Save Me From My Nightmare

Iain and I stared at each other for a long moment, glowering in order to make the other back down and become a feeble piece of shit on the other’s shoe. The thought of Holly’s bright smile when I defended her earlier yesterday played on my mind like a broken record, causing me to back down first. My eyes diverted down to my lap, a teardrop plummeting down and splattering on the bruised skin. ‘I’ll stop trying to leave if you don’t touch Holly or any of my family. Try anything on them and it’ll be you strapped to the wall.’ Iain snorted, holding a finger under my chin and lifting it up so that he could look me straight in the eye as he straightened out his back.

‘Good little bitch. Now, when I untie your wrists, you will march upstairs and make dinner. I don’t give a shit about your burnt hand - that was your own fault.’ Iain let go of my chin and allowed it to fall. He lifted me up so I was stood on my own two feet, his breath at my ear again and reeking alcohol. ‘We have guests coming over, so I suggested you keep your pretty little bottom in the kitchen or I will fucking kick it there,’ he hissed in my ear as my wrists were finally freed. Letting out a deep breath, I reluctantly nodded my head and allowed him to take my hand as he dragged me up the staircase and threw me into the kitchen.

The sound of booming laughter and business chatter came from upstairs in the second floor dining room that faced the beach, the sound of clacking high heels hitting the floorboards echoing down in the kitchen as I began on washing up some plates ready for the dishwasher. There was a quiet knock against the kitchen door before it opened slowly. I looked towards the living room for a second before running over to the door to see who was there. Zacky was smiling as he stood there in the doorway, grabbing my hips and holding me to his chest as he kissed my forehead. I peeled away from him nervously, allowing him to tangle our fingers together with my good hand.

‘Look, you have to leave. I mean it, if you don’t leave he’ll come after Holly, too,’ I whispered nervously, trying to urge him to leave before Iain returned. Zacky sighed, stepping back from the doorstep a second to rub the back of his neck. ‘If I leave, he’ll find me and kill me and everyone I love. Including you.’ His green eyes looked up, a smile playing on his lips as he searched my face for something. ‘How can you smile at a time like this? Your daughter’s life is on the line, and you’re grinning like a stupid march hare!’ But the smile was still on his lips as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me from the doorstep, holding me close to his body.

‘You almost told me you loved me,’ Zacky finally explained, his nose rubbing against mine as I giggled and turned away from him quickly. Grinning widely, I hung on the door and listened closely to the stairwell. Telling that of course I loved him and that he was fool, I began to close the door but he stopped me and held my chin. ‘I love you too, fool,’ he repeated, kissing my lips gently before running away again into the night. It felt odd. Like a Romeo and Juliet gone wrong. It was heart wrenching to know that I was stuck here with in a loveless relationship where I’m trapped like a bird in a cage.

‘Keeley, my friends want to meet you. Come on, by the way, you slipped in the kitchen and your embarrassed about the black eye which is why you didn’t come up.’ Iain grabbed my hand forcefully, dragging me through the house and up the staircase. Everyone looked up when I entered the room, their faces slightly disgusted at the state of mine. ‘Guys, my beautiful wife to be, Keeley. Baby, these are my business buddies and their girlfriends, Chrissy and Lexi.’ Iain pointed out two huge breasted blondes who waved in my direction with raised eyebrows, earning a small wave in return. I felt like laughing at them and shouting that my breasts may be smaller but at least their natural.

One them shouted for him to give me a kiss, causing a subtle shudder to ripple down my spine. Iain chuckled and scooped me into his arms like a bride, pressing his lips against mine and trying to snake his tongue into my mouth. I bit his tongue hard, shooting him a glower when he let go of me. ‘Kinky little thing, isn’t she?’ Iain chuckled with a second meaning to his words; pinching my thigh where a welt was left from the belt he’d slapped me with earlier this evening. I winced slowly, stumbling on my feet slightly when I was set back on my feet once more. ‘I’ll be down to help with the dishes in a moment, sweetheart,’ Iain grinned, patting my butt as I lingered in the doorway.

‘Don’t strain yourself, baby,’ I sneered in return, skipping out of the door until I was out of view when I ran down the stairs. The lingering taste of Zacky’s lips still overpowered the stale alcohol of Iain’s, keeping me high on my little cloud nine as I carried on with the washing up. Pinging the rubber gloves, I began to drop the plates onto the lower tray of the dishwasher as Iain wrapped up upstairs. I knew what would happen as soon as they leave. He would tumble down stairs, grab a few bottles from the bar and get totally wasted on the sofa. Or he’d drive off to Johnny’s, get pissed and fuck some whore at her place, coming back to change early hours of the morning and off he’d trot to work for the day.

Welcome to my life.