8

8

STACEY

The following two weeks are a nightmare.

I don’t leave the manor to see my friends or attend the studio. I don’t even step onto the grounds because Nora has therapists coming in and out, my phone confiscated, and Chris refuses to leave my side. Everyone thinks he’s being a sweet, caring big brother; he even told Kyle he’d take time off work, so he doesn’t need to.

My body is healing. The swelling on my face is gone, my lips are no longer cracked and split, and the bruises that are visible are barely there. He hasn’t beat me further, but something far worse has replaced his punches and slaps. Something that has me contemplating death.

His touch. His pleads for me to love him back. Forced kisses and holding me while he falls asleep in my bed. Every. Single. Night.

Despite physically being okay, I’m contemplating not being here anymore.

I’ve thought about dying once.

Once.

I stood at a bridge, wondering if I’d die on the way down to the cold water below. It’s usually a lie when they say someone dies on the way down. They had a heart attack, so they didn’t feel pain – it’s more of a comfort to the loved ones than anything else. But that’s not always the case. When someone jumps, they hit the water with such a force that it’s just like hitting solid ground. They break their bones, shatter their skull, turn the water red with their blood, and if they’re unlucky enough, they’ll survive just long enough to feel it all.

That could’ve been me. But someone talked me down.

I don’t think anyone could talk me down now. I wish I’d leaped off when I had the chance, but knowing my luck, Chris would follow me to hell itself and still force me to touch him.

My bedroom door opens, and Chris walks in with a tray of food, setting it down on my bedside table. “Eat up. You’re going back to class tonight and then we’re going out.”

“You said I wasn’t going to go back,” I say – monotone. “You even made me tell my friends I was going away for a month before giving your mother my phone.”

“She’s our mother. And I couldn’t be fucked with them trying to find you. You’re mine – no one else should be vying for your attention.”

I roll my eyes, which earns me a scowl.

“Don’t start your childish bullshit. Eat, get dressed and I’ll drop you off. The hour of class is the only courtesy I’ll grant you. Tell your friends you were at the lodge.”

Chris walks to my wardrobe and starts tossing clothes out before landing on something that has him pausing. “This one. Wear this dress.”

It’s short and red and revealing. “What kind of party are we going to?”

“It’s a little fancy, an adult entertainment-type place. But I want you in this. I want easy access.”

My stomach curdles. “You said you wouldn’t touch me there without my consent.”

It’s the only thing he’s giving me control of. I have no say when it comes to him finding his release using my hand. He’s taken a liking to repeating what happened in the car, which usually results in me vomiting or slapping him across the face.

He told me to get on my knees last night, and the only reason he didn’t succeed in shoving me to the ground was that one of his friends called about a party – I assume the one we’re going to tonight.

“I’ll be drunk. I’ll probably forget about that little rule when I see you in this.”

He hangs the dress up next to my vanity table then pulls off his shirt and tosses it aside. He ruffles his blonde hair and pushes it back, gesturing to my bathroom door. “I’m going to shower. Come with me.”

My lips flatten. “No.”

He sighs and unbuttons his trousers, siding them down his legs and kicking them off. I look away as he removes his boxers, and I stare at the fork on the plate of food he brought me and contemplate sticking it in his neck.

Knowing him, he’d survive and make my life even more hell.

An hour later, he takes me to the studio, but I’m already late for class. He issues his usual command to behave and says he’ll pick me up while tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. I knock his hand away and give him a stern look. “Don’t touch me.”

He smiles. “Watch your tone. See you soon, baby.”

Everything within me recoils when he calls me that, and I snatch my bag and slam the car door with more force than necessary. I don’t look to the right in case I draw any attention to him, but Barry is leaning against a wall across the street, talking on the phone.

Chris won’t drive away until I’m inside, so there’s no point waiting around to try explaining anything to Barry. What would I even tell him? That his colleague fell and smashed his face into a brick and disfigured himself – that he’s dead?

Luciella isn’t in tonight – she’s doing a placement in the labs at the Royal Infirmary, but Tylar screams and claps when she sees me. “Thank God! You’ve not answered one single text. I thought something bad had happened!”

I fake a laugh. “I told you; I was at the lodge and had no signal. I left my phone there.” I fake another laugh. “I’ll get it back soon.” Probably a lie.

She hugs me anyway and tells me about the past few weeks. Her and Dez are officially together, and she even posted about it online. He’s become attached to her hip, and they’re talking about going travelling together. Backpacking, to be exact.

She sounds so happy, and she’s smiling so hard, it’s infectious enough to make me smile. I haven’t in a while, and I love that I got an hour to see my friend and dance.

“What about you and Kade?”

“What do you mean?”

She smirks, nudging my shoulder. “You know what I mean. You left the airport to see him, and you two have been close again. Dez told me what he knows, but you know you can tell me, don’t you? I’ll help you tell Luciella, if that’s the problem. You two are good for each other.”

I avert my gaze in an attempt to tamp down my annoyance. Not with her but the situation. I miss him. I miss him, and I’m worried about him.

“We’re too busy and too different.”

She rolls her eyes, laughing. “When you’re ready to really talk to me about your hot, American fling with your bestie’s twin brother” – she winks – “I’m all ears.”

I shove her arm, somehow smiling. “Shut up and teach the class.”

We’re doing pole class tonight. My students are doing a photoshoot soon and want to perfect their poses. I spot them, catching ones who fall, then direct them to point their toes, to arch their backs and to stop looking like they’re taking a painful shit.

By the end of the hour, I feel myself deflate at the thought of having to leave. I can’t even text Chris and beg for more time. That’s how low I’ve sunk – I’d actually beg my stepbrother and be thankful if he said yes.

Not that he would.

“What are your plans tonight? Do you want to lie in bed and watch movies and eat loads of pizza? Gossip? Sleep until ungodly hours?”

Tylar looks at me hopefully, grinning as if I’m going to say yes like I always do. I’m a sucker for movie night with my friends, but my shoulders drop as I shake my head. “Sorry. I need to go home. I’ll hopefully be at class tomorrow night though, so I’ll see you then?”

Her smile drops. “Oh, okay. Are you still helping out with Festival of Fright Night? A lot of the students were looking for you to help make up routines, and I could use the extra hands on production.”

I bite my lip. I want so badly to say yes, to nod, to scream and say, “Of course!”

“I’ll let you know?”

“Are you okay?” she asks, giving me a warm smile. “Really, are you okay?”

No. I’m slowly dying inside, and I think my soul is shrinking into a black box that’s locked away in a deep closet, and only Christopher has the key.

“Yeah. I’m just tired.”

“Well, Dez is outside. I’ll see you tomorrow maybe?”

I nod, and she smiles and kisses my cheek. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” I say, my voice cracking.

As soon as I walk out of the studio doors, a firm hand snatches at my arm and yanks me into the alleyway beside the studio entrance. “What the fuck happened to Emmerson?”

I blink up at the man, realising who it is. “No. No, Barry. You need to go. Now.”

Barry frowns. “What? Why?”

“Please go.” He’ll kill you too, and you have a baby on the way. “Please.”

“Tell me what happened to Emmerson first.”

I move past him, and he catches my arm again. “Stacey.”

“If he sees you—”

“Problem here?”

My heart sinks into the ground at the sound of Christopher’s voice.

“Want to tell me why you’re manhandling my girlfriend?”

Barry looks between the two of us, his brow furrowing. “Girlfriend…”

I gulp, averting my eyes to the ground as Chris grips my hip and pulls me to him.

“Yes. Girlfriend. I’ll ask again. Is there a problem?”

Barry steps back, eyeing Chris. But when he sees my wide eyes, he shoves his hands into his pockets. “Not at all. My little sister goes to this studio, and I was asking Stacey here where she was.”

“Go ask someone else.” His voice drips with the threat, and I cringe inwardly.

Barry stares at Chris, a smile playing on his mouth. “I didn’t catch your name?”

“The only thing you’ll be catching is my fist across your face if you don’t fuck off away from my girl.”

The air around us seems to vanish, and I try to tell Barry silently to back off, that this isn’t a fight he needs – nor one he can win.

He retreats a few steps before turning his back, walking across the street and down a side street.

As soon as he’s out of view, Chris shakes his head and glares at me. “Who was he?”

I shrug. “His sister must be in the—”

“You’re about to lie to me again. He works with those bodyguards of Kade’s, doesn’t he?”

I stay silent – he already knows.

Chris drives me home, and I can tell he’s irritated with me. Usually, he’d grab my hand or grip my thigh, but he keeps both hands firmly on the steering wheel, driving faster and rougher than usual.

He doesn’t even smile at me when I walk down the stairs with the dress on.

Not that I want a smile – but I know my night is most likely about to become one of the worst of my life.

Chris orders me to stand by the door then lifts his phone to take a picture of me. I raise a brow, and he smirks through his annoyance. “You look pretty. It’s a shame you’re going to resemble a fucked whore by the end of the night.”

I pause, wide eyes on his. “What does that mean?”

“It means it’s time for your punishment. Did you think I was going to let you off with everything? My friends have been waiting for years to have a shot of you again.”

My breathing suddenly grows heavy, and my eyes sting. “For someone who doesn’t like me being with others, you don’t mind sharing me. You contradict yourself.”

“Use that tone with me again and I’ll bend you over. I’m being patient with you, Stacey, and I’m waiting until you willingly give yourself up to me, but I can revoke that at any point. I won’t hesitate to stuff you with my cum until you’re carrying my child and not some other loser’s.”

God, I hate him so much. “I’d rather die.”

The back of my head hits the wall, and burning pain sears through my face. Chris keeps his fist raised, readying to punch me again.

I wipe the blood from my mouth, glaring at him.

Pretty soon, he’ll drug me, and I can float around by his side and not understand what’s happening.

If I’m lucky, he’ll make me overdose.