I wanted them knowing I’d shown up at her door with roses, like a love sick teenager in a rom com. I’d never hear the end of it.

It was about eight-thirty when I knocked on the door, ready to fix my mistakes. No one answered so I rang the doorbell, thinking maybe they hadn’t heard me knock. I saw lights on inside, but no one answered.

Is she ignoring me?

“Emily, I know you’re home, please answer the door.”

“I don’t want to talk to you.” She yelled through the closed door.

I gripped the roses hard enough to feel the thorns pierce my palm. I’d come all this way and she wouldn’t even open the door, let alone talk to me.

Then I realized it wasn’t anger I was hearing in her voice—warning bells went off in my head.

“Emily, is everything okay?” I needed to hear her voice again so I could verify my suspicion. She might tell me to fuck off if she was angry. But she couldn’t be as direct if she was afraid.

“I’m fine Jack, please just leave.”

Did she just call me Jack?It took less than a second for me to realize it was a cry for help.

Fuck!Craig’s here. The best thing I could do for her right now was to walk away. No, not the best, but the safest. Craig had to think I believed her, and that I wasn’t a threat.

“Okay, sorry I bothered you.” It took every ounce of strength and courage I had to turn and walk away. And evenmore to drive down the street so I was out of sight from the Taylor’s house. I sent a group text to Jack, Dad, AJ, Doug & Dean.

9-1-1 at Snow’s Castle. Prep to go in hot. Dean – sit tight for now.

---