Burn Me Right

Chapter 42

Zyler laced his fingers through her hair and yanked her head back. "Just because I am being lenient with you doesn't mean I will allow you to speak however you want," he loathed disrespect, and every fiber in her reflected disobedience right now.

Her eyes watered again. He looked into her eyes and pecked her nose. "What is your sister's name?" At that minute, he appeared like her grandfather.

She closed her eyes, shedding silent tears. She was exhausted from this continuous abuse. He reminded her of her grandfather, "I didn't take that money, Grandpa," 13-year-old Autumn cried as she was dragged out into the kitchen. Her cousin, who was 19, followed her with a grin.

"Silence, brat," he dragged her close to the stove, "you are turning into a useless brat. Hoarding my son's salary. Being a freeloader and a burden on him, and now you are stealing money too?" He grabbed a cane, landing a punch on her bottom. Autumn shrieked.

"No, I swear, I didn't," she tried explaining to her grandfather that her cousin did it. But he didn't believe that. Her parents were away on a trip since they needed to cool off a little after everything that happened.

"I bet she is hiding it in her underwear. Ask her to take it off," her cousin folded his hands, watching her cower in fear. Her grandfather turned around and looked at Autumn. That little girl had no idea why they wanted her clothes off, but all she knew is she was not supposed to be naked before anyone.

"You heard him. Take your clothes off," he motioned with his cane.

"No," Autumn protested, "I will not," the little girl was ready to die, but she wasn't going to do it.

"I said remove it," her grandfather grabbed his cane and hit her on her legs. Autumn didn't move.

"You can punish me all you want. I won't do it," she stood firm while taking another hit on her bottom. "I will not take my clothes off," she stated firmly. They can kill her if they want, but she will not do what they asked her to do. she saw her grandfather and her cousin get angry at that.

"I told you, Grandpa, she is very adamant," her cousin voiced his opinion, but Autumn didn't care. She glared at the boy with fire that could burn anyone down. "Look at her glare," he argued.

"Lower your eyes," her grandfather pinched her arm, but Autumn did not. She was angry, and she wanted them to know. "If you don't, I will make you stand naked," he warned with a grin, and her cousin's ears perked up at that. Autumn gave in and lowered her gaze.

"Bitch," her grandfather kept landing punches on her bottom. She closed her eyes and took all of them while her cousin eyed her crying face and enjoyed it. After a few minutes, the cane cracked, and her grandfather let it go, throwing the pieces on the floor. He grabbed her face and squeezed her cheeks, lifting her off the ground, "If you breathe a word of this to your parents, I will kill you," he pushed her down onto the floor and walked out with the boy.

She lay there, her body broken and battered. She didn't know who to share this with. Will her parents blame her too? Or will they help her? She didn't know, and she didn't try. Her parents returned from the tour, and her mother kissed her lovingly. Autumn felt happy thinking that separation made her mother's heart grow fonder for her. How dumb was she? After a few days, her mother returned to ignoring her as usual.

"Hey," she heard a voice call her out of the abyss. She turned to look at Zyler, his gaze now softened. "Atty?" He called her again. Her teary eyes didn't sit well with him. Her lower lip wobbled a little. He wiped her tears and let her hair go. "Autumn," he hugged her, and she didn't speak a word. She put her head on his chest and fixed her vision on his lapels. He hid her head in her chest and rubbed circles on her back. "Don't cry, Autumn," he cooed to her.