Page 154 of Downfall

As quickly as I can.

I’m doing this for Lara, I tell myself, I’m doing everything for her now. Christ, I would sell my soul to the devil himself if it meant it would protect her.

He drops his hold, grasps my forearm and leads me from the room as if he doesn’t trust me to simply follow him. We walk down a set of stairs, pass two surly looking men stood guarding the door and into a room with no windows. Just a huge couch and a TV above a fireplace.

“Momma.” Lara gasps running to me.

I wrench my arm free, rushing to her, and hold her so tightly as she starts to cry. She’s earing the same clothes she was in yesterday. Did they force her to sleep here, on the couch? Has she even eaten?

“It’s okay baby.” I murmur. “It’s okay. I’m here. You’re safe.”

She cries harder and I sink to my knees, holding her, comforting her, but all the while more than aware that Darius is still here, in the room, watching us.

“Where’s daddy?” Lara asks.

“Your father is dead.” Darius states.

Lara looks at me wide eyed and then sobs even more. “I want daddy. I want daddy.”

Darius stalks up to us, wrenches her from me and, as I try to fight him, he delivers a perfect backhand sending me flying across the rug.

“Now you listen here brat.” He says to her. “Your daddy is dead. Gone. He’s not coming back. No one is coming to save you. From now on you do what I say, just as your mother does. Do you understand?”

Lara screws her face up and cries even harder. I scramble to my feet, scramble towards them and Darius sends me flying once more.

He grabs her face, forcing her to look at him. “You’d be so easy to break.” He murmurs. “Your little neck would snap so easily.”

“Darius please.” I cry crawling back to them, to her. My head feels fuzzy, my face is throbbing but I don’t care, nothing is going to stop me from protecting her.

He turns to look at me, turns Lara’s head too. “Look at her. Look at your mother.” He says. “You did that. You’re the reason I had to hit her.”

I shake my head slightly but one look from Darius makes me stop.

“Do you want to do that? Do you want to keep hurting your mummy?” He asks.

“No.” Lara whimpers.

“Then be a good girl and do as you’re told.”

“But you didn’t….” Lara begins and Darius half snarls.

“I don’t want you ever to speak about your father. Do you hear me? From now on I’m your daddy. You call me by that name. Not Roman. As far as you’re concerned he never even existed.”

I stare at Lara seeing the confusion and fear in her face and hating that I can’t do anything to stop this. “She’s six Darius. She doesn’t understand any of this.”

“She’s old enough to understand consequences.” Darius snaps back.

I get to my feet, my legs are shaking, my head is throbbing, but I’m not going to back down.

“If you want me to play along then I have some stipulations too.” I say.

He turns his attention on me, but he keeps his hand around her jaw, holding her in place. “And what are they?”

“You never lay a hand on my child again.” I spit.

“You mean ‘our child’.” He says smirking.

I narrow my eyes. I don’t give a shit what games he’s playing, he isn’t her father, he never will be.

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