Page 45 of Come to Head

He shifted.

It was time.

I bucked up from below doing my best to displace his weight off of me. The knife in his hand clattered to the ground, bouncing a few feet along the hardwood floor.

“You bitch!” He swung his hand, slapping me across the cheek. It was the same side as Stephen had hit me, and I grit my teeth against the added pain.

He rolled off the bed to grab the knife.

It was nowor never.

I tugged the rope, one last yank with my fingers before I pulled on my wrist as hard as I could.

The relief was instant as it freed, sliding through the larger hole I had managed to make.

“What are you—” Christian yelled, standing up, knife in hand.

I ignored him. Ignored my racing heart, my sweaty palms, my anxiety.

I couldn’t see him as I reached out, latching onto the crystal ashtray with my now free hand. It washeavy.I blindly swung it back in his direction.

It made a satisfying crunch as it landed against his nose. I heard a clatter as the knife tumbled to the floor again.

My eyes were on him now. His nose a bloodied mess.

“You stupid fucking bitch!”

I had free rein except for my one wrist still secured to the bed frame. I wasn’t going to lay down and wait for him to kill me.

This was my chance.

Adrenaline pumped through my veins, pushing my terror to the very back of my mind.

He wasn’t thinking as he launched himself back onto me.

I wrenched my free hand back and smacked the ashtray into him again. This time it landed on a soft spot on the side of his temple. I was aiming for where the gun had hit me earlier, but I couldn’t quite reach the spot.

I just wanted to knock him out. To be able to get away from him while I waited for my men.

But he didn’t stop; his hands found my throat and he began to squeeze. Pushing me into the mattress.

Black dots marked my vision.

It was harder now, there was less range, but I managed to hit him with the ashtray again.

This time, the move stunned him and I kicked up again. It served to loosen his grip around my neck.

He was still awake. Conscious.

I hit the ashtray against him again.

The noise was a disgustingsquishas it dug into his head, but I didn’t stop.Couldn’t.

My body separated from my mind.

I closed my eyes and swung again.

I was that girl who was just told her father died.

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