Page 161 of Beautifully Wounded

And I guess, with how it came about, most would think it’s an abomination. How could I ever want to keep it when it was created with hate? Violence? Depravity?

Slowly, Ringo starts shaking his head, his face contorting with what can only be described as pain.

“No.” It’s a whisper, Ringo’s eyes glued to my stomach.

“Ringo?” I whimper, not understanding exactly what’s happening here.

He’s angry. I get it. I lied. Or at least I didn’t tell him my whole situation. But this, whatever this is, is different.

Ringo takes a step back, and then another before he’s quickly backing away, his expression morphing into fear as he shakes his head.

“I’m sorry. I was going to tell you, but I didn’t know how,” I cry out, taking a step towards him, but he continues to retreat.

“No.” He shakes his head over and over as he gets to the mouth of the wardrobe, which is when the man I thought I knew vanishes. “NO!”

His roar is deafening, and he spins and starts punching the wall by the open shelves.

Isqueak and jump back, my heart about leaping from my chest as his rage unleashes, and Wendy turns back to me, grinning.

With another loud animalistic roar, Ringo surges into the bedroom out of view, and things start smashing before JD hurries in, frantically trying to assess the situation.

“What happ—” he stalls, skidding to a stop just outside the bathroom door, his eyes wide as he takes me in. “Oh, fuck.”

Turning quickly, JD darts back out into the room, his voice floating in as he calls for more of his brothers.

“I need some help in here!”

Tears burst from my eyes, my chest hurting right in the centre like a hand is reaching in and squeezing it.

“You stupid bitch. You really think you could fool Ringo?” Wendy snarls, coming to stand before me.

“I was going to tell him, I…”

“He doesn’t want damaged goods, Charity Case. You need to fuck right off and take your bastard pregnancy with you. He has no interest in raising someone else’s kid.”

And there they are. The words I knew I’d hear once word got out.

No one will understand why I’d choose this. Why I’d willingly have the child of a rapist.

It’s not their choice though, it’s mine.

Those men may have left me wounded, but no one will break me, not when my child needs me.

Still, Ringo’s reaction stings, bad, and a sob lurches from my throat as I remember the words he said but clearly didn’t mean.

“There’s nothing you can say that would make me want to turn my back on you. Nothing would stop me from wanting to protect you.”

“Why the fuck are you still here?” Wendy leans close and whispers in my face. “If you don’t run, he’ll fucking kill you.”

She shoves the clean hoodie at me, and I brace it to my chest as I stumble forward, hurrying from the bathroom.

She’s right.

I have to go.

I can’t stay here.

I’m not safe.

And if I’m not safe, my baby isn’t safe.

Without a second thought, I slip the clean hoodie on and run through the bedroom towards the open door. In my peripheral, I see three men holding a roaring Ringo face down on the bed, and once I’m out the door, I run like I’ve never run before.

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