Page 97 of The Wallflower

“Are your ears broken? I said to get the fuck up.” Dragging me up off the floor, he delivers another quick punch to my face. The world spins all around me like I’m on a Tilt-A-Whirl, but thankfully, I land against the counter, catching myself. It’s better than the floor. Now I just have to get my legs to fucking work.

It’s at that moment that a scream pierces the heavy fog clouding my mind. It comes from somewhere, somewhere that is still far away. Slowly, I grasp onto reality, sinking my claws deep into that space. There’s a scuffle and movement to my left. With substantial effort, I lift my head and turn, looking up just in time.

I try to speak, but the words are lodged in my throat.No.I know I hurt her, and I know this whole thing is fucked up, but I won’t let my father,ourfather, now touch her. I have no time to cringe at the thought. It's Bel. She's here, and I need to make sure she leaves unscathed to the best of my abilities. My father takes one long look at her, one that forces me to stand despite every cell in my body protesting.

No, I won't let him hurt her. Not to get back at me.

I have to keep her safe. This is my fault. All of it.

I step forward, wobbling, an arm wrapped tightly around my middle like it can keep my lungs from spilling out the holes and fractures in my rib cage. "Please… leave her alone. She doesn’t deserve this.” I move between them, shielding his gaze from her.

He sneers at me. "What are you doing?”

"Stopping you from doing something stupid. She's just a girl trying to earn some extra money for school. That's it. She has nothing to do with our world."

His eyes narrow once more. "She has everything to do with our world, Son. More than you can comprehend at the moment. That's why we need to get rid of her."

Get rid of her?His words seem so final, and there’s no way he would actually kill her, right? He’s crazy and fucked up, but surely, he’s not a murderer?

I take a step back, forcing Bel to take one as well. From experience, I know she's not going to let him break her. Not like he's broken me over the years. Bel is stronger than I’ll ever be. Caught up in my thoughts, I don’t notice one of my father’s men moving in on us, not until it’s too late. A thundering crack echoes in my ears, and the world catches up real fucking fast. I twist around just in time to witness with horror as Bel's head is forced to the side, her fragile features absorbing the impact of Baxter’s hit.

Something inside me snaps, and I charge forward, my shoulders slam into Baxter’s stomach, and my feet don’t stop until we crash into the wall. I pull my arm back and land a punch against his face, the sound of bone cracking fills the space.

“Don’t ever fucking touch her again.” I seethe, barely standing on my own two feet. Baxter snarls his lip at me but doesn’t move. My father chuckles from the other side of the room, and I slowly walk back toward them. Every step takes significant effort, and I take even shallow breaths to stop the pain from swallowing me whole. "Father, stop. Let me take care of this. Let me prove myself. I’ll do whatever you want me to do. Just don’t… please.”

I’ve never in my entire life begged my father for a single thing, but I will do it today if it means I can save Bel. He stands proudly like he’s won the battle. He has no fucking clue that thiswar has barely begun. "Fine, if that’s what you want. Deal with her, but I expect her to be out of the building and away from here in the next ten minutes. That, or she will be coming back to the main house with us. There is plenty for her to do there.”

I nod and turn my attention to Bel. Her face is a mask of confusion and hurt, and when she looks up at me, those two emotions morph into something softer, sweeter, something only she shows me. I hate that hurting her is the only way to protect her, but it’s what must be done. Someday, she’ll understand. I know she will.

Leaning forward, I skim a finger across her cheek and down the side of her neck. She trembles, her eyes darting between my father and me.I’m sorry, Bel. I’m so fucking sorry.I can feel my father’s gaze hot on my back. He’s watching every move I make, and I need to make this as believable as possible.

When she nuzzles her face against my hand and relaxes into my hold, I slice my fingers through her hair and twist her long braid around my fist. Then I slip the mask of fury and rage into place. “What did I say about minding your own business, wallflower?"

Her eyes are frozen lakes of fear, and I think—no, I know this—this is how he will break me for good.

CHAPTER 36

BEL

His hand tightensin my hair, and I jolt. This isn't like it has been in the past. This fucking hurts. My entire scalp is on fire. I claw at his hands, but his fist is anchored in my braid like a fucking vise. "Let go of me.” I whimper. “I only came here to help!!”

He leans in closer, his swollen face giving him an even dark edge. "What the fuck makes you think I need someone like you to save me? You're nothing."

His words sink through the painful haze, and I drop my hands. Yes, he can be mean, a downright dick at a multitude of times, but he's never been this cruel. Even at his most rageful, there have always been cracks of light shining through in the darkness. There’s always been a softness that he seems to carry just for me. I’m so confused. His friends tell me it’s all an act, but this isn’t an act.

"I don’t understand what’s happening…"

He grabs my chin with his other hand and clenches my jaw shut, and I swear I see a flicker of guilt in his eyes before the rage overtakes him. "Shh...when I ask you to open your mouth, it will be for me to put my cock in it, and that is it. Do you understand?”

One of the goons behind us snickers, but I can't move. Hell, I can barely breathe as I stare up at the cold, hate-filled rage in Drew's eyes. This can’t be real. He’s acting again. I can’t truly believe this is how he’s felt all along. I think back to the times he's shoved me away, keeping me at arm’s length, refusing to let me get too close. The way he used my body and walked out that last time. It makes sense, and the pieces align perfectly, but my heart, it doesn’t want to believe it.

"No." I hate myself for how small that protest sounds. "No. You’re lying. I know you care about me. I know I’m more to you than this."

His grip grows tighter, and it feels like he's going to rip my hair out of my head. A scream rips from my throat, and I claw at his hands and kick at his legs, but he's had practice fighting off women in his precious psychopath games, so I’m easily subdued.

"Not so fast. You're staying right here until I say you can fucking go."

I shake my head, the terror inside me ramping up with every second that passes. This isn't him. I refuse to believe it. He told me everything at these parties is an act. Is that what he's doing? Acting the part to keep his father from doing worse. That’s what this is. It has to be. The thought gives me a glimmer of hope. A useless, mostly guttered thing, but I've lived on less.

---