Written in the Scars (The Estate Series Book 4) (25 page)

It was almost one a.m. when she heard the door open. Owen switched on the main light, causing her to squint as her eyes adjusted to its harsh brightness after so long in the dim room.

‘Hello, my little pumpkin,’ he smiled. ‘I hope I haven’t been too long. It was someone’s thirtieth birthday bash and they ended up asking me to join their party. Well, it seemed rude not to. The food was divine. It’s a shame you missed it.’

It had been hours since she’d eaten, but Donna felt herself retching at the thought of it. She watched as Owen pulled his T-shirt over his head and stared at her. Then he slid the belt from the loops on his jeans, never once taking his eyes from hers.

He dropped the belt to the floor. Behind the scarf, Donna screamed as he walked towards her and sat down on the side of the bed. She winced as he ran a hand from the bottom of her stomach and up to her chest, the scratches he’d made earlier sore beneath his touch. As his fingers rested around her neck, she closed her eyes.

He was going to kill her. Ohmigod, what had she done?

Owen laughed as he moved his hand up her arm towards her wrist. ‘Relax. I did say you’d be safe with me. I’m going to untie you. You promise to stay quiet if I do?’

Donna nodded vehemently.

He untied the scarves at her arms and then her legs. Although she was free to kick out, her body went limp and she felt more vulnerable than ever. She was naked too. He knew she wouldn’t run, the bastard.

When he removed the final scarf from her mouth, his eyes bore down on her, daring her to defy them. She wanted to curl up in a ball and move as far away from him as possible. But she said the first thing she could think of to get away from him.

‘Owen,’ she said. ‘I have to pee.’

‘Okay.’ He pulled her off the bed, steadying her, gripping her arm as her legs were weak after lying still for so long. She tried to loosen his grip, but it tightened.

‘I’ll come with you.’

He led her to the bathroom, switched the light on and stood by the open door.

‘Can you leave me for a moment, please?’ she asked.

‘I’m staying right here.’ He folded his arms.

Donna lowered her eyes. Her last piece of dignity was being taken from her.

She relieved herself as he watched, feeling his eyes on her, seeing his lips curl up in a half smile.

‘You sound like a horse,’ he laughed as urine poured out of her.

‘Well, I’ve been a bit tied up.’ The sarcasm came out before she had time to think.

But Owen just laughed as she wiped herself and flushed the toilet.

‘I need to freshen up,’ she said.

He took hold of her hand. ‘No need for that. I’m tired, come to bed.’

As his grip tightened on her again, Donna realised that the only way she would get out of this room in the morning was to go along with what he had in mind. Holding in her tears, she got back into bed, curling up into a foetal position, despite every part of her aching.

Owen removed the rest of his clothes, climbed in behind her and wrapped his whole body around hers. Ordinarily, she would have relished the thought of his closeness but now it terrified her. If she could wait until he was asleep, maybe she could creep out of the room.

‘Donna.’

She stiffened at the sound of his voice.

‘If you’re thinking of telling anyone about this, and you make out that we weren’t two consenting adults having fun, then I’ll go after Keera next.’

Chapter Thirty-Three

Keera couldn’t believe Derek only lived three streets away from her on the Mitchell Estate. Christopher Avenue was just about on the cusp of the nastier bits. It could hardly be called living on the ‘hell, and it was a walk in the park compared to some streets on the estate. But at least neither of them lived on Stanley Avenue, the worst street of the whole place.

Derek’s house was the end of a block of four terraced houses. Even in the dark as she walked up the path behind him, she could see how tidy the garden area was, noticed that the hedges had been cut back.

‘So how come you haven’t met anyone recently, Kee?’ Derek asked as he poured hot water into two mugs. He turned to her with a smile. ‘A lovely girl like you should have a man she can depend on.’

‘I do.’ She stared at him. ‘I have you.’

‘You know what I mean. I’m far too old for you.’

‘Age is but a number, don’t they say?’

He looked at her again. She kept her face straight for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. ‘I’m winding you up!’

Derek pretended to bat the comment away with his hand. ‘But don’t you have interests and hobbies?’

‘You disappoint me, Derek. I thought you’d be up for dancing around the room with me, singing One Direction songs at the top of your voice.’

‘One who?’ He passed her a mug with a grin. ‘Seriously, what do you really want to do with your life? Besides go to Manchester to be with Marley.’

Keera sighed loudly as she took it from him. ‘There isn’t much I can do. That’s why we headed out to get some sun rather than mope around here.’

Derek sat down at the small pine table and Keera followed suit. ‘Now that Marley is going to college in September, maybe you could do that too?’ he suggested. ‘Have you ever wanted to study?’

‘Not really.’ She shook her head. ‘I was always one of the thickos at school.’

‘I find that hard to believe.’

‘I didn’t like school. Come four o’clock, you wouldn’t see me for dust as I ran out of the gates.’

‘Perhaps you just messed around, like most kids?’ Derek eyed her. ‘I think a lot of teenagers leave school with regrets that they didn’t knuckle down when they should have, but it doesn’t mean that they can’t try again later. I went back to college and studied law.’

Keera was just about to take a sip from her mug but she stopped midway, eyes wide. ‘Did you?’

Derek nodded. ‘I was going to be some hotshot lawyer, but my mum was taken ill. My dad died shortly afterwards and there was only me that could take care of her. My parents meant the world to me so I gave up a chance of a career to look after her.’

‘Wow, that’s so kind of you.’ Keera took a sip of her drink before continuing this time. ‘Not a lot of people would do that. I know I couldn’t. My nan lives in sheltered accommodation because my mum doesn’t have the expertise to look after her. Nan needs someone there all the time now, to keep an eye on her, make sure she’s safe. She kept on wandering off when she lived by herself. I think she was lucky to be brought home each time she went missing. Anything could have happened to her.’

‘Dementia?’ Derek queried.

‘Yes.’

‘That’s such a cruel condition.’

Keera nodded. ‘She hardly remembers me, so I don’t visit often now.’

‘Oh, you should,’ Derek encouraged. ‘She might never recognise you again, but just imagine if you went one day and she did. How good would that be? I bet all you feel now is guilt about not going to see her.’

‘I guess.’ Keera loved these philosophical talks with Derek. ‘I reckon you’d like my mum. I’d introduce you but she’s just got herself a fella.’

‘Oh? What’s he like?’

Keera shrugged. ‘Haven’t met him yet. It’s early days, she says. I’m not so sure she’s in love or anything.’ She checked the time on her watch. ‘Going back to our original chat, would you like me to come to your house instead of visiting me at The Candy Bar?’

‘No, I think I’d prefer to keep that part of things the same, if you don’t mind?’

She shook her head. ‘Would you like a massage before I go?’

Derek sighed. ‘There is nothing I would like better.’

Keera put down her mug.

‘But … I’m going to decline.’

‘Oh?’ 

‘I’m knackered. I gave chase to two fare dodgers earlier and I think I pulled my groin.’

‘You old timer!’ Keera covered her mouth with her hand as she yawned. ‘You should be careful what you get up to. It’s a jungle out there.’

‘Talking of which …’ Derek opened a drawer and took out an envelope. He passed it to Keera. ‘I’ve been thinking whether or not to give you this for ages. Now that you’re here, it seems only right.’

Keera took it from him. Inside the envelope were a bundle of notes. She looked at Derek in confusion.

‘Five hundred pounds,’ said Derek. ‘I thought Ramona could get Steve off her back.’

‘But … but I can’t let you do that.’ Keera tried not to blush because she hadn’t told Derek that Steve was still hanging around outside The Candy Club, even though he wasn’t necessarily threatening Ramona.

‘Where do I say it’s come from?’ she asked.

‘Tell them you’ve borrowed it from your mum or something. Or you raided your piggy bank.’

‘That’s a lot more pennies than I’d ever have!’

‘Maybe, but no one need know.’ Derek paused. ‘I want to help. I don’t like bullies, I don’t like the thought of him coming back to hurt her – or you – so, well,’ he shrugged, ‘it’s only money.’

Keera looked at the notes in her hand. Was Derek for real? She couldn’t take his money. It wasn’t fair to get him to bail Ramona out. But if she took the money, Ramona’s problems and her own could be over.

‘Take it with you,’ Derek urged as they stood in silence. ‘Sleep on it and decide what to do in the morning.’

Keera looked at the money again. ‘Are you sure?’

‘I’m sure.’ Derek looked at the clock. ‘I should take you home.’

‘No need.’ Keera stuffed the envelope into her bag. ‘I’m only minutes away.’

‘And it will take me a minute to get you back there safely.’

‘It’s only–’

The look he gave her made Keera realise that he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. She found that she quite liked it.

Donna waited for ages before she dared to move. Owen was snoring gently behind her, his body still pressed close to hers, his arm slung territorially over her middle. She felt her legs cramping and stretched a little, hoping that it would make him move. It did the trick and he rolled away, turning his back to her. She lay in the silence, waiting to see if he would settle, or turn to her again.

Her whole body ached where he had assaulted her, yet she didn’t dare to move in case Owen woke up. The clock illuminated on the television said it was half past two. She had to try to get away.

Every thirty seconds or so, she lifted the duvet a little more from her and inched across towards the edge of the bed. She tried to recall where her bag was. Her shoes, she remembered, were under the dressing table.

Several times, she urged herself to sit up but found that she was too scared. Finally, she realised it was now or never. As quietly as she could, she stood up.

Owen didn’t move.

It took every bit of willpower that she possessed not to rush towards the door, but if she were to get away, she would have to creep around and not wake him. She needed to stay quiet enough to get out of the room, without the chance of him dragging her back and attacking her all over again.

In the dark, she located her bag and grabbed her shoes. Then she tiptoed to the door. Without taking time to dress, she undid the lock and held her breath. Still he didn’t stir.

Donna opened the door as quietly as she could, wincing as the hinges creaked. Outside, the corridor was empty but she wouldn’t have cared if there had been anyone there at all. Even naked, she just wanted to get away.

When there was still no noise behind her, she stepped outside the room and inched the door shut. Knowing that it would make a loud clunk when it closed, she left it ajar a little. Then she flew as fast as she could down the corridor, trying not to think of how excited she’d been earlier to run along the carpet in her bare feet.

She looked behind but Owen wasn’t following her. At the nearest fire exit, she pushed open the door and ran down two flights of stairs, clutching her clothes and shoes. It was only then that she stopped to dress, trying desperately to breathe between her sobs, the tears falling so fast she could hardly wipe them away.

Once she was dressed again, she held onto her ribs as she walked down the final flight of stairs.

It was quiet in the lobby, with only a security guard sitting at the reception. The clickety-clack of her heels echoed across the tiles, making him look up before she got to the desk.

‘Could you call me a taxi, please?’ she asked, trying to keep the tremble from her voice. She put a hand to her cheek to cover the bruising she suspected might be there.

‘Sure, madam. It will take a while to get here, though.’

She nodded. ’Could you ask them to hurry, please?’

‘Yes, of course.’

Donna waited while he made the call, all the time keeping an eye on the lift and the door to the stairs. Any moment now, she expected Owen to appear.

‘They’ll be about twenty minutes.’

She looked up. ‘Thanks.’ A tear escaped and she brushed it away quickly.

‘Are you all right?’ The security guard stood up. ‘Can I get you some help?’