Page 33 of Beautiful Scars

'Not yours. Mine'

The words blur together, twisting in my mind until I can’t see straight. My throat tightens, my chest heaves as realization sinks in.

It wasn't my father.

It wasn’t Zack. It was never Zack I had to worry about.

This was Garrett.

He's back.

I stare at the words staining the wall, my breath coming in short, ragged gasps as the reality of it slams into me. The calls I ignored from Sunny, the message I didn’t check—she needed me. And I ignored her.

My phone slips from my hand and hits the floor with a loud crack, that I barely hear. All I can hear is the roaring in my ears, the sound of my own heartbeat echoing in the silence.

My mom is dead.

Sunny's in trouble.

And it’s all because ofme. I did this.

Chapter Seventeen

Sunny

Mybodyscreamsatme to take a breath, to find a way to fill my lungs. My head is swimming, and my heart is pounding painfully in my chest.

This can’t be happening. Not again. Not this. Anything but this.

The weight of Garrett's body pins me down, crushing me into the carpet. He stinks of sweat and cigarettes, and his breath is hot and rancid against my skin. The panic sinks its claws deep into my chest and I remember. My body remembers. I've been here before. I'vesurvivedthis before. I plead with myself to believe it. To hold on to that one thought even as his hand over my mouth grinds my lips into my teeth. I taste blood and every shallow breath I manage to suck in between his fingers feels like it's scraping my lungs raw.

“That’s my girl.” His voice slithers into my ear as I thrash beneath him, desperate to get him off me. “Keep fighting. Show me how tough you are. You know how I like it, baby.”

Iamfighting. With everything I have, I fight. My hands rake at his arms, my legs piston out trying to get leverage, but it’s useless. Nothing works. He’s too strong, too heavy. I can’t move. I can’t get him off. My chest burns from the strain, my arms shake from the effort, but he doesn't budge.

I'm trapped.

Garrett shifts, jamming his knee into my stomach as he moves to straddle me. It drives the little bit of air I have out of my lungs, and my body jerks against him. I gasp into his palm. He grins. The light from the lamp he knocked over casts deep shadows across his face turning him into a monster.

My monster.

My worst nightmare.

I can’t believe this is happening. Not again. Not withhim.

"I told you I’d come back for you, Sunny." He murmurs, his voice low and sickeningly calm. It makes my skin crawl. "You're mine. I own you. Remember?"

I twist violently, trying to roll to the side, but he’s everywhere. His thighs squeeze me, holding me tight, his free hand pins my wrists above my head. His weight presses the panic deeper into my chest, dumping terror into my veins.

I scream, but it's a pathetic, weak, muffled sound. I gnash my teeth and bite, hard enough to taste his skin. Hard enough to draw blood. He loosens his grip on my face only for a second. I fill my lungs with sweet, cool air. It wasn't enough though. His hand clamps down even harder over my mouth.

More flashes of memory rip through my mind—sharp fragments that cut into me. Garrett's hands, his mouth, his weight. I hear the echo of my screams, feel the bruises bloom on my skin under the burn of his hands, feel myself break as I'm shattered from the inside out. It all comes rushing back to me. Every sickening moment I've lived through with him before bleeds into the now. The line is getting fuzzy. Confusing.

I've lived through this before. All of it. But this time? This time, I’m not sure I will. I don't know if I can do it again.

I don't know if I want to.

Garrett presses his forehead against mine, grinning. "No one’s coming to save you Sunny. I made sure that psycho little boyfriend of yours will be busy for a while. You're on your own kiddo."

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