Page 11 of Sniper

Shaking my head, I slowly put Autumn in her all-in-one coat, and then pick her up. Her eyes follow me as I place her in the crook of my elbow.

My heart pounds with fear knowing every move I make is being recorded for him to see. I pause for just a moment, a single moment, before I take a deep breath, and I painfully walk through the small, smelly apartment. The are between my legs hurting me with each movement.

When I get to the door, I bend down, grab my bag, which contains mainly Autumn's clothes and formula. I carefully put it over my shoulder while keeping Autumn close.

I don’t look at the camera near the door as I leave the apartment I was held in. Instead, I walk out, happy he didn’t bolt it since I haven’t tried to run in over six months. He let his guard down, which is what we expected.

I don’t let out a breath, even when I’m out of the apartment. Instead, I slowly walk down the stairs and out the front door to the old Ford waiting for me.

My breathing comes out choppy, and my tears fall hard when the fresh air hits my face, realizing I did it. I got us free.

Hannah quickly jumps out of the passenger side door, her boyfriend Trent in the driver’s seat.

Her tears fall, seeing the state of me as she rushes over and gently grabs my daughter and cups my cheek.

“You ready?” she whispers, and I nod.

She saw me in the hospital on my check-up; she works with the mentally impaired and was there with a client, and was shocked to see me. She stayed hidden from Axe until he went on a call and rushed into the room before the doctor did.

She cried because she thought I was missing, but before I could say anything, the door opened, and Axe walked in. She had only just managed to hide in the attached bathroom.

She heard him discuss getting me pregnant again and how I needed to start getting into it when he “fucks” me, because he’s had enough. When his phone rang again and he left the room, she demanded I explain everything, so I did.

I told her about him coming to help with my math because Piston couldn’t, I told her how he raped me after I expressed my interest in the quarterback, and how the baby attached to my chest was conceived from rape, and how he continues to rape me daily. It was then she came up with a plan to help me and my daughter, with the help of her new partner.

She met Trent accidentally and fell madly in love. She didn’t want to be with Axe, but like she said, she did fall pregnant, and he forced her to take his cut out of obligation.

A month into being with him, she hated it and secretly had an abortion like everyone thought. He showed his true colors toward her, giving her no choice but to end the pregnancy, worried for the unborn child. When she saw his infatuation with me, that’s when she started being bitchy to me, hoping I’d stay away, as a way to protect me.

She blamed herself for not protecting me and spent months trying to figure out a way to help me.

Gently, she guides me to the car, and her boyfriend climbs out. I flinch, and his dark blue eyes soften as he gently takes the bag and rasps, “It’s okay, sweetheart, you are safe now.”

I nod and give him a small smile as Hannah clicks Autumn into a car seat. Trent opens the door for me and helps me climb in, my body shaking.

I take a deep breath as they both climb into the car, and Hannah whispers, “We’re going to drop you off at a bus stop three hours from here before swapping cars. The club already believes you’ve left, so he can’t ask for their help…. He’ll be on his own honey; he won’t find you.” I nod, and she smiles as Trent starts the car and pulls away. She continues, “I have money for you. I raided his safe in the house he has on club land. It’s all yours. Go far from here, Aurora, and be safe, please.”

I nod again, my tears falling, and I rasp, “I can’t thank you enough for this, Hannah.”

She allows her tears to fall as she grips my knee, and I look at Autumn.

I’m so scared. I still feel dirty and tainted, and I’m petrified I’m not going to be enough for her, that I won’t love Autumn enough because of how she was made.

I sniffle, wipe my cheeks, and silently promise myself to protect her always, unlike what my father has done for me. I promise myself to never treat her like a child conceived by rape, and to cherish her always.

I promise to make sure she always comes first.

From now on, it’ll be just me and her, no one else….

3

Sniper – Twenty-Eight Years Old

I chuckle, listening to Sarah, my big brother’s woman, snap at the delivery driver for scratching a customer’s car.

The woman is fucking fierce, that’s for sure.

I never thought I’d see the day when Snake would settle down, but here we are; she has him under her spell, and it’s fucking awesome to see.

---