Less than Perfect

13. Lethal {part two}

                                                           Chapter Thirteen

                                                                    Lethal

                                                                 Part Two 

   Ducking Skye's head in her knees, she wrapped her arms around them and curled inward, trying to separate herself from the world and situation around her. All she wanted to do was cry, to refrain from holding her emotions in. She could hardly breathe, trapped in her own solitude of weighing emotion and regret.

   "Skye, can I help you?" Rachel asked her. The sound of her voice was so quiet, so gentle and sweet that it almost broke Skye's heart. She didn't deserve to have such a support system beside her. And now that Rachel knew little about Johnny, she had actual support beside her dealing with him too.

   Although, none of that could change how wrong she felt—how used she felt. Maybe she had been saved from Bryan for the time being, but she was sure that he wasn't finished with her. She was certain.

   And she couldn't call Jules for help.

   She didn't want to even think about that. The thoughts detested her, and she was finding herself ill and queasy, unnerved. She not only hated what Bryan was trying to do to her but she hated how she almost let it happen to her. It was those moments when she fell short, almost giving into him, those were the moments that could have broken her completely, shattering any chances of hope in life she had.

   Fighting with herself, she tried to push the thoughts away, telling herself that she did nothing wrong. But she kept asking herself the same aching question, over and over again.

   If I did nothing wrong, than why do I feel so guilty?

   It was impossible for her to imagine a right answer. She was too weary and her body was throbbing and aching from the beating she had succumbed to. All she could do was lecture herself in means to her sorrow. She also wanted to lecture herself about making Jules leave, even if she couldn't stand to have him so close to her.

   She knew from her heart that she needed him, whether the closeness would recreate something she didn't need or not. She needed her handsome, kind savior, who, once again, saved her from Bryan.

   Shedding one last tear, her well ran dry and she slowly pulled her shaky body upright. Peering over at Rachel, she blinked a few times to clear her sight and wiped away at the gliding tears, her pale hand shaking from the aftermath.

   "Hey," she said quietly, choking on her own tears. "Thanks for getting them out, I just..." she trailed off, failing to find the right words.

   Rachel smiled, just barely. "I know, Skye. It's okay now," she assured her, rubbing her arm.

   Skye fought the urge to cry, the burning sensation lodged in the back of her throat; but she was done crying. Her well had run dry and it wasn't the time for it to magically fill up again.

   "He promised me something—Bryan—right before they broke the door open," she told her best friend, a mournful expression taking place of the previously calm one. "He promised me that he wasn't going to let me leave him, that I would always be his. He promised me that he would do whatever it takes to keep me, even if it meant Jules had to go."—at this point her voice was quivering, and she had to close her eyes and hold her stomach not to puke—"Rachel, I think he wants to kill Jules, just so that he can be sure I'm with him. And I don't want to be with him. I don't want to be kept prisoner by him any longer, he's revolting." She was shaking erratically, her voice so quiet that she could tell Rachel was having a hard time hearing her. She was having a hard time hearing herself.