The Gotham Queen

Chapter 14

I make it to the motel that I'm hiding out in, and I can feel the color drain from my face as I spot Kyle's large black truck parked in front of my room. No, he couldn't have found me. There's no way he could have found me that quickly. I got rid of my phone so he couldn't track it, and I left no clues as to where I went. How did he find me? Why can't he just leave me alone? He doesn't even want me, so why is he so obsessed with me?

I pull up beside his truck and park the car. I can already feel the tears falling down my face as my whole-body trembles like there's an earthquake happening. I can feel myself drowning in anxiety and fear, making me not be able to breath. My hands are squeezing the steering wheel so tightly that my hands are whiter than my unnaturally pale skin. I can't do this. I can't move. I can't even find the will to keep breathing. I can't, I can't, I can't!

I don't even grab my purse or anything as I force myself to get out of the car. I can never get away, can I? I'm going to be stuck with my demons forever, aren't I? No matter where I go, they'll always follow, always find me. There's no escape, is there? This is my life, and I just have to accept that, don't I?

Forcing myself to move, a nearly stumble and fall several times as I make my way to my motel door, which is already unlocked. Is that even allowed? Did he threaten the owner? What story did he tell the owner about me? That I'm a runaway, or an escapee? I've been labeled a psych ward patient once when I tried to run before, so the possibility isn't too far off.

I stand in front of the door, questions swirling around my head. Why isn't he out with his real fiancée? Why is it so important to have me be with him? If I truly believed I could get away, I'd hop in my car right now and leave. However, deep down I know that no matter where I go or what I do, him and my father will always find me and drag me back. It's happened every single time I've tried to escape.

With trembling hands, I cautiously open the door to my room and walk inside. Everything is screaming at me to turn around and run until I can't anymore, but I square my shoulders and face my demons head on.

I find Kyle sitting casually on the bed, looking through my suitcases. He hasn't made it to the one with the money in it yet, which is a good thing. This would be a lot worse if he knew about the money I've squirreled away.

"Lock the door, darling." Kyle says to me, and my body freezes. He's never called me by any nickname; always using my name. My hands fumble at the door as I try to lock it without taking my eyes off of him. It'd be stupid of me to do that, but I can't see where the lock is, and I can't feel it either. So, I turn around to lock the door as quickly as possible.

Just as the lock clicks in place, my head snaps to the right as my whole body collides into the wall. Pain explodes in my right temple and my arm, which I had tried to use to catch myself on the wall. I trip over my own feet as my body drops to the ground, and I have to bite my tongue hard to keep from crying at the pain in my head.

"I'm not angry that you had a moment and left, Harleen! I can always just bring you back where you belong. I'm angry at the fact you left, and the press immediately noticed! Your idiot father told them about our engagement, and they wanted pictures and statements this morning!" Kyle screams at me.

My arms shake as I try to lift myself up off the floor, but Kyle kicks me hard in the stomach, knocking me back to the floor. He then grabs me by the back of the head, and I groan as he jerks my head back, getting in my face. He's going to eventually leave a mark and my pale skin is going to make it near impossible to cover up.

"There was just one teeny, tiny problem, Harleen." Kyle says tauntingly at me before jerking my head around, ripping some of my hair out as I yelp. "You weren't there!!" He throws my body harshly back to the floor and starts to pace around the room. "This is all your fault. Your father wants to kick me out because apparently, I can't 'contain you' as he put it."