Page 2 of Cheshire

I kept my voice low, not wanting to draw my father’s attention again. “It’s Maria from next door.”

“Maria,” I breathed, relief washing over me for a brief moment. We weren’t exactly close, but she’d noticed my wounds before and done her best to help. Although she too feared my father.

“Open the window,” she urged.

“Can’t be seen together,” I reminded her, my gaze darting around the room in panic. “He’ll hurt us both. If he thinks you’re helping me…”

“Eliza, listen,” she said urgently. “I’ve found help. The Underland MC. I think if you can get to them, they’ll protect you.”

“Protect me?” I scoffed, disbelief coloring my tone. “From Sheriff Holmes? No one can do that. It would be different if my father were anyone else.”

“They can,” Maria insisted. “Those men aren’t scared of anyone. I don’t have proof, but I think they’re responsible for something big that went down a few weeks ago.”

“Help from bikers?” I questioned, my mind racing. “How can I trust them?”

“They look big and scary, but they do a lot of good around town. And from what I’ve heard, they’re all ex-military,” she said. “They’re your only shot, Eliza.”

“All right, but how?” I asked.

“Tonight. If you can get away, I can take you to them. I was behind one of them at the grocery store earlier. Heard him on the phone talking about meeting everyone at a diner in town.”

“I’ll try.” I didn’t want to think of the consequences if my father caught me. He might actually kill me.

* * *

I’d waited until I heard my father leave the house, and night had fallen. Then I’d slowly opened my bedroom door and crept down the hall. I’d made it all the way to the front door when someone grabbed my hair and yanked me off my feet.

I yelped and dropped to the floor as they released me. When I looked up, my heart raced. My father, Sheriff Holmes, towered over me. His cold eyes seemed to pierce through my soul, a cruel smile dancing on his lips.

“Think you’re clever, huh?” he sneered, hatred dripping from his words. “Where were you slinking off to?”

I tried to shrink back, but the wall left me no escape. Fear clawed at my insides, and I instinctively raised my hands in a feeble attempt to protect myself.

“Please,” I whispered, tears streaming down my face.

He lunged forward, his fist connecting with my jaw. Pain exploded through my skull, making my vision blur.

“Pathetic,” he spat, grabbing me by the hair and yanking me up.

“Stop!” I cried out, frantically trying to pull away from his grip.

“Or what?” he taunted, his voice cold and ruthless. “You gonna cry for Mommy? Oh, wait… She’s dead.”

He struck my ribs repeatedly, until I thought I might die. The pain was unbearable, taking over every inch of my body. My breath came in ragged gasps, each one feeling like a knife in my chest.

“Please,” I choked out again, my voice barely audible. “No more.”

“Are you gonna learn your lesson now?” he asked, his tone mocking.

“Y-yes,” I stammered, terror forcing me to submit.

“Good,” he growled, finally releasing his grip on my hair. He let me crumple to the floor, my battered body screaming in agony.

“Remember this,” he said, his voice menacingly low. “You ever try to defy me again, and it’ll be the last thing you ever do.”

“Understood,” I whispered, tears streaming down my bruised and swollen face.

“Pathetic,” he muttered one last time before stalking out of the house, leaving me a broken mess on the floor.

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