Quicksand

Chapter 21

The ride home was shrouded in an uncomfortable silence. But beneath the surface, I was consumed by a sense of dread. My newly minted husband's gaze sent shivers down my spine - his eyes seemed to bore into me with a primal intensity, as if he wanted to devour me whole.

As we finally arrived at our destination, the driver stepped out to open my door, but Adrik's voice cut through the air, low and menacing. "Close it," he growled, his eyes glinting with a sinister light in the dimly lit interior of the car.

I felt a chill run down my spine as Adrik's gaze locked onto mine, his pupils seeming to bore into my very soul. The air in the car grew thick with tension, heavy with the weight of unspoken threats.

"Why did you refuse to say 'I do'?" Adrik asked, his tone dripping with malice, his voice sending shivers down my spine. "Why did you humiliate me in front of all those people?"

I tried to speak, but my voice caught in my throat, frozen in fear. I swallowed hard, trying to find the words to explain, to justify my actions. "I...I...you had a gun to my mom's head," I stammered, the memory still seared into my mind like a branding iron.

Adrik's expression twisted into a snarl, his lips curling back from his teeth. "That was just a little motivation," he sneered, his eyes glinting with amusement. "You should be grateful I didn't hurt her. You should be grateful I didn't hurt you."

I felt a cold sweat break out on my forehead, my heart racing with fear. I knew I had to tread carefully, to avoid triggering Adrik's notorious temper. "I'm sorry," I whispered, trying to placate him. "I'll do whatever you want. Just please don't hurt me or my mom."

Adrik's expression softened slightly, his eyes gleaming with a sinister light. "Good girl," he purred, his voice dripping with condescension.

I felt a wave of dread wash over me, my heart sinking with the realization of what I had gotten myself into. I was trapped, caught in a nightmare from which I couldn't wake up. And Adrik, my husband, was the monster who held the keys to my prison.
Now, my love," Adrik said, his voice dripping with malice, "I'm going to our room. And I don't want to get there before you. If I do... just pray you survive." He paused, his eyes glinting with a sinister light, before exiting the car and leaving me shaken and bewildered.

I sat frozen in terror for a moment, my mind reeling from the implicit threat. But then, with a surge of adrenaline, I scrambled to exit the car. My hands trembled as I grasped the door handle, and my feet tangled as I tried to step out. I tumbled to the ground, landing face-first on the cold, hard asphalt.

A searing pain shot through my nose, and I could feel warm blood dripping down my face. I groggily lifted my head, my vision blurry from the impact. But I knew I couldn't stay there. I had to get to our room before Adrik.

With a Herculean effort, I dragged myself to my hands and knees. My nose throbbed, my head spun, and my body screamed in protest. But I pushed on, driven by a primal fear of what Adrik might do if I didn't reach our room before him.

I began to crawl up the stairs, each step a agonizing torment. my heart pounding in my chest like a drum. I had to reach it.

As I struggled to crawl up the stairs, my broken leg throbbing with every movement, I reached the seventh step. With a Herculean effort, I tried to heave myself up, but my leg buckled beneath me. I landed hard on the step, the impact sending a shockwave of pain through my entire body.

A little scream tore through my throat, a sound that was both primal and involuntary. I clamped my hand over my mouth, trying to stifle the cry, but it was too late. The sound had already echoed through the hallway, a stark testament to my pain and fear.