"Let me stay here? I am ready to crash," she sighed, leaning into me more.
"Sure, you can stay in the guest room by Izzy's old bedroom."
"Thank you," she pulled up on her tippy toes and kissed my cheek before she turned around and headed up the stairs.
She stopped on the third step, waiting for me to follow. Stunned for a moment, I froze, but eventually snapped out of it. I showed her to the room, giving her some water for the night. I knew I wouldn’t be getting much sleep knowing she was just a few rooms down from me. At some point my eyes closed, and I passed out until a loud yell jarred me awake. I shot up, trying to figure out what the screaming was when I remembered Lisa was here.
5: Care To Join Me
Lisa's P.O.V.
"Dad, stop! You'll kill him." I pulled at his arm to no avail, having to watch him beat Lucas in front of me.
Lucas was bloody and bruised. The bridge of his nose was gushing blood from the deep wound. His eye swole shut, and his cheek was double its size. His head dangled as dad held him up by the shirt.
"He won't die," Dad argued, hitting him again.
I yelled, begging for him to stop. I kept trying to pull at his arm, to make him turn his attention to me, but he refused. He continued to beat Lucas in front of me even when I placed myself between them. His fist went through me as if I was an apparition, hitting Lucas in the face again and leaving me unscathed.
"Lisa!" I felt a firm hand on my shoulder, shaking me awake. "Lisa, wake up. It's just a dream. You're okay."
My eyes fluttered open slowly, blinking as they adjusted to my surroundings. I wasn't in a room I recognized, remembering that I was in Davis' house, in his guest bedroom. His face came into view, his brow furrowed and his eyes concerned as they looked at me. My vision blurred as tears pooled. I cried hard, clutching onto Davis for dear life. Lucas' beat up face haunted me even now that I was awake.
"Shhh, it's okay. I've got you now," he whispered as he held me close, grazing my back with his hand. I ugly cried for a while before I could calm myself. Stopping the flow of my tears, I sniffled as I collected myself.
"Are you okay?" he asked me, lifting my face to look at him.
"I'm so sorry," I said, feeling guilty for waking him, for clutching onto him for comfort, for keeping him up.
"What?" he asked, a bit shocked. "There's nothing you need to apologize for."
"I woke you and kept you up. Look, I even got your shirt wet with my stupid tears." I pointed to the giant wet spot near his shoulder.
He grabbed me, pulling me into his chest again. It surprised me, but I didn't pull away, enjoying his embrace and finding comfort in it. He rubbed my back again as he smoothed my hair with his other hand.
"You have nothing to be sorry for. I am a grown man, and I chose to come in here and comfort you. Now, tell me what happened."
"I just…" I sighed.
I don't know how much of our past Davis knows about. Lucas doesn't exactly broadcast that we grew up with an abusive dad.
"I dreamt Dad was beating Lucas up again. Only this time he wouldn't stop, and he was killing him. When I put myself between them, his fist just went right through me and hit Lucas. It was terrible. I can still see his face all beat up any time I close my eyes." A tear slid down my cheek again, only to be wiped off by Davis' large thumb.
"Lucas is safe. He's with Liv and his daughter in that beautiful home he built for them. Your Dad has not bothered them, and Lucas has been coming up with safeguards to keep him away. You really don't have to worry about him, Lisa," he tried to comfort me, but it must have fallen on deaf ears, as my emotions were still high.
"He can get to Lucas if he really wants to. I need to keep him safe this time," I pleaded, clutching onto Davis' shirt again.
"He's got it, Lisa. He and Liv are working on it. They're okay."
I nodded my head, still not believing him, unable to shake this feeling off. I didn't want to hear him keep saying the same thing, so I just sat quietly, listening to his heartbeat against my ear.
"Get some sleep," he said, getting up.
I gripped his wrist, not ready to let him go, pulling at him to come closer.
"Please don't go," I practically begged. "I don't want to be alone right now."
He leaned down, scooping me in his arms and carrying me. I blushed as he held me, bridal style, and took me to his room.
