It was like I was waiting forever before Jimmy's breaths became rhythmic. I looked at him to see that his eyes were closed. I turned in his hold so that I was laying on my other side. My fingers curled around the key under the pillow. I could not believe that I was about to get out of here.
I waited five minutes before I attempted to get out of bed. I was watching the clock. The bright red numbers slowly counted down.
I was going to have to get up in a way that was not going to wake Jimmy. I could not go too slow or too fast. The bed would creak and that would wake him.
I went to get up, but there was weight holding me down. Jimmy's arm was across my stomach, and like usual he was curling me in toward him.
Fuck.
I bit down on my lip. Did I say that out loud? Jimmy's breaths were still at a calm even pace. Either I did not say it or he did not hear me.
One by one, I wrapped my fingers around his arm. I lifted it off of me and slid forward. I set his arm down on the piece of the bed between us. I lifted the covers enough for me to slip out. The key was in my tight grip.
When my feet were planted on the floor, I turned to look at Jimmy. He was fast asleep and my body tensed. If he woke up, I would lie and say that I was going to the bathroom.
I scanned the floor for clothes. All that I could find was Jimmy's T-shirt and my underwear. I did not have shoes nor pants, but I did not care. I would run away barefoot.
I tiptoed toward the door. The floor was squeaking under my feet.
What if Jimmy woke up?
My fingers tightened around the doorknob, and the door creaked open. My teeth were biting on my lip so hard that I could taste blood. I crept through the doorway and closed it behind me.
I let out a deep breath and continued down the hall. My feet wanted to take off running, but I stopped myself. I tried to keep myself calm and quiet. The stairs came into view and I smiled. I was almost out of here.
A door clicked behind me. My heart jumped in my chest. It had to be my imagination. I could not be caught already. I had barely left the room. I could not turn around to check. My body was frozen.
Footsteps came closer to me, and it was not my imagination.
I turned on my heels to see that it was Tommy. He walked closer to me and I stepped back closer to the steps.
"What do you think you are doing?" Tommy asked.
It was dark in the hallway and shadows were cast across his face. He raised an eyebrow at me. I looked down at my feet. I put my hands behind my back.
"I was just going to get a drink of water," I said.
"Me too," he said. "Come to the kitchen with me."
I nodded and Tommy stepped past me. I followed him down the stairs. I was holding onto the key so tight that it was tearing into my skin. I would have headed straight for the door if Tommy did not keep looking over his shoulder at me. I kept my gaze on the floor.
In the kitchen, he grabbed two glasses and filled them full of water. I grabbed the glass with my free hand and took a sip. Tommy chugged his glass before setting it down on the counter. He smirked at me.
"What's in your hand?" he asked.
I struggled not to choke on the drink of water I was taking.
"It's water," I said. "You gave it to me."
"Don't be smart," he said. "I meant what is in your other hand."
"I don't have anything."
"You wouldn't be lying to me, would you?"
Tommy can't know I have the key. He would tell Jimmy, and then Jimmy would never be so careless again.
"Pass it over," Tommy said.
He extended his hand out toward me.
"No," I said.
My eyes grew wide. I had given myself away. Tommy bit down on his lip to stop himself from chuckling.
This was my last chance to get out of here.
I dropped the glass of water, causing it to shatter on the floor, and ran. I raced out of the kitchen and down the narrow hallway to the front door. The door was in sight, and my heart pounded in my chest. Tommy's arms wrapped around my waist and threw me onto the floor. By instinct, I stuck my hand out to break my fall. I screamed as the pain shot from my wrist up my arm. Tommy climbed on top of me and pinned me to the floor.
My wrist was aching, so I could only punch him in the chest with my one hand. He reached down and wrapped his hand around my throat. He squeezed and I gasped for breath. He used his other hand to grab the key that had fallen out of my grasp. I kicked out my legs as I tried to push Tommy off of me.
The stairs creaked, and Tommy looked over his shoulder. Jimmy was coming down the stairs. His hair was a mess and he was wearing a pair of pajama bottoms. He was rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand.
"What's going on here?" he asked.
Tommy let the key dangle on the chain between his fingers. Jimmy's eyes grew big and he snatched it out of Tommy's hand.
"Your girl was planning on leaving," Tommy told him.
Jimmy put his hand on Tommy's shoulder and ripped him off of me. I cradled my throbbing wrist as Jimmy pulled me onto my feet. He weaved his fingers into my hair. I gritted my teeth as he yanked me up the stairs by my hair.
Jimmy had never been this rough with me before without Charles' orders. My heart pounded when I thought about what punishment was awaiting me. I had to get on his good side, and I had to get there fast.
He let go of me after he slammed the door shut. He pushed me onto the bed.
"I'm so sorry," I said.
"What were you planning on doing, Juliet?" he asked me with a voice that was drenched in anger.
I cowered on the bed as Jimmy's body towered over me.
"I wasn't planning on doing anything," I said.
I let my voice grow shaky and sound like I was on the verge of tears. I had to get Jimmy to feel sorry for me.
"Then why did you have my key?" he asked.
"I just wanted some fresh air," I said.
"You know going outside is dangerous," he said. "You're in this house so that we can keep you safe."
"Nothing out there is going to hurt me."
"You were trying to escape, weren't you?" Jimmy's eyes grew large as the realization hit him. "That's why you slept with me, wasn't it?"
"No!"
Tears started to roll down my cheeks. I didn't have to fake these tears. He was going to kill me.
"This is where you belong," he said. "Why would you try to leave? I'm the only one who is ever going to love you."
"Jimmy-"
"No." He balled his hands into a fist. "Julie, I love you. I have been nice to you. Obviously, that is not working. I'm going to have to do what Dad told me to do in the beginning. You don't respect us. Even, after all, we have done for you."
"Jimmy," I sobbed. "I'm sorry."
"Juliet, stop crying," he said.
"I just want my old life back," I said.
"We are your life. I'm the only one who loves you."
The bed dipped as Jimmy kneeled onto the mattress. He pushed me back so that I was lying. He kept his hand on my chest to prevent me from getting up.
"Stop crying," Jimmy said.
I shook my head as I cried. Jimmy let out a huff of breath and ran his hand through his hair.
"I'm sorry," he muttered.
Pain exploded across my cheek. It took me a second to realize that he punched me. He raised his fist and brought it down on my face again. I let out a scream, and Jimmy wrapped his hands around my neck. My chest burned as I struggled to breathe. I pushed against his chest with my good hand.
Jimmy let go of my neck and grabbed my injured wrist. I screamed in agony as he twisted my wrist to a painful angle. Pain shot up my arm and brought a new set of tears to my eyes.
"Please, don't kill me," I said.
"I'd never kill you," Jimmy said. "I just need to teach you a lesson."
He pressed his lips against my neck. He trailed his kisses down to my collar bone. His hand slid under my shirt and up to my chest. My eyes flew open and I thrashed my body around to get him off of me. I started screaming when he struggled to pull my shirt off.
"Shhh," he whispered into my ear. "This is for your own good."
--
When Jimmy was done with his brutal assault, I rolled onto my side. My body was in so much pain. Every time I screamed, Jimmy would hurt me more. Jimmy's breathing was ragged. I slid out of the bed and ran to the bathroom. I locked the door and crumpled on the floor as I cried.