The Runaway

Chapter 10.

Sawyer

Papà always brings me my food, I don't know why, it feels like he thinks he's in this position where he needs to console his own actions because guilts eating him alive, I can see it.

"Sawyer." He smiles and places down a plate of sausage, egg and toast. I push it away because the smell makes me want to gag. "Eat honey." He consoles.

"Did you know eggs make me throw up?" I inquire and look up at him, "they've made me throw up since I was young, very young, especially scrambled eggs. Did you know that?" I tilt my head to the side.

His exasperated expression slips first but it's easily schooled by a careless look. "Of course I did baby, I just wanted to see if you wanted to try them again."

I smile a fake smile, "no thank you, I would rather starve." He obviously didn't know, which gives me the impression he doesn't care and he never has. Maybe he has this obsession, but that doesn't mean he truly loves and cares about me.

"I'll go grab something else." He grabs the dish and begins his walk over to the door.

"I'm not hungry." I state almost stubbornly, will he put poison in my food at this point? Probably. "Where's mama?" I ask.

"She's doing some deep thinking somewhere else honey. That's for the best and it will stay that way." He states sternly and gives me the its not up for discussion look.

I clear my throat, "and Ryder?" I mutter scarcely.  I can't imagine what his reaction might be.

Instead of acting out or yelling though, he just grinds his teeth together momentarily and walks out the door. 

I hear the lock click shut and I'm spiralling back into my frenzy of thoughts. 

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I've witnessed first hand that my Father is happier when I act like I'm happy. So the plan is set.

When he comes in again I jerk up the fake tears, "are you mad at me Papà?" I ask sullenly.

"Oh baby, no honey." He scrambles forward and sits down beside me before pulling me into his lap. He hugs me tightly against him. "I don't know what to do." He mutters quietly and kisses my forehead.

That just seems to be something he has to figure out himself.  Mama and I have told him many time what the right thing to do is. 

I lay my cheek down on his chest, close my eyes and pretend I didn't hear what he just said. 

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The plan is set in stone, but it's one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.  I hum to a soft tune as I rearrange my bookshelf for the twentieth time since I first got here. 

That is until all three of my brothers enter the room after a short knock.  I've seen Lucas and Gill many times but this is the first time Linden has accompanied them.

He smiles at first but when his eyes wander to the windows and my bed full of books, his face goes somber. He walks forward and wraps me into his arms. "эй, детка, как дела, ребята?" He gives my stomach a soft rub and then pulls me down to sit with him on the couch. (Hey baby, how are you guys doing)

I hum and stretch my back, standing and lifting really does a lot to a pregnant lady. "этот малыш любит пинать свою маму" I pat my stomach. (This little guy loves to kick his mama.)

Linden turns me around and starts to massage my shoulders. I look back at him as he glances over his shoulder at our brothers as they both converse and laugh together. "He will be strong like his Mama then, yes?" He softly turns my head back to look at the wall in front of us. "I'm going to get you out of here Sawyer."

I breath of relief escapes and a few tears well up in my eyes, "thank you." I whisper. "Thank you Linden."

"Sh, sh." He hushes softly and kisses my hair. "I'm sorry about all of this baby, I really am. I've tried, I've yelled at them, but nothings working."

I nod right away in response, I know how that feels. "It's okay, I understand." I mutter quietly just so he's the only one that can hear it. "Call Nikolai Bralono,  he will know what to do and he can help me, or us Linden."

"Okay." He whispers and continues massaging my tense shoulders.

Heavy footsteps hurry over to us and Gill plops down in front of me and lays his head down on my leg.  "Ugh gross, did you fart?" I squeeze my nose.

"Drive by." He smiles and flicks my hand up by my nose.  "How's the little bean?"  He pokes my belly. 

"Kicking." I groan and throw my head back onto Lindens shoulder.  He stops massaging and wraps his arms around me in a bear hug. 

Luca walks over, "you can thank your little boy toy for that. He's getting what he deserves, that's for sure." I tense against Linden.  Getting what he deserves? Is he mental?

Linden just grabs my hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze.  Because he's on my side and that's the best thing I can ask for. 

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Ryder

I thrash against the chair, the belt in my mouth muffle my yells of pain as the cigar is put out on my arm again. 

My father pulls it back and lights it again before inhaling like his life depends on it.  I hope he gets cancer from those stupid things. 

Because of him I can't smell, taste or look at a cigar without crying.  And Sawyer seems to be the only one who can help when I break down. 

I bite into the belt as hard as I can as the new area around the burn pounds in pain.  I look up at the ceiling, my neck craning as far as it can go.

"I should have given you better beatings, I should have increased the pain and I should have told Volkov to make you into one of his assassin puppets.  You would have turned out so differently." Why is he so much different than before? 

Yeah, his punishments were cruel, but they were never as bad as this and his words were never as dark and twisted. 

It feels like from here, they will only get worse.