Page 76 of Beaten

Emily

Iinstantly recognized Jamie’s voice when he called out after knocking on the door. I made eye contact with my parents, begging them with my eyes not to give anything away.

Craig grabbed my hair and yanked me up. “Tell him you don’t want to talk to him.”

He pushed me into the living room, towards the door, making sure we couldn’t be seen through gaps in the closed curtains.

I couldn’t scream for help, not with a gun pointed at my head so I could only hope Jamie would hear the fear in my voice. I needed to think fast and let him know something was wrong, but I had to be subtle.Craig doesn’t know who’s on the other side of the door.I called him Jack hoping he’d figure out what I couldn’t tell him.

Jamie apologized, and left.Did he understand?Craig waited until we heard the car drive away before dragging me back to the kitchen.

“Who was that, you fucking slut? Are you cheating on me?”

Something in me snapped. For some reason him accusing me of cheating on him was what sent me over the edge. How could I be cheating on someone I wasn’t with, with someone I wasn’t seeing?

“I can’t cheat on you Craig, I fucking left you. Remember?” I regretted it the instant the words came out of my mouth.

He didn’t bother answering, instead he punched me in the face hard enough to make my head spin. I bent over, blood dripping from my mouth. I heard a chair scrape against the floor and looked up to see my father step towards Craig.

“Dad, no!” Blood sprayed from my mouth as I screamed at him to stop. When my dad turned his head to look at me Craig swung the gun down. It looked like he was moving in slow motion as he slammed the gun into my father’s head. My mother screamed as my father crumpled to the floor in an unconscious heap. She got up to help him but Craig pointed the gun at her. “Do not move.” My mother fell back onto her chair, never taking her eyes off my father as tears flowed down her face.

“See what you made me do?” Craig screamed at me.

“Please Craig, I’ll do whatever you want." I got back down on my knees, knowing he liked it when I was submissive. "Please, just don’t hurt my parents anymore.”

“Don’t tell me what to do!” He yelled, but then told my mother to check my father. She slowly got down on the floor and checked my father's pulse. Relief washed over me when I saw her nod.

“I’m not, I swear.” I leaned forward so I was on my hands and knees, then crawled towards him. “See, I’m on my hands and knees, begging. Please, can we go in the living room?” I didn't dare look at my parents.

He looked back at me, his eyes filled with hatred.

I won’t survive this. My only hope was that he’d be happy with killing me and leave my parents alive.

“Stand up.”

I looked at my mom as I stood, knowing he’d knock me back down. He’d done it before. I begged her not to interfere with my eyes.

Craig punched me in the gut. Hard. I doubled over in pain, as my arms instinctively clutched my stomach. He hammered me between my shoulder blades, causing me to fall to my hands and knees. I looked at my mom through the tears in my eyes. I needed her to help my dad, not watch what was happening to me so I mouthed: I’m okay.

I was anything but okay, but I had to stay strong. He was going to make this as painful, and as humiliating, as he could, and I couldn’t risk my mom interfering and getting hurt too. Craig kicked me in the head causing me to see stars as I fell onto my side.

When I didn’t get up right away he kicked my leg. “Get up.”

Struggling to stand, I blinked rapidly trying to bring the spinning room into focus.

“Beg.” It was more growl than words as sneered at me.

I choked on the metallic taste in my spit as I swallowed. “Please.” I didn’t have to fake the pleading in my voice. “Please.” My voice squeaked.

“Please what?”

“Please forgive me for-”

I was cut off by the kitchen door shattering inward. I collapsed to the floor and covered my head with my hands as chaos erupted.

I heard someone shout, “Drop the gun! Don’t move-” Then a loud crack filled the room making my ears ring. I looked up at my mom, she was slouched over my dad’s body.No no no.

Chapter 38

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