Page 10 of Girls Night
I launch myself at him, throwing a punch that slams straight into his throat. He lets out a strangled shout and smashes me into the wall before I can stop him. His meaty fist wraps around my throat, tightening his grip as he slowly begins to crush the life from me. My arms are free, and while I still have some strength left, I ball my fist and bury it in his gut, returning the favor and winding him. Then, taking advantage of his momentary distraction, I slam my arm into the crook of his elbow, forcing him to release me. Before he can recover, I thrust my knee into his balls, and he doubles over with a deep grunt and loosens his hold. I don’t halt. I forcefully bring my knee up into his face and feel the crunch of his nose on impact.
“I should’ve slit your throat while you slept, you interfering little shit,” he growls, stepping back and glaring at me. He’s not even attempting to stem the flow of blood that’s streaming down his face.
I throw a final punch, injecting every ounce of my hatred and fury for what this piece of shit has put us through. His head jerks backward when my fist connects with his jaw, and he staggers, tripping over a chair that got knocked down during our scuffle. I watch as he falls, and his neck hits the edge of the table on the way down with a sickening crunch. I’m breathing hard, staring at him as I wait for him to get back up, but the unnatural stillness of his form and angle of his head tell me he never will.
Ignoring the aches slowly spreading through my body as the adrenaline wears off, I make my way over to Farren to check on her. She’s still unconscious, and my heart tugs with worry that she’ll never wake, but as I slide my arms under her body and gently lift her, she stirs and opens her eyes.
“Tucker?” her voice is hoarse and weak, and my name is a question on her lips.
“Shhh, rest. It’s going to be okay,” I soothe, and she wraps an arm around me, pressing her face into my shoulder as she shakes with silent, body-wracking sobs.
It’s been too long since she’s leaned on me for comfort. I know I’ll eventually have to tell her our father’s dead, but I suspect it won’t come as too much of a shock. I carry her up the stairs to my room, taking care not to jostle her. Pushing open the door and stepping through, I walk over to my bed and gently set her down. I go to leave, but her hands grip my shirt, stopping me.
“I’ll be back, I’m not leaving you. I’m going to get the girl out of that fucking basement.”
Farren releases her hold and lets me go, her eyes expressing gratitude.
As I head down the stairs, I make a mental note to bring my sister water to soothe her throat. I grab a bottle from the fridge on my way through the kitchen and shove it into my back pocket before descending into the basement. After unlocking the cage, I step in and crouch down next to the young woman who’s still out cold under the blanket. She doesn’t respond when I lightly shake her by the shoulder, so I wrap the blanket firmly around her and lift her into my arms like I did Farren.
My body is tiring, so I move as quickly as I can, maneuvering my way up the two flights of stairs while making sure to keep her steady. I’m relieved when I make it to Farren’s room and I’m able to set her down.
Every part of me is throbbing, and exhaustion is swiftly taking over. I need to get rid of my father’s body, but I don’t have the strength to do it right now. I head back down the hallway to my room, and after setting the bottle of water on the nightstand, I climb onto the bed beside Farren and pull her into my arms. I’m glad I finally found the strength to protect her from the monster that lived under our roof.
Chapter Fourteen
Farren
Fear sparks panic when I wake up and can’t move. Rolling over, I shove off the weight pressing down on me and see Tucker lying next to me. My heart races as I recall what happened with our father, and then vague memories of my brother carrying me up to his room filter through the fog in my head.
My throat feels raw, and my head starts to throb when I sit up. Flicking on the lamp, I look around the room, taking in the familiar light blue walls and deep blue carpet, and I spot a bottle of water sitting on Tucker’s nightstand.
Grabbing it, I quickly unscrew the cap and gulp down the cool liquid, sighing in relief when it soothes the fire in my throat. I turn to look at Tucker, and gasp when I see the bruises blossoming on his face and arms. His slow, even breaths blow on my face when I lean closer, and with his arms now empty he rolls from his side onto his back. The movement illuminates his face, and I can see even more clearly the dark blotches covering him. I suspect those aren’t his only injuries, but I’m not about to wake him up to ask. Now I’m so close to him, I can see the dark rings around his eyes and how pale he looks beneath the bruises.
When I remember how Tucker took the time to cover Violante after the last lesson our father imparted and how he tended to me after Father tried to strangle me, my heart softens. Tucker is being the caring and protective brother I used to know.Did he care this whole time, or were these acts of kindness sparked by guilt?Shaking my head to clear the doubts, I brush stray hairs from his face as I swallow another mouthful of water.
As I begin to recall earlier events, I vaguely remember seeing the lifeless body of our father when my brother lifted me up from the dining room floor and cradled me in his arms. Realization hits me; Father can’t hurt us ever again. Then, another thought slips into my mind, and sliding out of Tucker’s bed, I quietly leave his room.
I walk quietly along the upstairs hallway to my bedroom and slowly push open the door. When I see the dark figure in my bed, my heart stutters and my breath catches. Even though I know my fear is needless, it still doesn’t ease until I look closer and notice the feminine curves shaping the blanket draped over the sleeper. Deep, even breathing reaches my ears, and I let out the breath I’d automatically held to hide my presence. Curiosity urges me forward, and I make my way over to my bed. The thin curtains at the window don’t shut out all the light, and in the faint glow coming through them, I see the sleeping face of Violante.
Her time in the basement has washed all color from her face and hair, and the tattoos snaking their way elegantly up her arms are stark against her pale skin. Buried underneath the ink, I can see the evidence of the bruises my father has given her, and anger stirs within me. However, the longer I stand there, staring at her peaceful form, the more it subsides until all I can feel is relief that she’s no longer bound within my father’s iron cage.
Fear creeps in as I realize that now she’s free, she’ll probably leave, and my heart clenches at the thought. I’d never trap her here like he did, and I wouldn’t blame her for wanting to get away from all the pain my family has caused.
I gently stroke her arm, tracing the pretty designs. I can hardly believe she’s real. Her eyes fly open, and she lets out a terrified scream. My heart jumps, and I quickly place my palm over her mouth to silence her.
“Shhh, it’s me, Farren. You’re safe. You’re safe. Tucker got you out of the cage. You’re in my room. You’re safe, I promise you. We both are.”
Tears start to fall as I repeat the words, over and over, feeling them in my soul for the first time in far too fucking long. Her dark eyes are wide, reflecting my tearstained face. She reaches up with shaking hands and removes my hand from her mouth, entwining her fingers in mine. Before I can do anything, she pulls me close and kisses me. Happiness lights up my soul, eradicating the shadows my father cast over it, and I kiss her back with everything I have.
I lie down next to her without breaking the kiss and let her pull me close. There are no bars now to keep us apart, nothing but the shared agony of what my father put us through in his despicable pursuit of a cure for something that’s inherently a part of us. He cracked our spirits, crushed all hope, and doused everything light inside us, but he didn’t succeed in breaking us completely. Her kisses are like a balm, mending and repairing the fractures in my soul, and I pray she’ll let me do the same for her.
Violante bursts into tears, and I pull her into my arms. She lets me hold her, and wrapping her arms around me, she clings to me for comfort. My father is the one who did this to her; he tore her apart to teach me a lesson, but for some inexplicable reason, she trusts me to keep her safe.
Wrapped tightly in her arms, I make a silent promise, then and there, to do everything I can to earn what she’s freely given me.
