If She Gives You Her Heart Don't You Break It || Kate & Leo Oneshots

Come back to me (2)

For kaylsl1987 who requested a sequel

“Going somewhere?”

Shit. I snapped my eyes closed as I felt his hand on my arm, right where he had hit it with the bottle, right where I had only managed to stop the bleeding minutes before. My mouth dried, and I turned to face him, opening my eyes. My heart was pounding in my chest, my mind scrambling for an explanation that wouldn't betray my plan with Leo. 

“Um, yeah," I stammered, forcing a weak smile. “Just... I need some air. A walk, you know?"

Jim's brow furrowed, his gaze probing as he stepped closer. I wrinkled my nose at the smell of the beer he had been drinking. 

“At this hour? In this weather?"

I nodded, my fingers twisting nervously at the hem of my jumper “Yeah, it's... it's just been a rough day, you know? I need to clear my head."

There was a moment of silence as Jim studied me, his expression unreadable, his breath… loud in my face. I reached into my pocket, keeping eye contact as I got out my phone and called Leo, praying it was quiet. Jim scanned his bloodshot eyes across my face, searching for a sign. I shifted my bag strap over my shoulder, my blood pounding in my ears. Fuck. I shouldn’t have—

I felt my phone vibrate, and mentally sighed as the call connected. Leo will be here soon. Leo will save us. 

“Why the backpack?”

“I–” I darted my eyes around the room and back up to him.

“Why the backpack, Kate?” He tightened his hand around my arm, and leant closer in. 

I swallowed. Please get here soon, Leo. 

“Are you running away?” He turned his gaze outside, where two headlights were pouring in from. His taut mouth widened as he gripped my shoulder. The lights outside faded, and I heard his muffled footsteps from my phone. I closed my eyes, pressing my lips together, my heart pounding in every part of my body like it was on a loudspeaker. 

“Leo’s here isn’t he?”

I sighed, and he exhaled. My eyes snapped open, seeing the darkness in his. He raised a hand and moved it to my neck, gripping tightly until I was almost breathless. I let out a strained gasp as the air left my lung, and I reached my hand up, digging my nails into his knuckles, feeling my head spin with every breath I tried to draw. He pressed harder into my throat.

“You’re such a slut, aren’t you? Running off to your man of the week every time it suits. Will I have to do this every time you try to run away? Do I need to drain you of your breath every time? Because I will. You’re nothing without me, Kate. Nothing. Do you hear?”

I snapped my eyes closed.  Go away! Go away! Go away!

“I said, do you hear!” 

Red hot anger seared through my body, heating every vein, every part of my being. With the last breath I could draw, I brought my knee up and kneed him in the groin. As my knee connected with him, a surge of adrenaline and desperation flooded through me. His grip on my throat faltered, releasing me from the suffocating hold that had threatened to crush the life out of me moments before. Gasping for air, I staggered backward, my heart pounding in my chest as I assessed the chaos unfolding around me. He was screaming at the pain, and holding his gusset.

With trembling hands, I reached for the door, my mind racing with a singular thought: escape. But even as my fingers brushed against the handle, a shard of fear pierced through my resolve, a nagging voice warning me of the danger that still lurked behind me. And then, without warning, the sound of shattering glass shattered the silence, echoing through the room with a deafening roar. Instinct kicked in, primal and urgent, as I watched the bottle hurtling towards me with deadly intent. In that split-second, time seemed to slow to a crawl, each heartbeat echoing in my ears like a drumbeat of impending doom. I slammed the door shut with all the force I could muster, the sound of splintering wood ringing in my ears as the bottle collided with the solid surface. I breathed, reaching into my pocket with shaky hands. I found my phone and pressed it to my ear, my breath righting itself, but the raw pain was still present.