Imperfectly Perfect [Book 1] ~ {A TBNRfrags fanfic} COMPLETED

66- Caitlins POV

"Let's have a little family reunion." My father says, dragging me to my own room. He violently tosses me on the bed, and my face hits the wooden bedpost. I wipe away the blood and glare at him. He kicks me, and I double over, coughing.

"What's the matter, you p***y? Too weak to fight back?" He asks, and I look up, venom in my eyes.

"L-let my friends go." I stutter in a raspy voice, to which he just laughs.

"And why should I do that?" He asks.

"Because none of this is their business. It's just between you and me, and you know it." I respond.

My father thinks, knowing that I have him cornered. "Alright. I'll let that Josh guy and that girl leave."

I smile I relief, but then remember Preston. "W-what about Preston?" I ask.

My father smiles at me. "Well, what do you expect I'm going to do? I'm going to kill him just like I did to your mother." He says, and chills run down my back, my eyes slightly shaking in fear.

"Y-you will not touch him." I shakily order, and he laughs at me, hitting me.

"Why would I listen to you?" He asks, voice cold.

"Listen, you can hurt me all you want, but I will never let you hurt Preston." I reply, looking at him with so much newfound hatred and courage that it makes him stumble back.

But then he oddly smiles again. "Alright; I won't hurt him. But he still stays here."

I slightly nod, and he hits me again, just below my rib cage, my lungs not agreeing. I cry out in pain, but bite my lip.

I cannot give him the satisfaction of hearing me scream.

A few hours later, bloody and barely conscious, father throws me back into Josh's room. I stumble inside, and collapse on the ground.

Immediately, I feel two arms wrap around me and hear two gasps. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," Preston says, laying my head in his lap. I feel his tears roll down his face and drop onto my cheeks.

I shakily wipe them away. "Are you okay...?" I ask.

He wipes his tears away. "I should be the one asking you that."

I smile, and Freya says, "what did he do to you?"

I look down at my bloodied arms. "It was just a welcoming present." I sigh, looking up and building more walls in my brain; each taller than the last. "I also managed to convince my father to let you guys leave." I say to Freya and Josh, who both look at me, incredulous.

"You did?! What about you and Preston?" Josh asks.

I try to smile, but fail. "Looks like we're stuck here for a while."

"Don't worry; we'll get help asap." Freya whispers.

I smile and look up at Preston, who has many emotions in his eyes. He kisses the top of my forehead.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you..." He whispers.

I try to smile again. "Well... At least I managed to save you." I reply, slowly sitting up and resting my back on his chest.

Preston wraps his arms around me, and instantly all my pain is gone. "What do you mean?" He asks.

"He... H-he was going to kill you." I whisper, many emotions taking over me. The room goes deathly silent, everybody looking at me.

"H-he was...?" Preston whispers.

"Y-yeah... But I managed to convince him not to." I respond, and Preston hugs me tighter.