Saved By Him (The Monster Series Book 2) (19 page)

Sophia~

It was the first wedding I’ve been to. These last few months have been filled with firsts for me.

I told Adam that I can’t write so every night before bed I tell him one memory. He writes it on paper for me.

Sometimes he cries with me and those are the times I know he really loves me.

I go to the chapel as the sun rises. I always pick flowers for the kitchen and today’s no different. I place them on the bench and then sit down. I pull the box out from under the bench and open it. Then I take the piece of paper out that Adam wrote for me last night. I sit and stare at the words – my nightmares - written by the man that I love.

I place the paper with all the others and then I put the box back under the bench. I push it into a small space at the left leg of the bench. If you’re not looking for it, you won’t see it.

I get up and walk to the main house. As I walk into the kitchen Miss Ella is sitting at the table, enjoying her coffee.

“Morning, my sweet girl,” she smiles at me.

“Morning Miss Ella.” I give her a warm smile and then I pour myself some coffee.

I go sit by her and for a moment we enjoy our coffees in silence, and then she asks, “Do you love my grandson?”

I nod and smile at her. “Very much, Miss Ella.”

“Why do you love him?”

I place my mug on the table and stare at the steam billowing into the air from the mug. “I love him because he makes me feel wanted, but never like a piece of property that can be used. He makes me feel strong, like I can take on the world. He makes me feel special.” I look at Miss Ella, “I love him because he shares the bad and the good with me. He teaches me what’s right and what’s wrong. He never makes me feel stupid and he’s so patient. I gave him my heart because I know it will be safe with him.”

A tear rolls down Miss Ella’s cheek and she reaches over to pat my hand. “Call me Nanna, child.”

I grin at her and I start to bounce with happiness. “Really?”

“Well I’m not gonna beg you!” she pretends to scold and she flicks the tears from her cheeks with a huff.

I throw my arms around her and kiss her on the cheek. “I love you too, Nanna.”

“Oh dear,” she sniffles, “my eyes won’t stop leaking.”

I sit back and pick up my mug again. I take a sip and then I smile at her.

“What’s that sneaky smile for?” she asks, dunking a cookie into her coffee.

“When are you going to tell Doc that you love him?”

She drops the cookie and her cheeks go all red. “That will be the day! That man will let it go to his head and we both know which head I’m talking about. I’m too old for nookie.”

The coffee sprays over the table and I start to cough on some of it that got stuck in my throat.

Nanna pats my back hard. “Now, now,” she says, “don’t go choking on me.”

“Nanna,” my voice is raspy and my eyes water, “you really think Doc can still get it up?”

“Hon, a man can lie on his deathbed and his pecker will be the last thing to go. It’s like a heat seeker, it just never stops.”

I start to laugh until I have to hold my stomach. When I calm down, I finish the last of my coffee. I get up and rinse our mugs and then I remember, “I forgot the flowers! I’ll be back in a second.”

I run out the back door and only make it halfway to the clearing when I get a cramp in my side. I slow down and walk the rest of the way. When I get to the chapel, I freeze. There are pieces of paper scattered all over the clearing.

I rush to the bench and look under it but the box is gone.

“It would always hurt. They would just slam into me as if I was a piece of meat.” I hear behind me. Shivers race down the back of my neck and I swing around.

“David,” I squeak with fear. I can’t believe what I’m seeing! Fear ripples over me, numbing my face, my tongue – my everything. I start to tremble as he casually walks towards me.

“It’s supposed to fucking hurt, my little whore. That’s the big turn-on. The more it hurts you the more it pleasures me,” he sneers. I watch him crumble the piece of paper and toss it to the side.

He takes another step towards me and finally my legs start to work. I swing around and run. If I can just get to Adam! I just need to get to him. He’ll keep me safe!

My heart is pounding wildly in my chest and I can feel David getting closer. I shriek and try to dart to the side but it’s too late and David’s hand sinks into my hair. He yanks me back so hard that I fall awkwardly to my side. A kick to my back rips a scream from me and then his hand is in my hair. Just like that day he dragged me down the passage he drags me towards the river.

“Once a filthy whore, always a filthy whore!” David hisses as he yanks me along the gravelly path. Rocks scrape my skin raw and my scalp is on fire. “You think you can burn down my house and I won’t come after you?”

I can’t get a word out as I struggle to miss the bigger rocks. One slams into my lower back and I let out a whimper.

“Ahhh … I’ve missed that sound.” He yanks me one final time and I fall into the water. My dress gets soaked quickly and it clings to me as I scramble to get up.

David’s fist comes fast and it slams hard into my jaw. I fall backwards and for a moment the water covers my head. I swallow some and I push myself up again. I come up sputtering and coughing, but then David places his hand on my head and he shoves me back under the water.

I slap and scratch at him and finally he lets me back up. He shoves his face right into mine and hisses, “I told you I decide whether you live or die. Time to go to hell, whore!” He shoves me back down before I can take a proper breath.

I struggle against his grip and I start to slap and scratch at him again, hoping he will let me up again. I’m running out of air! Panic slams harder and harder into my chest making it feel as if steel bands are clamping down on my lungs. I grab hold of David’s wrists and try to pull his hands off of me, but I’m not strong enough.

I fight the urge to take a breath but I can’t hold out when the burning in my lungs becomes too much. I scream as I gasp for air – but all I get is water.

I start to choke but it only causes me to swallow down more water. My body jerks and I don’t have the strength to fight David.

Suddenly I’m yanked from the water, but I still can’t get any air into my lungs. I keep chocking and coughing, and then I start to vomit the water up. It feels as if my lungs are on fire.

My ears are ringing but I hear Nanna scream, “Get away from my grandchild!”

“She’s a fucking slave! What are you going to do, bitch? You’re a bit old but I’m sure I can get someone who would like an old fuck like you. Take you for a ride one last time. Although, they might have to roll you in powder to find the wet spot, that’s if you can even still get wet. You must be as dry as husk.”

“And you talk too much,” Nanna hisses and then I hear a loud bang. My whole body flinches at the loud sound.

It feels like I’m going to be coughing forever. The water just won’t stop coming.

Adam~

I’m busy hammering a nail in when I hear the gunshot and for a moment I stand frozen as it echoes over the property. I start to run in the direction of the river. I’m sure it came from there.

When the clearing comes into sight, I see Nanna. She’s aiming her riffle at something. As I get close I hear her say, “Oh look, you have a wet spot.”

I hear someone coughing badly and then I see it all. I see a man lying on the ground and then I see Sophia. She’s kneeling in the river and she’s an awful grey color.

Nanna keeps the gun on the groaning man. He’s holding his thigh and blood is sweeping through his fingers.

I get to Sophia and I pull her up. I drag her out of the water and then I let her sit. I give her back a few good whacks and some more water comes out. 

“Fucker!” I hear Jack shout. I swing around just in time to see him kick the man. Jack’s eyes meet mine and I see the maddening rage on his face.

“David,” Sophia wheezes and then a flash of red hot anger shoots through me.

“That fucker is David?” I scream and I start to stalk towards them.

Jack throws an arm out to stop me. “He’s mine. He’s my brother. I’ll take care of him,” he hisses.

It takes everything in me to hold back. I want to strangle the man. I want to rip his head off and shove it up his ass!

I go back to Sophia and pick her up. I hold her close to me and watch as Jack drags David into the water. Jack grabs his neck. “That is my sister you just tried to kill,” Jack hisses and then he shoves him under the water. He uses both his arms and he holds David under until the last jerk tears through his lifeless body.

I walk to Nanna. She’s shaking but still holding the gun. She saved Sophia. “Thanks Nanna,” I whisper and then it all just becomes too much.

Nanna pats me on the back and says, “Go take care of our girl. I’ll take care of Jack.”

Tears stream down my face and I hold Sophia tighter. Her breaths are still uneven and she’s making a whistling sound with each breath she takes.

I go straight to the bathroom and I turn the water on warm. I strip her out of her muddy clothes and then I strip too. I hold her under the warm water until her color looks better and then I dry us both. I take her to bed and tuck her in under the blanket and then I get in next to her. I pull her half under me and I just hold her.

I close my eyes when she starts to cry and I can’t help but cry with her. I almost lost her to her worst nightmare.

My emotions are all over the place, from anger to fear, from hate to love.

Her arms go around me and she clings to me. I lift myself slightly and I start to kiss every inch of her face. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to stop him,” I say between kisses. “I promised to protect you and I didn’t.”

She places a hand to my chest and she pushes me slightly back. “It’s not your fault.” Her voice sounds painful.

“Don’t talk, Sweetheart. Just rest,” I say and I hold her until she drifts off.