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His frown deepens. “But why are you—”
Before he can finish his question, Rhys stops himself.
I draw my gaze down to the blood on his mouth, so I reach up with my right hand and move my fingertips along his lips. It’s just for a brief second before Rhys stands up and heads toward the door. He holds it open, his eyes fixed on the ceiling and I don’t need to be told that he doesn’t want me here. I stand up and straighten my shirt before leaving his room.
Once I’m back in my room, I lock the door and climb back into my bed. It’s not any of the nightmares that plague my sleep tonight, no it’s thoughts of my brother and his fingers fucking me and then me not coming because a part of me knows that I’ll never be able to let myself orgasm if I don’t let go of those nightmares. Rhys thinks I never come because I’m still a virgin, but he has no idea and he never will.
I turn around, bury my face into my pillow and cry myself to sleep because it’s the only place I can let my sorrows out.
8
RHYS: CHAPTER VIII
Then
“Do you know how dangerous it is? Coming out here?” Daniel says, gripping the back of my neck with his left hand. He told me to stop calling him father two weeks ago, after that fight with him and Mum.
It was clear that we weren’t wanted. I’m not wanted. I’m not allowed to spend time with Pi anymore either. And now he caught us out here at The Bounds. He probably followed us. He’s always hated me and the connection between Pike and I. He’s always looking for an excuse to punish me because he’s so obsessed with keeping me away from her.
“You’re so selfish. You’re not being reckless with just your life, but my daughter’s life as well.” His fingers dig into the back of my neck causing pain to shoot up and down my spine.
Daniel is a big man and I’m no match for him when he decides to pick out on me. Even though my bruises have faded away, I still remember everything he’s ever done to me.
“Father, it’s my fault!” Pike screams behind us. “I was the one that wanted to come out here. It wasn’t his idea.”
“Pike, I know you’re just saying that because you don’t want to get him into trouble,” Daniel says, dragging me towards the edge of the ragged cliff. “But I know you’d never do something this stupid. You’re my perfect girl.”
The tears slip down my cheeks. “It’s okay, Pi. It’s my fault.”
“Father, no!” Pike’s shrill screams fill my ears and it’s the first thing I hear before I go over the edge.
The next thing I hear is the violent crash of waves around me. The icy air stings my face as I fall. I expect to fall forever but I don’t. It happens in a blink. I hit something hard and sharp. An enormous jagged piece of black rock. I feel it dig into my abdomen as my body meets the freezing water.
It’s dark and cold and violent. I open my mouth to take in a deep breath, but all that I take in are mouthfuls of saltwater, chunks of seaweed and the taste of dead fish and blood.
I’m not dead. I’M NOT DEAD. But I’m barely hanging on. I let the ocean carry me down into its depths. Down into the black abyss where nothing but nightmares and death exist. I let its thick tendrils suffocate me. I drown in my fear.
And then nothing.
Darkness.
Silence.
Nothing.
I’m awake. I’m not sure how long it’s been, but I’m back in my room and it’s dark and cold and I’m sweating profusely. My mouth is dry like sandpaper and I can’t swallow.
“Rhys?” I hear her in the dark. Pike.
A hand comes around my neck and then she chokes out a sob. “You’re awake.”
There’s some movement and then I feel something cold being pressed to my lips. A glass. I take a sip of the water and then another and another, swallowing greedily until it’s all finished.
“How long have I been out?” I ask. “I’ve had the weirdest dream ever.” I attempt to sit up and that’s when the pain hits. It’s all over my body. A searing pain shoots up my spine and travels through all my nerves, forcing me to lie back down. The pain in my side reminds me that it was not a dream. It was all real.
I don’t need to see Pike to know that she’s probably crying. She probably blames herself for this too, as she does for everything, yet, she’s the furthest one from fault.
I feel her against my lips. I taste her salty tears. She kisses me and it’s soft and warm, but it reassures me that she’s here and that she loves me. And that’s all I need to survive.
