“We need her alive,” the man carrying me orders as he rips open the front door.
“But not conscious,” the other man says, then raises his fist and slams it into my jaw. My vision wavers, darkness closing in on my mind like smoke.
Zane.
Weston.
Ryker.
Sawyer.
Garrison.
Are they all dead because of me?
“Tessa, wake up.”
Zane’s voice is almost enough to pull me out of the fog, but the pain is so great that even thinking about opening my eyes is too much.
“Please, Tessa.” He shakes me, and fresh agony shoots through every inch of my battered body. “I need you.” His choked plea has me trying to move. I flex my fingers toward him, and his warm hand closes around mine. “I’m going to kill him for this.” His fury is what reaches down and finally rips me out of the fog.
Because, no matter how angry he is, my dad is still bigger. Meaner. And unlike Zane, he won’t hesitate for fear of hurting someone.
“Please don’t,” I whisper as I open my eyes. “I’m okay, honestly.”
“Then I’m calling Officer Leopold. Now.” He gets up off the floor and reaches into his pocket for the cell phone his mom has him take whenever he leaves the house.
“You can’t. Please. He’s my dad.”
“And you’re my girlfriend,” Zane says. “I won’t let him keep doing this to you.”
“He won’t.” I try to sit up. “Please, Zane. I just need you right now.” Tears burn in my eyes as I remember hit after hit.
I’d come home too late.
I hadn’t brought dinner.
I needed to be taught a lesson.
Zane kneels in front of me and cups my cheeks. “Then leave with me. Come with me, Tessa. I’ll make sure he never hurts you again. Please, baby. Just come with me.” His gorgeous green eyes are full of pain, and I know I must look rough.
I certainly feel it.
The closer we get to graduation, the worse it’s getting.
“Leave with me, and I won’t call Officer Leopold. But if you choose to stay, I will call. Even if it means you end up hating me. I won’t let this happen anymore.”
Zane brushes tears from my cheeks.
I’ve wanted to run away my entire life. But I could never bring myself to do it because I’m all my dad has. What if I leave and something happens to him?
What if I stay and something happens to me?
Don’t I get to choose me?
“Please, Tessa,” Zane pleads.
Fear pushes past the pain, and even though the idea terrifies me, I nod. “Okay, Zane. I’ll go.”
