Page 33 of For the Love of Layla

Which I’m sure is why he wants me to wear it.

I tried my best to cover it with concealer, even had Ava come help me earlier, but if you look…reallylook, they are clear as day. Let’s hope for dim lighting. Guilt trickles in around my nerves, threatening to destroy all the work I did on my smoky siren eye makeup as I think about her. She looked so worried about me, and I sat there and lied to her.

I told her everything had died down, that he must be losing interest. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Things haven’t died down since I saw him on Friday. His eyes linger on me always, even when he’s not here. Waiting and watching. I’m always on edge, always a stone’s throw from a full-blown panic attack. Sleep is a joke at this point, it only comes in brief intervals peppered with nightmares of mahogany and ocean blue eyes.

I’m fucking exhausted.

I nearly had a meltdown when I got a call from the pharmacy letting me know my medication was ready to be picked up. I did…only because the ramifications of disobeying him range between playful psychological torture to homicide. I shut off the bedroom light, walking through the dark hall before I reach the stairs where Peaches waits for me at the bottom. I’m no longer scared of the dark, not like I was anyway. Whatever he is…scares me far more than anything else. My research into Liam has hit a stone wall. Apparently, that file never existed despite having seen it myself. That leaves one thing…his office at Curran Enterprises. If he’s been stalking me… playing with me, there’s bound to be something there. I wish I could say my nerves weren’t worse at the prospect of seeing him, even if he’s not my tormentor.

I still want Liam. Badly and all this has done is make me realize just how safe he made me feel.

How much more can I take? How long will this last? Will the police investigate once I’m dead? Do they believe me? How far will he go and to what fucking end? I ask myself the same questions all hours of every single day, even though I’m pretty sure I don’t actually want the answers.

Liam, Age Seven

I bound down the pristine halls of the manor, brimming with excitement. Mother is in a good mood today, which means if Miss. Katla is done with her chores we can go outside. It’s been almost two weeks since I’ve been outside the manor, felt the grass or the breeze on my face. Surrounded by the trees in our fields and not just staring at them on the balcony outside my bedroom. I take two steps at a time as I ascend the stairs to her attic bedroom.

I don’t know why mother and grandmother won’t let her stay in one of the normal rooms; we have more than enough space, but Miss. Katla doesn’t seem to mind. Nothing ever bothers her. I see her all day every day yet the moment she’s away my heart aches for her smile. When I’m older, she can be my mom for real. Brandon said you can be adopted by other people. I’ll take such good care of her, just like she does me. She won’t have to worry about mother’s lectures or money ever again. I reach out to knock as a strange sound comes from the other side of the door. Is someone hurt? My stomach sinks as I hear light sobs through the thick wood.

She’s crying?

I withdraw my hand, glancing behind me, unsure of what to do. I should go, mother cries all the time when her husbands leave. I know it’s impolite to linger.

“Shut the fuck up, whore!”

My heart stills in my chest as Mr. Collins’ voice booms through the quiet room, mother’s most recent boyfriend or husband now I guess. I’m never really sure. He sounds angry. Miss. Katla cries out. Her soft voice sounds different, raspy like she’s been crying for a while.

“Mr. Collins, please if Ms. Curran sees-”

Smack!

“Don’t say her name and be still.”

I flinch at the sound of the smack, taking a step back in shock. Miss. Katla starts to cry harder. Something new bubbles up in my chest. Something…uncomfortable. Something I’ve never felt before. This strange new feeling mixes with panic as I lunge for the door.

Don’t hurt her!

Mr. Collins jerks up off of her as I throw open the door, the wind coming in from the balcony blowing her hair into her tear-stained face. I don’t…understand.

“Master Liam…” She cries as I look on in horror, he’s inside her? Brandon said adults do this sometimes, but it looks gross. She looks sad, not happy.

“Get away from her or I’ll tell mother!” I yell, his face turns beat red. He jerks himself out from her behind, throwing her onto the floor. Miss. Katla cries out as her face slams into the nightstand. “You stupid fucking brat I swear-!” Miss. Katla throws herself at him, wrapping her arms around his legs, “Hlaupa, Liam!”

Run?

He jerks lose from her grasp as he takes off towards me. I pivot my shoes squeaking across the hardwood as I run back down the stairs. I’m not as big as Brandon, but I’m fast. Really fast. Tears fall down my face and my chest feels funny as I tunnel towards my mother’s rooms. If I can get to her, tell her he was hurting Miss. Katla, she’ll make him leave for sure.

“Get the fuck back here, kid! You don’t understand what you saw. Come here!”

No, you hurt Miss. Katla.

I wipe the tears from my eyes, barely looking up in time before I smash into mother knocking us both into the floor. I grip onto her my heart pounding in my chest as I glance frantically behind me.

I made it.

“For God’s sake, Liam, get off!” She yells. Her sharp nails poke at me as she tries to shove me from her, but I ignore it. Clinging to her anyway, I’ve never been so scared before or so angry.

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