Love, Lies, and Other Ties

Chapter Twenty-Four

A/N: Chapter Dedication is for Lucy-Bell-01 because her books are so good! Check her out!

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Carter's POV:

When I wake up, the first thing I notice is that I am burning up. It's still dark outside which means that it isn't time to get up for school yet. I decided I would go ahead and get up, shower and then go fix Trevor some breakfast. I try to get up but I am physically stuck to the bed. I try again with no success.

It takes me trying for a third time to notice an arm was around my waist. I almost panic until the memories of last night come rushing back, making me blush. I then notice that I am in nothing but one of Liam's hoodies that he must have put me in. I turn over as slowly as I can so I don't wake him up. He is so calming to watch sleep. Wait, does this make me creepy?

I take my index finger and start tracing his facial features. He is so handsome. Oh my gosh, I forgot that he asked me to be his girlfriend! He is mine and I am his. This is the best thing ever. I finally get to be like all those girls that hold their boyfriend's hands and have them be possessive of them and... What will Ginny do? She wanted him and now I have him. She may actually kill me this time.

"What are you thinking about so hard, Baby?" Liam asked with a raspy morning voice and his hair all messy. In other words, he's hott!

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You had your eyebrows scrunched together and looked worried while trying to eat your bottom lip off your face." I was confused by what he meant until he reached up and released my bottom lip from my teeth.

"I'm worried about being in school and Ginny finding out you're my boyfriend now and hurting me."

"What is it with you two? If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" I knew this question would come up. Am I ready to tell him everything? Am I ready to spill my deepest secrets?

"It's a long story but if you don't mind, I will tell you."

"We have nothing else to do until we have to get ready for school," he said.

"Right. Well, Ginny and I used to be best friends. I met her in middle school and we instantly clicked. We were inseparable. When I was ten, my mom got rushed to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a rare type of lung cancer. She was in and out of the hospital for a few years and I was spending all my time with her. Soon, any friends I had drifted away because I couldn't hang out.

"Ginny turned into a cold bully for reasons I was unsure of. She started falling into the popular crowd and I was the outcast. People spread rumors about why I was always sad or gone from school. The teachers seemed to look the other way when I was pushed or called horrible names.

"On my thirteenth birthday, I went to the hospital to see my mama. She had this whole mini celebration for me with gifts and a cupcake for me. She kept apologizing to me that it wasn't anything big but to me, it was perfect. My father had grown distant and rarely went to see her and at home, he acted like he hated me. He acted as if he was done with us altogether.

"I climbed up in bed with my mama and I fell asleep. When I woke up, my mama was cold and lifeless. I panicked and knew that she was playing a prank on me. I tried to wake her up but there was no movement from her. I screamed at her to wake up and she never did. She had already been gone for over an hour and I had no idea." I had tears just streaming down my face while telling Liam while he held my hand for comfort.

"My dad grew even more distant. He had been fired the same day my mama died. He started drinking heavily and I became his maid. I clean, cook, do the laundry and the shopping. I had to get a job at the diner so we could afford all of the 'luxuries' of everyday life. He started mentally and emotionally abuse me. I would work so long without food or sleep that sometimes I would pass out from exhaustion and wake up in the basement as punishment for passing out.

"It was never physical abuse until recently. His friends come over and use me as a punching bag. That's where these bruises came from. I'm sorry that I lied but I wasn't ready to tell anyone. I have nowhere to go until I turn eighteen. I do not want to go into foster care because that can be even worse." By the time I finished, I was sobbing into his chest.

"Shh, shh, shh, Baby. It's okay, I got you"

Liam's POV:

All I see is red. I want to kill the motherfucker with my bare hands. I knew that the bruises looked like fingerprints when I first went to her house. I don't care what she says, she is staying here. She will not be going back to that house where I can't protect her. I will even buy her new stuff so she doesn't have to go back.

Her breathing evened out, which told me that she had fallen back to sleep. It happens when you release so much pent-up tension. I looked at the clock and it read 5 AM. My dad is probably awake and I really need to talk to him. I slowly slide her off my chest and replace my body with a pillow so she is still comfortable. I quietly slipped out of the room and headed to my father's office. I knocked and heard, "come in" so I went in.

"Well, hey, Son. What are you doing up? Figured after your date last night that you would still be sleeping."

"Yeah, Carter woke up and I woke up shortly after and checked on her because she seemed like she was in some kind of distress. She was worried about us dating and going to school where I may have fucked her former best friend."

"Liam, I've told you and told you to stop fucking around or it will bite you in the ass."

"Yeah, well, she told me about everything that happened with her mom and her best friend. She also told me that her father is a drunk that, along with his friends, physically, mentally and emotionally abuses her. She said it's been going on for almost five years."

"Jesus. Is she okay?"

"She is for right now. She fell asleep shortly after telling me like she couldn't rest until she told someone."

"She trusts you. I love that girl like she's my own daughter, so you better take care of her. Sounds like she has been through a rough few years."

"I plan on it," with that, I got up and went back into my room to see Carter still asleep on my bed. My poor baby has suffered so much. I need to get some tension out of my body. With a kiss on her forehead, I decided to go to the gym where I can envision exactly what I want to do to that son of a bitch, Trevor. I will get him, so my baby girl doesn't suffer anymore.

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A/N: Where is your dream vacation? I went sang in Disney World more than a decade ago and I would LOVE to go back! It was magical! or Italy!