Tangled Hearts.

~Chapter 78~

~Emily~
~June 4th~

I woke up in horrendous pain, barely able to move. My entire body ached, and every breath felt like a struggle.

As I forced my eyes open, I saw Liam standing in the doorway, relief washing over his face. He quickly walked over to me, his eyes filled with concern.

"Emily, oh my God, are you okay?" he asked, his voice trembling.

I tried to speak, but all that came out was a weak, raspy whisper. "Liam... it hurts so much. Make it stop."

He knelt beside me, his hands gently touching my face. "I'm so sorry, Em. I didn't know he would take it this far. I didn't want any part of this."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at him. "Why, Liam? Why is this happening to me? I didn't do anything wrong."

He looked away, guilt written all over his face. "I know Em, Colby alerted me that they're on their way. We're going to get you out of here."

I grunted in pain as I sat up slowly. "What time is it?"

He sighed as he brushed a piece of hair from his face. "It's about 7:30 in the evening, Colby said they would be here within the next couple hours."

I nodded as sobs shook me. He handed me something to wear, a pair of sweatpants and a baggy T-shirt, much better than the bloody, shredded romper I had on. "Here, put these on. It'll be more comfortable."

With his help, I struggled to my feet, every movement sending waves of pain through my body. I grunted, trying to hold back the tears. "I can't... I can't do this, Liam. It hurts too much."

"You can do it, Emily. Just a little longer, okay? We're almost out of here," he said, his voice soft and reassuring.

I slipped on the sweatpants and the T-shirt, the fabric feeling like a small comfort against my battered skin.

As I laid back down, the pain was too much to bear, and I sobbed uncontrollably. "I want to get out of here. I can't take this anymore."

Liam wrapped his arms around me, holding me close as I cried. "I know, Emily. I know. But you have to stay strong. Colby and the others are coming. We'll get you out of here."

After what felt like an eternity, I pretended to fall asleep, hoping Liam would leave so he would stop worrying.

I could feel his gaze on me, full of concern and regret. I just wanted to be alone with my pain, to let the rage and sorrow wash over me without anyone watching.

"Emily, I'm so sorry," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I never wanted this to happen to you."

I stayed silent, my eyes closed, my breathing steadying as I faked sleep. Eventually, I heard him get up and leave the room, closing the door softly behind him. Alone in the darkness, I let the tears flow freely, my heart aching not just from the physical pain, but from the betrayal and the helplessness I felt.

~

After Liam left, I forced myself to stand up, my legs trembling beneath me. Every step through the hallway was a struggle, but I had to keep moving. I had to find a way out. As I ventured further, I noticed a door slightly cracked open. Curiosity and fear battled within me as I pushed it open and stepped inside.

What I saw made my blood run cold. There, lying lifeless on the floor, was my dad. A scream tore from my throat, filled with agony and anger. It was a primal sound, echoing through the halls and beyond. My heart shattered into a million pieces as I fell to my knees beside him, my hands shaking uncontrollably.

"Daddy! No, no, no! Please, no! No, No! NO!" I sobbed, clutching his cold hand.

"This can't be happening. This can't be real." I sobbed into my knees. "Daddy, please no! NO! NO! NO!

My grief was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Layne appeared in the doorway, a sinister smile on his face. "Oh, Emily. Did you really think you could escape me?" he sneered as he looked at me closer. "I see you've found daddy."

I glared at him through my tears. "You bloody monster! How could you do this? He was innocent!"

Layne laughed, a chilling sound that made my skin crawl. "Innocent? No one is innocent, Emily. Especially not you."

Before I could react, he grabbed me and dragged me back to my room, pinning me against the wall. "You think you can defy me?" he shouted, his face inches from mine. "You think you can just walk away?"

I sobbed, my body trembling with fear and rage. "Please, stop. Just let me go."

He picked me up and threw me against the back wall. The impact knocked the wind out of me, but I forced myself to get up as quickly as I could.

When he lunged at me again, I used my vampire speed to move out of the way, hoping to make a run for it. But he was faster. He grabbed my hair and yanked me back into the room, throwing me to the floor.

"You're not going anywhere," he growled, kicking and pushing me violently. "You belong to me Emily, Colby's forgotten all about you."

I cried out in pain, each blow feeling like it would be the last. "Please, Layne, stop. I can't take this anymore."

After what felt like an eternity, he finally stopped. He stood over me, breathing heavily, a look of twisted satisfaction on his face. "Remember this, Emily. You can never escape me. Never."

He slammed the door, leaving me alone in the darkness. I lay there, battered and broken, my body and spirit shattered. The pain was unbearable, but the loss of my dad was even worse. I curled up on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, wondering how I would ever survive this nightmare.