Bound by Honour [Part I & II]

6

I hurried out of bed and into the hall. My father, Royce, had pinned Micaela to the wall, holding her by the throat. Blood trickled from her nose. "Let her go!"

They both snapped their attention to me. Micaela mouthed, 'don't,' meaning don't try and protect her.

Royce sneered. "Go back to your room, or you'll be next," he said, but his eyes twitched with challenge. I didn't move. "That's what I thought."

I glanced at Micaela. "Let her go, or I'll kill you," I repeated and inched toward the glass vase on the bookshelf. He chuckled and shoved my sister away.

"You want to kill me?" He taunted, cocking his head to the side. "Kill me then. Go on, Maisie. Do it."

I reached out and shoved him. He didn't expect it, stumbling back against the wall. His nostrils flared, and he lunged. Micaela screamed, running towards Royce, but he backhanded her.

Things happened quick. I picked up the vase and smashed it over Royce's head. He stumbled and fell to his knees.

"Run, Micaela," I snapped, shoving her. The only thing on my mind was getting out of the house, away from our monster of a father. We ran down the stairs, racing through the kitchen to the front door.

He chased us. "Where the fuck do you think you're going?" A hand latched onto my shoulder, throwing me against the wall. He slapped my face. Once, twice, three times, with such force, the world spun. "You will never leave, you worthless, pathetic little child."

Micaela tried to fight back, but he managed to overpower her too. He wrenched her arm behind her back, twisting it until she screamed with agony. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and rage burned in my veins, unable to see my sister in pain. I crawled across the floor, careful not to bring attention to myself, grabbing the cordless phone to dial 911.

I felt pain pierce my back, steel-toed boots pushing me to the floor. I didn't have time to speak to the dispatcher, Royce yelling to hang up, but they would show up at some point. Micaela was silent, slouched against the counter, her chin dipped, and her loose hair covering her face. Blood smudged the wall behind her. "Micaela, wake up." I cried, but she didn't move, and my father snickered.

"Maisie, wake up."

"Maisie, hey, it's a nightmare." Cameron's face hovered over me and I looked around. He pinned my wrist to my side as tears ran down my cheeks. He released them, reaching up to bush a few stray strands of hair from my face. "It was just a nightmare, baby girl. You're okay, you're safe now."

I rubbed my eyes with the palms of my hands, sitting up. "I'm sorry."

"Do not apologize," he said, firm. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's always the same. It feels so real."

"What was your nightmare about?"

"I keep having the same dream. He taunts me, beating me with his belt. He tells me I'm weak, pathetic." I sniffed, wanting to bury the thoughts, the memories, forever. Cameron tugged me into his chest, cradling my head.

"He's dead, he won't touch you ever again," he murmured. "He's dead, okay?"

"How do you know? I just, what if-"

"Harley shot him. We burned the building down. He wouldn't make it out, even if he did survive being shot," he said and his voice cracked, holding me tighter. "He's dead and he can't hurt you anymore."

I nodded and pulled back, wiping away the tears slipping down my cheeks. Cameron leaned down and kissed my forehead, staring down into my eyes. "You are safe, Maisie, I promise you."