Deep Breath | Daniel Ricciardo

Part Seventy-Nine

🎵 Favourite Crime – Olivia Rodrigo 🎵

I was frozen, thrown back into complete shock and darkness. I couldn't move, he grabbed at my wrists and I fell forward as he pulled his face close to mine. The door shut behind me.

"Thought you could just walk away, I think fucking not," he was digging his nails into my wrist and I could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"Mark" I whispered

I was only in my pyjamas, and these where the same kind of pyjama shorts he used to rip from my body. He gripped onto the bottom of the left leg of my shorts and pulled me toward him, the material was tort. I wished I could scream out but my body just wasn't working. "Just wanted to give you your birthday gift princess." He pulled at the other pant leg and smiled.

He pulled me toward him and I lost my footing and fell into his arms. He gripped me tight and locked eyes with my face. He licked my face and bit down on my lip as I tried to pull away from him. I couldn't move, I couldn't get my body to do what I wanted it too. "You're mine princess and you always will be."

"Have I been in your head when you fucked all those other guys" I swallowed but couldn't breathe. I couldn't fight back. I was frozen in this moment. "Do you call out my name when you cum".

I drew a raspy breath and saw the look on his face. It was enjoying every moment of this. My face was burning from his touch, it would definitely leave a mark. So would the indents of his finger nails in my arms. He was holding me so tight. Pulling me closer to him at every second.

"Babe you okay?"

Thank God! His Aussie twang was everything I needed to hear right now. Marks grin loosened and I stumbled back into Daniels arms. I was crying and I didn't even notice. Daniel just put two and two together and launched at Mark, his fist making contact with marks face. "Come near her again and it'll be the last thing you do," he stepped back and Mark stumbled to his feet and ran.

I sobbed into Daniels chest and saw Luca looking through the lounge window. I wiped my eyes and made to go back in. "I'm sorry" Daniel said.

"You always save me," i smiled and he pulled me into a tight hug.

"Forever baby girl," he replied.

"Forever" i whispered

I ran up the stairs as soon as I got back into the house and made for the bathroom. I had to wash off his touch. I got under the shower still dressed and sobbed. Daniel came in and helped me to undress. I scrubbed at my skin until it was red raw. Daniel had to stop me before I drew blood.

"I need to go somewhere else, I can't stay here anymore."

"Your family want to see you, don't let him take that from you."

"He's already taken so much what does one more birthday matter."

"Because this time I'm here, he doesn't get to ruin our day. He didn't get to ruin my chance at winning your Papa over" I smiled at his words. "There's the smile I love"

"How is it you deal with all this without a second thought"

"What do you mean?" He asked as I climbed back into bed.

"My mental health, even my parents have struggled to cope with how bad it can get yet you never even batted an eyelid! Right from the beginning when I had that panic attack and you saw my scars. You never once seemed to panic you had such a deep understanding for it."

"I haven't always been so stable myself, I had nightmares like that after Jules died. I didn't seek help when I should have and I spiralled, that why I told Charlotte you needed that time off. I know what falling into the deep end can look like for me and you have it so much harder" I pulled him in toward me and kissed him gently.

"This may be something I fight for the rest of my life"

"And we'll do it together baby" he smiled, rubbing our noses together.

"You're my everything Daniel."

"And your my anima gemella"

-

Daniel went down to everyone and said that I was a bit overwhelmed and wanted to just chill in bed for a while. I heard them talking for a while before he came back up with a packet of mini cheddar biscuits. "Your dad said you'd eat these," I raised my eyebrows and took them from his hands. I opened them and started to munch them. "How did I not know about these!"

"They are all I would eat when I was anxious growing up!" I smiled at the thought of papa remembering, "sometimes I'd go a week without eating if I had something to worry about so Papa would buy these to eat while we sat and watched reruns of F1 races" I smiled. "I'm surprised he remembered."

"He said he's going to file a restraining order against Mark for you"

"Why, what you say" I bolted up and pulled away from him.

"I didn't need to say anything Lib, Luca saw you through the window. How do you think I knew you needed me, we could see you. You said enough last week for them to connect the dots." He added.

"Jesus, I don't want to deal with this right now"

"They won't talk about it, I said you wouldn't want to talk. Your dad was just adamant you knew Mark wouldn't be back in your life. He also thanked me"

"For what?"

"For taking care of you and showing you what real love is"

"My Papa said that!"

"Those exact words!" He smiled as he pulled me back into his arms. "I knew I'd win him over"

"I love you Danny"

"I love you more Lisbeth" he laughed and I rolled my eyes.

"Only Dre gets to call me that."

"You have so many names it's hard to keep up"

"Oh shut it" I smiled and rested my head on his chest.