Breathless // lp

Chapter 18.

K guys. I just want to let you know. These next few chapters get pretty bumpy and rough. :-/ Think you can handle it? Go right ahead, read to your hearts content<3 

But if your sensitive to that kinda stuff, please back out from reading this chapter okay? It's not super terribly bad...but it's enough for me to write a warning. 

Read ahead at your own risk, and enjoy. :)

-----------------------------------------

"Please, just leave her alone, do anything you want to me but just don't touch her-" 

"Shut up!" The man growled, raising his hand to strike Ash. Liam quickly ducked her out of the way, with her still being held in his arms. She whimpered and clung tightly to him, not daring to move another inch. 

Slowly, the man advanced Ash and Liam, ignoring the curly haired Harry who was now backing away slowly into the kitchen with his cellphone clutched tightly in his hand. 

"So. You didn't think you could actually return without me finding you again...now did you?" The man purred, reaching out to caress Ash's cheek. But before he could, Liam bravely nudged Ash towards the kitchen, and stood his ground. 

"Stay back," Liam growled. The man chuckled darkly and grabbed Liam's arm to raise it up to his face. 

"Oh we've got a brave one! Out of my way, boy," He hissed. Tossing Liam aside roughly, and delivering two sharp blows to Liam's stomach, the man quickly advanced Ash.

She backed up rather quickly until her back hit the edge of the counter. She frantically looked towards Liam writhing on the floor, praying that he'd get up in time to protect her but he just lay still, heaving and trying to catch his breath desperately. Ash swallowed hard and gasped as she realised just how close the man was. Stumbling and tripping as she tried to scramble away, Ash turned her head and squeezed her eyes shut tightly. Her breathing quickened and her chest heaved as she braced herself for a hit. Because she knew who it was and what he was capable of. 

Her father.

Meanwhile, Harry was cowered in the very corner of the kitchen, hiding his phone behind his back. Little did everyone know, he'd already dialed for police and now hid his cell in hopes that they'd track the call and that the man wouldn't find out. 

As he watched the man mumbled something to Ash, Harry swiped his curls out of the way and tried to stay calm. The longer he would go unnoticed, the longer the police would have to trace the call.

When Ash could feel his nearing death grip coming towards her, her body suddenly spurred into action. She quickly tried to squirm past him, frantic fear growing in the pit of her stomach. The red headed girl heard her own scream before her mouth even opened, and it pierced through the silence like a blade. It was a high pitched squeal that seemed not to hinder the man in anyway. 

His gaze was staring and unfeeling and he bared his teeth as he reached out and grabbed Ash's upper arm just before she managed to escape. She was violently thrown backwards, away from saftey and freedom, as her father pulled her, his eyes suddenly vivid with anger and control. 

Tears rolled down Ash's cheeks as she pulled at his grip, mouth widening around her scream as she let out a screech in pain from her father abruptly twisting the hand in his grasp around.

Ash was still flailing wildly, trying to get away but her feet slipped out from under her on the linolieum tiled kitchen floor. The man grunted in her ear, obviously annoyed with her struggles. Another scream slipped from her lips, a desperate plea that had grown all too familiar to her own ears.