Bet my Life (EDITING!!) #BOOK1

23. Don't let me down

I woke up to someone dragging me.

"Ouch. I am not a rag doll. Don't do that," I mumbled, wanting to sleep.

"You are in no position to be making demands, darling," Damian's gruff voice answered back.

Oh shit. It all came flooding back. That fucker kidnapping me from the party. Holy shit. I am actually kidnapped. Damn it, mom. If you wouldn't have mocked me by saying that the kidnapper would definitely send me back home, I would know how to deal with this situation.

Think, Zoe. Think. Just get out of here alive, and then we'll see.

Should I kick him? Nah, he's on the other side.

I could headbutt him. Nah, I won't be able to reach him.

Maybe I could scratch him. Urg. Stupid Izzie made me cut off my nails yesterday.

What if I bite him?

"What are you - Oh my god, you bitch! You bit me!"

Taking that as an opportunity, I ran as fast as I could. But I wasn't fast enough, because he caught up with me, and pulled me back.

"I'm trying really hard not to hurt you again, but don't ever bite me again. Trust me, it won't end well for you. Got it?" His hand grabbed my hair and pulled it back.

The sharp action caused tears to pool in my eyes. I won't give up. I pulled my knees back and hit him as hard as I could where the sun don't shine. He growled in pain and fell to the ground. Not turning back, I ran once again, trying my best to get out of this hellhole.

The whole place was like a maze. I had no idea where the entrance or exit was. It looked like an old warehouse, and there were car parts everywhere. It was just like the one back home, where Ty used to hang out with his friends.

"That was a wrong move, cupcake. Come out now, and maybe I'll go easy on you." Damian's voice boomed in the warehouse.

I saw a small space to hide, behind a cupboard, and somehow managed to fit myself into it. Dear God, I know that I am by no means a religious person, but please get me out of here alive and I swear I will never skip church.

"I'm getting angry now, Zoey. Come out now, you bitch!" He yelled as I heard the sound of things getting thrown around. I felt a sharp pain shoot up my leg. I looked down to see my stitches had come apart, and my leg had another fresh wound. Wincing slightly, I diverted my attention to figuring out an escape plan.

Wait a minute. I have got to be the dumbest person in the world. I had my phone with me so I could just text someone. Trying my best not to make any noise, I remove my phone slowly from my pocket and breathe a sigh of relief when I realize that it isn't dead yet. Talk about the stars changing. I had network, but not enough to switch on my data. I scroll down my contacts and type in a message to Izzie, as fast as I could.

Help. Warehouse Ty. Damian took me.

Just as I pressed send, a hand clasped on my leg and pulled me from my hiding spot. Above me stood a glowering Damian with a gun in his hand.

Fuck.

"Told you not to push me. You know, if you would have never met Tyler, Hazel would still be alive. But we could have had a happy ending too. I am twice the man Tyler ever was. I loved you both more than he ever did. But still, all you care about is him. He never cared about you. He always left you alone, never paid attention to you. He left you alone with those people, without protection. I was always there. I always protected you. I was the one who kept them away from you. I was the one who kept you safe. Anyone who tried to harm you, I took them away. Tyler was going to leave you. He didn't love you anymore, but you still left with him? You went away from me. Why, Hazel? Why am I not good enough for you? Why do you keep running away from me, baby? Why do you keep leaving me? I won't let that happen. You won't leave me again, Hazel." He was breathing heavily, and I never feared for my life more. He was not in his senses. He was delusional and had me confused with Hazel. The lines weren't just blurred anymore. It didn't exist.

He looked like a madman ready to kill anyone who dares to mess with him. I was finding it very difficult to breathe. I backed up against the wall, trying to distance myself from him. This is not how I want to die. I always thought I'd be at least 80, and would have lived a full life.

"You were taken away from me once, cupcake. I won't let you go now," he had an evil glint on his face, as he crouched in front of me.

His hands harshly gripped my chin and he put his lips on mine. I whimpered and tried to pull slap him, but he caught it and twisted it cruelly.

"Please don't do this, Damian. Please," I begged, hoping that he would let me go.

"Shut up!" He threw me on the ground and stood right above me. No. Not again.

"Remember this? Only this time, we won't get interrupted by your boyfriend. He took her from me. I'll take you from everyone," he removed his shirt and stalked towards me like I was his prey.

My mind was shouting at me to move, but my body was too much in pain. My injured leg was bleeding through my jeans and my head felt heavy. My eyes were dropping from being thrown on the ground, and I was fighting to stay conscious.

I won't give up. This is not how my story ends. I turned my head to the left and saw an iron rod a few feet away from me. Fighting the pain, I moved my body and grabbed onto it. Before Damian could register what was happening, I hit him as hard as I could with the rod. He fell to the ground, clutching his stomach, shouting in pain.

His head jerked up and he had a murderous look on his face. I turned around to run, shifting my weight to my good leg. But despite getting hit, he was faster than me, and he caught up to me almost instantly.

"If I can't have you, no one else can. You will pay for it. I was about to leave you alive. Thinking that we could have a new beginning. You could have been my Hazel, and I would have treated you better than Tyler ever did. But you don't deserve it. You'll pay for it."

He grabbed me by my hand and threw me against the wall. I could feel blood on my head. This is it. At least I had a good run. I didn't give up, and I fought. I have been loved, and that makes me the luckiest of them all. If I could just see them, one last time. Nathan, Izzie, mom, dad, Jay, Carter, Bailey, Layla, Oli, Zach, Lily, Eli, and Chace. They completed my life. If I could only hug them once more, and tell them that I love them.

"You fucking asshole. You bastard. I should have killed you the first time I had the chance," a very familiar voice shouted.

I lifted my head up to see who my saviour was, but my vision was blurry. I just want to sleep. Just sleep.

Mommy, sing me my lullaby.

The last thing I heard before being drifted to oblivion, was a gunshot and a lot of screaming.

"Murderers are not monsters, they're men. And that's the most frightening thing about them." - Alice Sebold, The lovely bones.