HER

Chapter 9

Dana arrived home later that evening and was surprised to see Kevin's car in the garage. She made her way into the house wondering what he was doing back early.

"Kevin?" She called as she made her way up the stairs towards the bedroom. "Kevin."

"There you are." Kevin stepped out into the hallway. "What the hell, I've been calling you for the past half hour."

"You have?" Dana frowned as she brought out her phone from her bag and checked. "Fifteen missed called. I'm sorry, I was helping Lily with..."

"Lily?" He asked with a frown. "Isn't that the drug addict."

Dana clenched her jaw.
"She's my friend."

"I thought your parents told you to stay away from her."

"They did." But she didn't listen.

"Well you should heed their advice, she's bad news."

"She's good person."

"Gone bad."

Dana sighed.
"Why did you call me?"

"We have a function to attend in about..." He checked his watch "Forty-five minutes."

"What function?"

"The new art gallery opening tonight, its invite only. A lot of important people are going to be there."

She sighed.
"I'm really tired Kevin. I think you should go without me."

"No way am I going to show up without my wife beside me." He looked shocked at her statement. "You have about thirty minutes before we have to leave, now go get dressed."

"Kevin I'm..."

"Now Dana." He said "I don't want to hear it."

Dana watched him walk away leaving her with her fists clenched in the hallway. When would she be taken seriously and allowed to do what she wanted? She needed to find time to talk to Kevin about this, it was getting out of hand and she was getting frustrated with being treated like her opinions didn't matter.

Dana made her way inside the room to get ready. She'd talk to Kevin when they got back home.

Nina had done all the things that had to be done before she spoke to Tom. She was finally leaving him with the help of Gina who had offered her a room in her house. Gina was expecting her tonight and she was holding her breath until the moment she stepped out of the apartment after she's spoken to Tom.

She paced the small living room space and waited for Tom. He had spoken a word to her he had beaten her, not even an apology but she hadn't been expecting one. The door opened and Nina turned towards the door and watched Tom enter. He looked at her with no emotion at all.

"What is this?" He asked referring to her bags near the entrance.

"My things." She braced herself. She knew she needed to get out of this situation with Tom and regardless of what he's done, he meant a lot to her and her walking out the door was hard. She had come to terms with the fact that he had abused her for far too long and getting there had taken a lot of inner fights with herself, denying what was happening to her and making excuses for his behaviour. Making the decision to leave was hard and leaving Tom was harder even though she knew that should be the easy part.

"What are they doing out the bedroom?"

"I'm...leaving." She said looking him right in the eye.

Tom stared at her; shock written all over his face and then he turned angry.
"Like hell you are!" He yelled.

Nina held her ground even though she wanted to cower and take her bags back into the room.
"Look Tom, I've made up my mind and there's nothing you can do to change it." She said "I would have left without telling you but I had to talk to you first."

"You think I'm gonna watch you walk out the door to go live your life after you've made mine a nightmare?"

She frowned.
"I haven't done anything for you but try to make things better, fix them for you but you've fallen way over to the other side."

"You fucking bitch!" He stepped closer and her heart began to speed up. "You think I'm a charity case don't you. You are nothing, you came from nothing and I made you who you are today. The life you have now is all because of me."

"That's not true." She blinked, her voice shaking as her eyes began to blur.

He laughed a cynical laugh.
"You didn't really think your life was yours did you. Oh, poor orphan girl." He tsked. "You owe me your fucking life, you didn't earn any of it. I've owned you since you left the orphanage."

"You don't own me. I'm not your property..."

"I am!"

"My life is mine and mine alone..." She continued

"Lies!!" He spat.

"I'm not going to let you take control of my life like I've been letting you do for far too long." She made her way around the sofa to get her bag but Tom wasn't done with her.

"Letting me?!" He grabbed a fist full of her hair and Nina winced "You haven't been letting me do anything."

"Let me go." A sob escaped her as she struggled to get out of his grip. "Let me go Tom!"

"Never!" He dragged her by her hair and she screamed from the pain. Tom let her go when they got to the room. "Ahhh" He said as if realizing something while she tried to stay away from him "You've opened up your legs up for all those men haven't you. You fucking whore!"

"Leave me alone!" She cried as he reached out to grab her escaping his touch.

"Fucking whore!" He slapped her face hard and then back handed her again, his ring scratching at her face. "You belong to me."

"Please leave me alone Tom." She begged as the sobs came, she felt helpless.

Tom gabbed her face with his hand, her chin in his palm and his fingers digging into her cheek.
"You aren't going anywhere sweet Nina." He said more calmly now as he leaned in and kissed her forcefully. Nina bit down on his lip and when he pulled back wincing, she made a run for the door but he was faster. He closed the door before she could get out and she turned around to find him sucking at his bloodied lip. "You like to play rough don't you. I'm going to give you exactly what you need."

"No." She knew what that meant. Tom grabbed her arm and dragged her to the bed and flung her on it as he reached for the rope under the bed, she scurried off the bed but he blocked her path with a smirk that sent shivers through her spine.

Tom pushed her back onto the bed as she struggled with everything she had to get him off her. Her sobs were the only thing she could hear as she felt the ropes dig into her skin as he tied her to the bed.

"Let me go! Let me go!" She begged in tears. "Please let me go."

Tom ripped at every single piece of her clothing, leaving her naked on the bed. He took his off and then climbed on top of her.

"Noo!" She screamed again but he back handed her and before she could begin to struggle, he plunged into her hard and she screamed.

"Scream for me sweetcakes."

"You're a fucking bastard." She yelled at his face.

"If that's what you think then I better not disappoint." Then he rammed into her and Nina wished for someone to come save her but she knew just like always, no one was coming.

She felt everything slip away from her; her energy, her words, her life, her soul, she was lost to the world as Tom kept on ramming into her, she was numb. When darkness came, she went with it willingly.