Page 31 of Left in the Dark

I don’t want them to see me beaten and broken. Utterly fucking destroyed.

My dad squeezes my shoulder gently. “Let’s give Zayne some space right now.” The bed shifts as he stands. “If you need anything, let us know.”

“I will.” I hate the way my voice cracks, tears filling my eyes.

It’s not physical pain that is causing my symptoms. It’sher.

The one I trusted who betrayed me. The girl who found it so fucking easy to walk away from me, as though I never mattered to her. The girl I gave my virginity to. The one who gave me hers.

As soon as my dad closes the door, I give in to the grief and betrayal that I’ve been battling back in the presence of my parents.

The anguish washes over me as sobs wrack my body. My head is full of memories of Delaney and me—from the first time we met until she left me on the sand at the lake. Left in the dark, broken and defeated.

Why did she do this to me?

I’ve heard nothing from her.

My muscles are stiff, cramping as I continue mulling over the events until I feel like I’m losing my sanity. And still, I wonder where it all went wrong.

I have no answers.

Call me delusional, but I still believe she loves me. It was in the anguish in her eyes when she was in my arms near the bonfire.

Why did she betray me?

CHAPTER 21

Delaney

I’m in hell. Pure fucking agony.

Tears fill my eyes again. I left Zayne lying there.I wanted so badly to help him. To scream at Tim while beating the shit out of him for hitting Zayne with that piece of metal pipe. I don’t know where he got the thing, but he carried it to his car.

Like good little minions, the three guys flanked me, shoving me in the back of Tim’s car. My brother crawled in beside me while Aidan stood outside my door, arms folded across his chest, glaring at me. After Tim got in the passenger seat and started up the engine, he hurriedly jumped in, and Tim ripped out of there, driving like a maniac.

He scolded me like a child as he recklessly drove through the woods.

I clung to the door, hoping he didn’t kill us with his erratic driving.

Once we hit town, he started saying disgusting things about Zayne. The rage built up inside me, growing into something I couldn’t control.

He pulled in front of the garage of my house, and I jumped out. Aidan was too fast, blocking my escape. Tim hurried around and grabbed my arm so hard I screamed.

Then I unleashed, hitting him with every bit of my anger.

But it wasn’t enough. Not against the three of them.

Tim punched me, knocking me to the ground. My brother grabbed me, dragging me to my feet.

“You fucking worthless bitch.” This time, Tim’s hand slapped me so hard, my head turned with the hit. But I couldn’t defend myself since my brother had my arms pinned behind my back.

My dad walked outside. “Boys.” His sharp, commanding voice cut through the night like a gunshot. “Bring this inside the house. Too risky doing it outside.”

Once inside, they relayed what happened like good little messengers. While my dad was pleased I did as he instructed as far as Zayne was concerned, he got in my face and said he was tired of my disrespect when it came to Tim.

His fists struck my flesh, pain radiating through every part of me. The others joined in, and I was hit and kicked until I welcomed the darkness.

I wokeup in bed the following day, my mother’s worried face the first thing I saw when my swollen eyes opened. The sadness on her face only incited my rage.

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