I'll Protect You

Chapter 33

I hate him.

As soon as he finishes the last lash on me, he pulls my body towards his and rubs my back as I cry from both humiliation and pain.

Then, it hits me.

I scramble away from Hunter faster than a jack rabbit on a spring day, pushing myself to the nearest wall and sinking to the floor with tears cascading down my flushed cheeks.

"H-how dare you!" I sob, bringing my knees to my chest.

"Don't take it personally, Jacey," he tells me in a soft voice.

He can't just abuse me with a belt and then try and comfort me. Like hell its not personal.

"Are you i-insane?" I screech. "You just assaulted me!"

He rolls his eyes and stands up, so he can stand over me.

"Rules are rules, you have to be willing to take the consequences," he crosses his arms over his chest.

"You are a monster," I cry, my whole body shaking from the latest encounter.

Never in my world had I pictured Hunter putting his hands on me in such a cruel way. Ever.

"See that's the thing," he shakes his head. "My mother got spanked, my cousins wife gets spanked and most likely, your lovely father spanked your mom."

"Shut up!" I scream and cover my face with my hands.

My dad would never do this to my mom. He loved and respected her, like a man should a woman. Hunter wasn't anything like them.

"Jacey-"

"Don't talk to me. Ever again," I seethe and wrench myself up from my sitting position, trying to ignore the pain, but even the hiss of agony leaves my mouth.

Hunter goes to help me, but I slap his hand away and get up myself. Bastard.

"Just let me help you," he says, with an irritated sigh. Glad he's so frustrated.

"Go fuck yourself," I spit and walk - more like limp - past him. I don't miss the shocked expression on his face after I say those words, a surge of pride runs through me even beneath the tears.

I find my way back to my room and slam the door shut, locking it and sinking to the floor, cautious of my wounds.

I lean my head against the wood and just sob. I sob for everything wrong in my life. For my parents death, for Nixon's silence and hurtful words, and for Hunter's cruel personality. I'm a wreck.

Hunter's POV.

I watch her leave the room with silent sobs escaping her lips, and I feel a twinge of guilt for what I did.

Sometimes, when I get mad I do things I know I'll regret later. That thing I'll be regretting is laying one harmful hand on Jacey. What I said to her about all those people punishing their loved ones, wasn't a lie, though. Everyone in the Mafia does it, give or take a few, due to worry and dominance.

When your in the Mafia, you're made to be invincible. People are supposed to respect you, Jacey didn't. It got me mad and I did the one thing I knew would teach her a lesson. Now, I feel like shit.

It was one thing for her to beg me not to, I almost caved in, but when her screams of agony filled the house, I was set on stopping. Stopping was one thing, but then she'd think she could get away without the determined amount, so I kept going. Worst ten minutes of my life.

It killed me to hurt her the way I did, but I was so pissed. She was snooping through my business and then she ran off. I thought she got hurt, I was about ready to shoot anyone then came in my line of sight. That's what drove me to this punishment.