Page 18 of Hold On

I’m kissing him again, licking his tongue and lips. He picks me up and my legs immediately straddle his torso as I settle in for the ride. He carries me inside.

Chapter Twelve - Now

Alina:

“Alina!!! Open the fucking door!!!”

The pounding jerks me awake, though I’m instantly wishing I was unconscious again. The pain that erupts across my face is brutal. I can tell I’ve been breathing through my mouth as I go to lick my lips and not only taste caked-on, dried blood, but have absolutely no saliva to help relieve the dryness.

My fucking house is destroyed.

Blood is all over me, the couch and carpet beneath it and where I passed out. My hair’s lying in a puddle next to me where I puked my guts out from Luke’s assault. I jump, my body stiff as shit, as more hysterical pounding comes through the door.

“ALINA TIMBER!!! I swear to fucking god you better be alive in there!!” My heart bursts open when I recognize Bash’s voice. Then sinks just as quickly as I realize what he’s about to see. It probably smells fucking awful in here, though my swollen nose isn’t letting much through. My whole body feels heavy like cement. It takes me a few seconds to crawl to the door, unlocking it from the floor. I can barely open it before Bash tries to barrel inside, knocking the wood into my legs. “Fuck!Alina!!Are you ok? Alina, I…” His voice trails off. And then he sees my actual face and he stops speaking altogether.

Time stands still.

His eyes zoom around, looking over every inch of me upon the floor, pathetically huddled before him. I gingerly move my legs so he can fully enter. He’s assaulted by the smell andimmediately grabs for his nose as he bends down to help me up, but to his credit, he says nothing. He carefully gets me to my feet as I cling to him, my head spinning dangerously.

“I’m gonna puke again,” I croak as he goes to move me, but I projectile vomit all over his shirt before he can. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I mumble as he does his best to hold me up. “I’m so sorry,” I whimper, my eyes closed. He sighs heavily.

“It’s ok, Lina Girl. I need to get you in the shower. Let’s go into your room,” he suggests, but I cry out, making him freeze, afraid he’s hurt me.

“He fucked up my bathroom, Bash,” I whimper as he nods his head, understanding that we can’t use it. Tears are forming in his eyes as he leans me against a small half wall behind the door and strips himself of his nasty shirt. I suddenly look down at the clothes I’m wearing. Hysterical howls leave my mouth as he hurries back to me.

“I’m paying to have someone clean the house, Alina. Don’t worry about your bathroom, baby,” he assures me quietly. I shake my head, gesturing towards his clothes on my body, covered in my blood.

Sebastian:

“I wanted to keep these, as a reminder of you…” she cries, emotionally broken. I’m shaking with both anger and terror as I hold her before me, her nose swollen and covered in dried blood, her eyes puffy and her purple hair matted with barf. “I tried to change but he wouldn’t let me. I ruined your clothes,” she finishes on a wail. I try to be mindful of her face as I pull her into my body.

“I’m right here, Alina. You don’t need to remember me. I’m not going anywhere,” I say fiercely as she cries harder in my arms.

“He knows who you are, Bash. You need to leave me alone,” she whispers as I shake my head in disbelief.

“I’m not fucking going anywhere,” I repeat. I hold her face up to mine, so she has to look into my eyes as I tell her again, “I’m not fucking leaving you, Lina Girl.”

“He’ll kill you,” she moans softly.

I laugh bitterly.

“He can try. There have been a lot of people who have attempted to throughout my life. I’m scrappy and tough as shit, I promise,” I try to joke as a tear slides down my cheek. She watches its descent. As it hits my lips, she looks away.

“There’s a bathroom right here,” she says changing the subject, pointing to a door around the other side of the half wall at the entrance. We walk towards it and stand at the entrance as I begin to help her strip out of her clothing. I’m turning on the shower as she sits down on the closed toilet naked. I open the small window located above the shower, then close the door, hoping to help alleviate the offensive smell from the living room. She avoids my eyes as I stare heavily at her. She looks absolutely exhausted.

“So,” I begin as Lina sighs with a roll of her eyes. “Are you going to tell me what the fuck you’ve gotten yourself into yet?” She closes them next.

“I really don’t want to,” she answers through a clenched jaw.

“I don’t really think you have an option here, Alina. I need to know what’s happening so I can protect you,” I reply with an edge, my voice rising. She only scoffs.

“That’s thething, Sebastian. This whole thought that you actually have a chance of saving me. It’s misguided and it’s not going to happen,” she yells back at me.

We’re both fuming now.

“Not if you refuse to fucking fess up to whatever got you into this mess! Of course, I can’t do shit then!” I say incredulously.

She only shakes her head, infuriated.

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