Tangled Hearts.

~Chapter 76~

~Emily~
~June 2nd~

I woke up in a haze, the room spinning around me. My head throbbed, a dull pain that seemed to echo through my entire body. As my vision cleared, I realized with a jolt that I was in a dimly lit room, the walls discolored and grimy.

The mattress beneath me was filthy, and I could feel every spring digging into my back. Panic surged through me as I looked down and saw I was only in my bra and underwear. I quickly grabbed a nearby blanket and wrapped it around myself.

The door was cracked open, and I could see Colby's dad, Layne, standing there. Fear gripped me as memories of the past came flooding back.

"What the fuck am I doing here?" I shouted, my voice trembling with anger and fear.

"Why can't you just leave Colby and me the fuck alone? We are happily married, leave us be!"

Layne's eyes were cold and menacing as he stepped into the room. "You think you can take him away from me?" he sneered. "Colby belongs with his family, not with some little girl who thinks she can play house."

Anger boiled inside me, and without thinking, I lunged at him, wrapping my arms around his neck from behind once his back was to me. I wrapped my legs around him as I had a death grip around his neck. But Layne was stronger. He slammed me against the wall to get me off, my head snapping back with a sickening thud. Pain exploded in my skull, and I crumpled to the floor, clutching the back of my head. I felt a warm, sticky wetness and saw blood on my fingers.

Layne kicked me in the side as I heard something crack, and I gasped, curling into a ball as the pain radiated through my body. He laughed, a cruel, heartless sound, and slammed the door shut behind him. I lay there, my head pounding, tears streaming down my face. "Help!" I screamed, my voice raw and desperate. "Somebody, please help me!"

The room seemed to close in around me, the walls pressing in as I struggled to breathe. This was all my fault, if only I hadn't stepped out I wouldn't be in this predicament.

I had to get out of here. I had to find Colby. But as the darkness started to creep in at the edges of my vision, I knew I was running out of time.

~

I woke up on the cold, hard floor of the bunker, every part of my body aching. I wrapped myself in the thin blanket, trying to find some warmth. As I looked up, I saw a familiar face, a sinister smile spreading across it. Layne.

"Good morning," he sneered. "Sleep well?" He asked with a sinister grin.

I snapped back, "No." He chuckled, throwing a white romper at me. "Get dressed, whore."

I backed up nervously, hitting the wall behind me. My heart pounded in my chest as I quickly changed my clothes, tears streaming down my face. Layne knelt down, shoving me down with a cruel laugh.

"Pathetic," he spat. "You're nothing." He walked out of the room and down a hallway.

I sobbed quietly, pulling the romper on as fast as I could. Once I was dressed, I walked out into the creepy hallway, my mind racing with thoughts of escape.

I need to find a way out of here.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned around, my heart stopping when I saw Liam.

"Liam!" I whispered urgently. "What are you doing here?"

He quickly pulled me into a closet, his face serious as his hand covered my mouth. "Emily, you need to stay in your room. It's not safe out here."

"I can't stay in there," I protested swiping his hand off of my mouth. my voice shook. "I won't survive like this. Please Liam, help me."

Liam sighed, looking torn. "I'll check on you later. I'll alert Colby where you are, and he'll get you out of here. But for now, you have to go back."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I rolled them in frustration. "Fine," I muttered, heading back to my room.

I lay there for what felt like hours, the fear and pain overwhelming me.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Layne stormed in. I was too weak to even get up. He towered over me, his eyes filled with malice.

"Time for some fun," he snarled, pulling out a dagger. "No, PLEASE STOP!" I kicked him trying to get him away. "You're gonna regret that..."  he said as he came over and punched me in the face,
"Please don't!" I begged as he sliced my arm and my leg with two swift motions. "Ow!" I cried out as I sobbed. "Stop moving you little bitch!"

He pinned me down to the bed and it was hell and back, he took pleasure in giving me several cuts and deep gashes while also belittling me every single second. He punched me in the face again as I fell back onto the floor, hitting my head on the hard concrete. "You're a weak little girl, look at you, you can't even move."

The gash that hurt the most was the one on my face. The pain was unbearable, but I tried to fight back, lunging at him with all the strength I had left.

He caught me mid-air and threw me against the wall. I collapsed, begging him to stop. "Please, Layne, stop!"

He laughed, enjoying my suffering. "You think you can escape? You're mine."

I lay there, my body broken and my spirit crushed. The only thing keeping me going was the hope that Colby would come for me. I had to hold on.

~

I lay there, shaking and covered in cuts and blood, the pain overwhelming me. Every breath I took felt like fire in my lungs. I was so weak, but I saw Liam come in. He rushed to my side, his face filled with horror and concern.

"Emily," he whispered, his voice trembling as he lay beside me and held me close. I knew it was wrong, but he was the only person I had in here. I clung to him, desperate for any comfort.

"Is Colby coming?" I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.

"I alerted him," Liam said softly. "The gang will be here tomorrow to rescue you. You're gonna be okay, Emily."

I cried out, tears streaming down my face. "I wouldn't be able to survive if it wasn't for you. You being here is the best thing that could've happened."

He held me tighter, his warmth a small comfort in the midst of my pain. "I'm here," he murmured. "I will get you out of here Emily."

He pulled something over, a small bucket of water. He dunk a washcloth into it cleaning off the blood from my body. it stung but I know he was just trying to help. After he cleaned me up, I laid in his arms until exhaustion started to take over.

I fell asleep in his arms, feeling a fleeting sense of safety. But later that night, I was jolted awake by the sound of the door slamming open. Layne stormed in, a bucket of cold water in his hands. Before I could react, he dumped it over me, the icy water shocking my system.

"Wake up slut," he snarled, grabbing a cattle prod. He pressed it against my skin, and I screamed as the electricity coursed through me, burning and shocking me. "You're nothing but an animal," he spat, pressing it harder.

I writhed in pain, my body convulsing. "Please, stop!" I screamed, but he only laughed. He pulled out a branding device, the metal glowing red-hot. I felt my heart stop as he pressed it against my lower back, the searing pain making me scream in agony.

The smell of burning flesh filled the room, and I could hear my skin sizzling. "There," he said, stepping back to admire his work. "Now everyone will know what you are."

He kicked me in the ribs again, and I felt something crack. I screamed again, the pain too much to bear. "Please, Layne, stop!" I begged, but he just laughed and kicked me again.

Finally, the pain became too much, and I passed out. The last thing I heard was the sound of his footsteps leaving the room. I lay there, almost completely lifeless, praying that Colby and the gang would come soon.