Evelyn
Fight or flight.
Resist or react.
His breath tickled my skin, the coldness of his touch eliciting shivers throughout my body. I didn’t have time to be scared nor time to think things through. All I could do was follow my instinct, keep fighting, and keep reacting.
His mother seemed to be in and out of consciousness, and it appeared like the only one I would have to struggle against was going to be Josh.
But Josh…I didn’t think I was strong enough to go against him.
“I always knew you were a feisty little thing,” he murmured in my ear. I could feel something pressing against my back, quickly realizing this turned him on. He disgusted me. “And then I saw you in those videos,” he growled, one of his hands trailing down between my legs, “and I knew I had to have this.”
It took my every bit of self-control to not throw up. I squeezed my eyes shut, preparing myself for what I had to do.
“You’re very quiet,” he continued, “not what I saw in those—”
Gathering every bit of my strength, I threw my head back full force, hearing the crack of a nose and feeling the pain radiate through my head and down through my body. Josh groaned in pain, but his grip around me loosened, an opportunity I took full advantage of by propelling my legs to move forward.
He cursed at me, but I didn’t listen. I didn’t dare look back. Looking back would mean wasting time, and time wasn’t something I could spare. I ran as fast as my feet would take me, my hands grazing the door before I was suddenly falling, falling…
“Hmph.” I hit the ground with a thud, my hands attempting to brace the fall, avoid the impact on my belly. I couldn’t. I whimpered as the pain traveled from my belly to my back, the sharpness of it making me gasp in shock and fear.
My baby.
“You fucking whore!” The words echoed throughout the condo, and I hoped and prayed that the neighbors heard him, that they heard the scandal.
He turned me around forcefully, his hands pinning my own above my head with much more strength than necessary, and his gaze falling to my heaving chest…and then further down.
“You just had to get knocked up, didn’t you?” The malice in his voice, the hate in his eyes left me even more breathless than the impact on the floor.
I couldn’t allow that.
I had a baby on the way.
I had a future ahead of me.
I needed one more night with Nathan, needed to see my baby’s eyes for the first time.
Tell Carter it’s okay, that I understood why he never said anything.
I had so much to accomplish. I couldn’t go down, I wouldn’t go down, without a fight.
“You could have been out without having to go back to jail, you idiot,” I snarled, my eyes meeting his. I wouldn’t coward away.
I was stronger than that.
“I won’t be going back to jail, but you will be coming with me. Do you have any clue how shitty of a place it is there?” He cocked an eyebrow.
I huffed, preparing myself for another blow, ignoring the pain that wasn’t going away. “You crazy fucking psycho.” This time, I smashed my forehead against his and then kicked my knee up to his groin as hard as I could.
My head throbbed; the continuous impact it had received started to add up. I was exhausted and lightheaded, but it was all pointless; Josh hardly budged. His weight crushed me, and I couldn’t breathe.
“Filthy whore,” he spat in my face. My eyes squeezed shut as his hands went up to my throat, his thumb caressing my jugular vein—the area that could do away with my life quickly.
“Please,” I whispered hoarsely, refusing to let the tears show. Maybe if I could beg my way out, make him think that I wouldn’t fight, he’d lower his guard and I could get away.
“Please fuck you?” He smirked, the other hand going down to the waistband of the sweatpants I wore, pulling at them.
My eyes widened in realization.
I wouldn’t wait for my chance anymore. From that moment on, every second was my chance. My legs kicked with force while I cradled my belly with a hand and I used the other to swing at him. He grunted, annoyed I didn’t let him have his way with me as easily as he may have wanted.
“Fuck you!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. I would make fucking sure someone heard me; if I was going to die, all of New York would know what happened to me.
Another dose of adrenaline flooded my veins, and I kicked him, hard in the stomach. On shaking limbs, I stood up but took too long; his hand gripped my hair furiously and pulled me back, throwing me to the side, my head hitting the edge of the side table.
“Shit,” I muttered, seeing him kneel in front of me. His hand wrapped around my throat again, this time tighter, and I fought, using my hands to claw at him, to give a hard time, but my vision became foggy as his grip tightened, my chest heaving with the need for oxygen.
“You’re going to have to be quiet now.” He grinned, his eyes bright.
He’d won.
I’d tried, but he’d won.
My eyelids became heavy, and I knew I was about to pass out, end up in a ditch or lake somewhere never to be seen again, when suddenly, I could breathe again.
I inhaled sharply, coughing and my body grateful for the bit of air that filled my lungs. My eyes opened only to see Carter, my old man Carter, throwing Josh back with a thud and then kicking him to no end.
“Phone, now!” he roared at me, his eyes wild with anger yet somber with fear.
I crawled, trying to find the phone, my hands trembling when it was finally within my reach. I dialed 911, hardly was able to give my address to the operator before I noticed Josh starting to fight back.
Quietly, I approached Mrs. Nicholson, who just smelled like alcohol, the intensity of it making me nauseous.
This was it.
I had to do it.
He deserved it, but that didn’t mean the idea of it didn’t scare me.
Josh was too busy gaining advantage against Carter, unknowingly giving me the perfect angle. He shoved Carter against the wall, and I stood, not waiting another second before I picked up a lamp, slamming it against his head. A sharp cry left his lips, and he shoved me back with his elbow, my body landing back against the hard floor.
“Get out of here,” I grit out, struggling to even speak. “The cops are on their way. Get out.”
I knew he wouldn’t make it out. I knew they would get him. Even then, I couldn’t help the sigh of relief that escaped when I saw him walking injured out of the door.
Carter rushed to my side despite his bruised face, cupping my own in his hands. The anger dissipated into nothing but worry as his hand went to the back of my head, leaving it there as he spoke calmly to me.
“You’re bleeding,” he whispered. “Did he hurt you somewhere else?”
My eyes finally filled with tears. “I-I fell…on my stomach,” I choked out, taking hold of his arms. “The baby…I haven’t felt the baby move.”
“Okay.” He nodded, his trembling fingers caressing my cheek. “You’re going to be okay.”
He held me to his chest, and my arms surrounded him, the shock of it all not allowing me to fully cry yet. “I love you, Carter.”
“Oh, me too, my dear girl. I love you too.”
My eyelids grew heavy, whether from exhaustion or the injuries I didn’t know. I vaguely heard Carter speaking, his voice growing desperate with the attempt to keep me awake, but I couldn’t, not for much longer.
“I’m so tired,” I whispered, pulling away from Carter with a small smile. He blinked away the tears in his blue eyes. “Stop it,” I scolded softly. “I’m just tired.”
“Nathan is almost here,” he replied, hoping his words would wake me up, energize me. It didn’t. The adrenaline had faded, and my body was drained. My back hurt, and my belly felt unusually hard. I was in pain.
“I know.” I smiled. “Tell him I—”
“No.” He shook his head. We heard sirens; I knew help was on the way. I allowed my body to relax, decided to stop fighting.
I’d loved.
Nathan loved me.
I’d fought.
But you don’t win all wars.
When my eyes opened again, paramedics wheeled me out of the condo building, the bright light from the sun invading my line of vision. I panicked, not seeing Carter anymore, but soon his hand gripped my own. My gaze met his, and he swallowed, understanding my silent plead.
Let me rest.
He studied me and finally gave me a single nod, letting me know it was okay to go to sleep.
So I did.