Page 70 of Make Her Bleed
"Oh, trust me. He's not done. He hasn't even done number six."
My dad said there were ten steps. What more horrible things could Kai possibly do to me?
Was him telling me about Rowe one of those steps? Was it a test?
I've put this off long enough. Rowe deserves to know the truth, but what if it hurts him?
"Rowe, I need to tell you something," I say as he gets out of bed and grabs his boxers, stepping into them.
"Give me a minute, okay? I just need a drink."
"Please, it will just take a minute. It's important."
His eyes narrow with concern as he stands in front of me. "What is it, darling?"
"It's about—" I stop for a fraction of a second when movement catches my eye and suddenly my captor is in the room. "Kai." What is he doing and what is he hiding behind his back?
"Come on, Aria. Can we not talk about him? It's just us right now." Rowe strokes my hair.
If Kai wasn't in the room, I would lean into Rowe and get lost once again.
Then I see the sparkle of chrome in the mirror.
"No, that's not it." I look in the mirror, and I see the reflection of the bat behind Kai's back.
Either he's going to use that on me or on Rowe and I'm terrified of the latter.
"Oh, my god. Rowe, look out!"
Rowe gets up in a flash, but he isn't fast enough to defend himself against his psychotic father. He hits him once in the face, twice in the chest, and the crunch reverberates through the room when it connects with Rowe's shoulder, sending him to the ground.
"Kai, stop it!" I cry, begging him to leave Rowe alone, but I know there's nothing I can do. Kai has proven time and time again that I am no match for his strength.
Kai kicks Rowe in the chest again and again as I cry.
"Kai, please leave him alone! Stop it!"
This is worse torture than when he sodomized me. Why Rowe? That's his son, his flesh and blood, his only living relative. How could he do this?
He got rid of Rowe's stepfather to protect him from the same abuse Kai is delivering.
Kai finally stops as Rowe lies on the floor in a heap of flesh and bruises, broken and battered.
Kai tosses the bat off to the side and takes a breath as Rowe struggles to breathe.
"Good job, Aria. That was exactly what he earned."
What the fuck? I didn't do anything. I tried to warn him, but I wasn't quick enough. Rowe definitely didn't deserve the beating he got.
Kai leaves and I hurry over to Rowe with tears soaking my face. His arm shields his injured stomach and his face is twisted in agony.
"Oh, my god. I'm so sorry." I run my fingers through his hair and try to figure out what to do.
"Don't," he groans, his voice weak. "I'm fine."
"No you're not. I can get some ice for your injuries," I offer, my voice muffled by my tears.
"Back off, Aria!" Rowe snaps at me, and I flinch away from him as he pushes himself to sit up, groaning and hissing as he stifles his movements, constricting his body like a man in a straight jacket.
