Constant

Chapter 19

(LYDIA)

"What are you doing here?" I asked trying to hide how afraid I was. 

He laughed and let the door close behind him as he entered my home. The room was cast into darkness and it took a second for my eyes to adjust to see him moving towards me. I told my feet to go backwards but they didn't listen. I was rooted to the spot.

I saw a dark shape moving towards me. His arm, as he reached out. I felt his fingers brush along my jaw and I could smell his foul breath. He had been drinking. It was a surprise, he was always drinking. My leaving probably hadn't helped. 

I wished for Peter to come into the house at that moment. I prayed to anyone who would listen and hoped that someone would walk through the door. Why had I screamed at Peter to get away from me? Why had I behaved in the way that I did? Telling him that he was just like my father wasn't only rude, it was untrue. Ruben leaned towards me and I found my courage as I took a few steps backwards out of his reach and slammed the bedroom door in his face. I leaned against it trying to brace with my legs. 

It wasn't any use. Ruben was much larger than I was and he was so much stronger. His anger fueled by the drink. I knew that he would be able to knock the door down with little effort. He slammed his hand flat against the wood with a loud crack that made me tremble. "You think that you can hide from me?!" He demanded his words slurring as he yelled. "I am your Master! I will always find you no matter where you go."

The door knob jiggled and I wanted to close my eyes and pretend that this wasn't happening. But it was happening and denying it wouldn't do me any good. I took a deep breath to calm my pounding heart. Ruben could bust down the door and he would beat me then he would move on to the rest of the people in Chedix. There was no telling how much damage he would do before he was stopped. I imagined little Petey's face bruised and I knew what I had to do. 

"You're right!" I called to him through the door hoping that in his drunken state he wouldn't notice how my voice was shaking. "You are my Master. I don't know how I was so blind." 

I eased away from the door and watched as the door handle spun. Ruben pushed the door open slowly and I stood up straighter trying to look confident and sure of myself. I knew that he couldn't see me very well in the dark but standing taller made me feel better. It made me feel strong instead of weak. 

"You're right, Ruben." 

He reached for me and I felt his hand on my waist. He stepped closer and I wanted to run but I stood still. He pressed a kiss against my neck and I didn't squirm away from him. 

"Why did you leave me?" He asked sounding like he was going to cry. 

"He fooled me. Peter fooled me."

Ruben wrapped his arms around me holding me close. I felt the bile rising up in my stomach. 

"I thought that he could protect me but I was wrong," I continued as tears clouded in my eyes. It was a good thing it was dark, Ruben didn't tolerate crying. "Only you can protect me. You're my Master."

I put my hands his face pulling him to my lips to kiss him. When he tried to deepen the kiss I let him. For the first time, I didn't stop him. I let him kiss me and felt his hands travel over my body. Suddenly his roaming hands stopped and he pulled away from me.

"You're lying!" He roared and his hand flew towards me connecting with the side of my head. I fell backwards smashing into the shelf causing everything to go black.

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(PETER)

"What happened?" Ben said and Peter looked up to see Ben standing in front of him with his arms crossed over his chest.