Saved By You

Chapter 17 (picture of Brett)

'Mack, I can't get the police involved. It'll only make things worse,' I protest, 'Don't you get it? He won't stop until he gets me back. And the police... they can't do anything about it. My father has friends in there that will help him, and if I go to them they'll only bring me back… to him.'

'How do you know that?!' Mack growls coming to the foot of my bed now to grab the steel part of it, knuckles turning white.

'You don't think I've tried before?' I ask quietly bringing my eyes up to hold his gaze steadily, 'you don't think I've tried to run away?' I gave a bitter breathy laugh then and looked to my right where the window was opened, allowing me a view of the big backyard.

'What did he do to you after it Claire? What did they do to you?' he asks voice suddenly quiet and gentle.

I shut my eyes then, trying not to relive the last time I ran away a few years ago. But it came anyway. It always comes.

'Look at this pretty little thing,' one of the police men sneers as he grabbed my arm.

'Please,' I begged, 'you have to help me.'

'Shut up!' the second one screams as I suddenly back up into a wall in fear.

They're police. They're meant to help...

'You're father is a great man,' the first one who still held my arms says as the second one suddenly leant against me, his hand on my other bicep as the other guy started laughing cruelly.

My heart hammered at such closeness and my stomach twisted horribly.

'Please,' I pleaded one last time only to earn a slap in the face.

'I told you to shut up,' the man in front of my snarls as the other guy suddenly leaves.

I become frantic then and try pushing him away but my attempts were futile as he only pins me back against the wall with his big body.

'Hush now, this'll only take a moment,' he says quietly his hand sliding down my stomach and under my pants.

'Don't. Stop! What are you-' I started to cry but suddenly he was off me. Replaced by my angry father who glared at the police man on the ground, a stare so angry it made me flinch.

'I said to bring her back,' he spat as the man got up with a disturbing smug smile. 'Not touchher,' my father says venomously.

I was shaking by now and before I knew it my father was dragging me back home and the second the door shut and his fists collided with my face I knew this would be a long horrible night...

'Claire? Claire?' I jerk away violently as I feel a hand on my shoulder only to sigh and lean into him again as he sat beside me.

'I can't,' I whispered. 'I just can't go to them,' I said in almost a pleading voice as he wrapped an arm around my waist to support me as I practically slumped against him tiredly.

'Shh, it's okay. I'm sorry I pushed it,' he says quietly leaning back so the both of us were lying down now, me in a heap under the warm blankets and him just above it.

Forgiving. So, so forgiving…

'I stuffed up Mack,' I said quietly shutting my eyes, 'I really stuffed up.'

I smile a little then as I hear his steady heartbeat, glad that he was so alive, glad that he would still be living forever. His arm that was loose at first turns secure but careful I put an arm around his torso to pull myself a little closer to such warmth and safety.