A Hint of Spice

Chapter 5

"No!" I screamed raising my now free arm.

His eyes widened slightly before he glared. "What did you say?" His hand fell across my cheek. Hard.

I almost fell to the floor if not for his other hand. "Let me go!" He did. I tumbled to the floor. My cheek burned and my leg throbbed.

He grabbed my arms and drug me to my feet. "We're gonna have some fun." He growled and began to drag me to the hallway to the stairs.

I squirmed and tried to escape his grasp. Where was Niall!? I glanced at the door with saddened eyes.

Drew stood on the bottom step as Niall slowly opened the doors. "I brought-" he cut short as he noticed Drew and I.

"Niall!" I screamed as Drew pulled me up the steps.

I heard a thud on the floor as Niall rushed over. He ran to the bottom of the stairs and glared at Drew. "Let her go." He warned. I noticed an edge in his voice as he spoke.

Drew laughed sharply. "You can watch me." He smirked at Niall. "You'll enjoy it... Niall." He continued dragging me up the stairs. I cried out loudly as my broken leg hit the wooden stair. My right leg throbbed.

"Niall.." I whimpered. My body hurt as the bruises were darkened under my clothes.

Drew gripped my hair and pulled me up the stairs higher and higher. My hands gripped his arm. Tears flooded my vision and ran down my cheeks.

Niall had had enough. He ran up the stairs and threw Drew down onto the floor. My head added to the throbbing.

I rolled onto my stomach and watched Niall's arm rise and fall as he continuously punched Drew's face.

"Niall!" I screamed. He didn't seem to notice as he continued to hit Drew's face. "Niall!" I screamed again this time sobbing. I slowly pushed myself down the steps and slid onto the floor at the bottom of the stair case.

Niall turned and looked at me from the top of the stairs. He stood and ran down the steps to me. He picked me up and carried me to my bedroom upstairs. He carried me like a baby, my arms wrapped around his neck. He softly set me onto my bed and kissed my forehead. He turned to leave but I gripped his wrist and patted the spot next to me on the bed. I knew he was gonna go finish Drew off. Niall nodded and smiled at me. He walked around the bed and laid down behind me. He wrapped his arms around my arms and kissed my cheek. I intertwined my fingers with his. My eyes stared at his bloody knuckles.

"What do you train?" I asked softly already knowing the answer.

"Boxing." He replied. "Keeley, I'm sorry you had to see that. Are you alright? He didn't hurt you too badly did he?"

I smiled. He was so protective. "My body is throbbing." I replied.

I felt his arm release my fingers and slide over my shirt to the hem. He slowly lifted it. I felt his eyes rake my back.

"Why did he do this?" Niall asked softly.

A tear rolled down my cheek as I stared at my dresser. I didn't want Niall to find out. I reached up and pulled my shirt back over my body. "Don't ask." I snapped softly. He somewhat recoiled and pulled away from me. "I-I'm sorry. Please. Don't go." I rolled over and set my hands on each of his cheeks. "Don't go." I whispered. My eyes dropped as he stood and slowly walked out the door. Tears rolled down my cheeks in waves. I sobbed into my pillow as I listened to Niall drive away.

**

I opened my eyes, staring at my ceiling. I scratched the dried tears off I my cheeks. I hobbled down the stairs and into the kitchen. I gripped everything I could reach before I finally tumbled to the floor. I sobbed silently as I laid there.

On the floor.

In an empty house.

By myself.

**

I heard the door open. "Niall?" I called.

"No, it's me, Zara."

I slightly grinned. "I'm in the kitchen."

She emerged through the kitchen door smiling. It soon faded as she quickly put the items on the table and helped me up.

"Are you alright?" She asked me as she eyeballed my body. I nodded wiping tears away. She hugged me close. "What did Niall do?" She asked as she helped me into a chair.

I told her the entire story and finally ended with tears in my eyes. She listened intently as I finished. "I didn't want him to go! But he just-just-just left!!" Tears ran down my cheeks as I sobbed.

"Go into the living room. I'm gonna cook some breakfast." I nodded and slowly walked out to the living room and plopped onto the couch.

**Zara's POV**

I gripped her phone and scrolled through her contacts until I found Niall's number. I slipped out the back silently and called him.

"Hello?" I heard his voice come through the speaker.

"Niall! How could you!?" I snapped through the phone.

"What? Zara?"

"Yes Zara!! You broke her heart! She-" I stopped. She needed to tell him herself. "Leave her alone for awhile. You broke her."

There was a pause. "I-" he choked. I immediately felt horrible.

"Oh God. I'm so sorry Niall. I didn't mean to make you cry-"

"I'm not fucking crying!" He snapped. "I gotta go." I listened as he hung up. I slowly slid the phone from my ear and walked back inside. I set the phone on the counter and poured pancake mix into the pan.