Your Ivy Grows

Chapter 51

My lungs are on fire, as though someone poured gasoline down my throat and tossed in a match. They're begging for air, pleading with me to draw in a breath, but John squeezes harder, making it impossible.

"So all this time you've been denying me whilst spreading your legs for someone else?" he says, using his grip on my throat to draw my face closer, watching me struggle beneath him. The perverse gleam in his eyes sickens me. "Funny, I never took you for a whore."

He's got one knee between my thighs, attempting to pry my legs apart. There's barely any fight left in me, but I struggle regardless. I'd rather die than let this man touch me intimately ever again.

My pathetic attempt to stop him does nothing but annoy him further. The fingers at my throat dig in harder as he clamps his other hand down on my thigh, tightly squeezing as he wrenches them open wider.

Black spots crowd my vision, and I know I'm close to losing consciousness. Of all the things that could come to mind as I lie here helpless, it doesn't surprise me that the last image my brain wants to grasp on to is Bucky.

And not just one, hundreds.

I see little snapshots of him, one after the other, in quick succession. I see him smile just before he leans in to kiss me. His eyes are searing into mine at that magical moment when he pushes inside me. Then he's tenderly pushing the hair out of my face, tucking it behind my ear. His head is falling back as he laughs at something I've said.

I see it all; everything.

Tears gather in my eyes, spilling over as the memories overwhelm me. Bucky's not here to save me and yet he's given me exactly what I need to save myself; the reminder of what I have to fight for. I've envisioned a future for myself and I won't allow a weak, pathetic man like John to rob me of it.

John's stronger than me; but he's not smarter.

I ignore the burning in my lungs and every instinct in my body that tells me to struggle. Instead, I go limp.

It works as intended. In less than thirty seconds, John seems to realise what he's done and his grip slackens, a curse leaving him as he backs up in a panic. It doesn't take long for him to lean over to check if I'm breathing.

It's the opportunity I need.

Unable to hold out any longer, I draw in a much-needed breath at the same time as I whip my head up, aiming for John's face. I headbutt him as hard as I can, feeling the sickeningly satisfying crush of bone when my head meets his nose.

"Fuck!" He roars in pain, scrambling back a little more as his hands fly up to his nose. I look up in time to see a river of blood beginning to pour from between his fingers.

Damn, that hurt.

I was already dizzy, but that has my head spinning like nothing else. The term 'seeing stars' is shockingly accurate.

John's focus lands back on me, his eyes burning with murderous intent. He moves, but I've got the upper hand this time.

He doesn't have a chance to make me pay, not before my knee comes, hitting him where it'll hurt the most. I pour every ounce of anger I feel into the action, my aim precise.

He falls back with a pained groan, cupping himself with one hand whilst the other tries to stem the flow of blood gushing from his nose.

"You stupid fucking cunt!" He spits, attempting to move towards me again.

See, this is what I meant when I said I was smarter. I'd know when to fucking quit.

With absolutely no hesitation, I kick him as hard as I can in the face. It sends him sprawling back against the door, his head making contact with the wood, the loud thud echoing through the house.