Running

Untitled Part 14

"What's wrong?" She asked him concerned.

"That was the police." He said, pulling her over to the couch. "Your garage caught on fire. An anonymous caller, made the call. The rest of your house is fine, but there is some smoke damage." He said, looking at her.

"That fucking prick!" She yelled jumping up. She put her shoes on, Corey was right behind her. "Now I am fucking pissed!" She yelled.

"Whoa! Babe, take a deep breath and-" She cut him off.

"Get in the car!" She half yelled at him.

Grabbing her keys, they got in her car. She didn't say a word for a few minutes. She got on the interstate and floored it.

"Babe. I know your upset, but you need to slow down, or stop and let me drive. Now." He said rather sternly to her.

"Fuck!" She yelled, knowing he was right. She pulled over, moving to the passengers seat as he got in the driver's seat. Pulling back on to the road, he said, "Thank you."

"No. I'm sorry. I am so sorry." She said quietly. He grabbed her hand and held it tight, as they drove.

Approaching her house, she saw the lights of fire trucks and police. Her garage was half burned down. Smoke still rising from it.

They spoke to the police for a while, before being allowed to enter the house. Some of the walls in her kitchen were black. The ceilings were coated with black smoke damage.

Turning she walked down the hall, to the basement steps. Corey followed her as she went down the stairs. Her basement was completely finished. She didn't have any furniture, or a T.V. in it. It was just empty.

He followed her through another empty room, watching her as she moved a few large boxes, revealing her safe in the floor.

She punched in the code and opened it. "Can you hand me the bag on the back of the door please?" She asked him.

He grabbed the bag, watching her as she pulled out bundles of cash. Next she pulled out some photos, then a gun, and bullets.

"Whoa! Babe. Leave it here. Please. Everything else is fine, but you're not taking that with. Please." He said looking at her carefully.

"Corey, he almost burned my fucking house down. The cops just said it was arson, you heard them. He knows where you live. The cops can't follow us around every day. What do you want me to do?" She asked almost desperately. "If my car had been in there..." She said trailing off at the thought.

"I can't stay in my own fucking house! I can't go anywhere on my own! I can't even go with my boyfriend on a walk, because I am afraid of being followed and something happening to you! I am so fucking sick of this shit! I want my fucking life back! FUCK!" She yelled, punching the drywall next to her, breaking it.

She had her back to him, and he rushed up to her, wrapping his arms around her restraining her. "Let go!" She yelled fighting him. "No." Was all he said calmly, keeping a tight hold on her. She tried fighting him some more. He just kept a hold of her. He was afraid of hurting her or leaving a bruise on her, with as much of a fight she was putting up.

She finally gave up, realising she wasn't going to win. Both of them breathing heavy, sitting on the floor.

He sat keeping a tight hold on her for a long time. Her breathing returned to normal, as well as his. "Vy?" He asked softly, "Want to go away with me for a while? I think we both need some time away from here." He said running his fingers through her hair.

She nodded her head in agreement. "My fucking house Corey," she said in almost a whisper, as she turned to him. She looked like she was in shock. "I am so tired of this. I'm so tired of it." She shook her head sadly.

"He tied me up once." She said out of no where, surprising him. He stayed quiet, willing her to talk. "He cut my shirt off so he could burn me with a lighter. He broke my nose that night too. I dont know which hurt more that time. Then he untied me and told me to make dinner for him." She was looking far off, almost like she was re-living that day. "I did everything he told me to do that day. Everything. I even let..." She stopped.

"Let what Vy." He asked, even though he was pretty sure he already knew what the outcome was.

"I acted like I liked it so he wouldn't get mad." She said still looking off in space. He saw her tears fall, and she started to shake. Her whole body was trembling. He grabbed her and hugged her as tight as he could.

"He's not going to touch you ever again. I swear to you. I don't care what it takes. I won't let him near you." He said, trying to hold back his own tears.

"Let's go Vy. There's nothing more we can do tonight." He said to her.

She nodded her head, while she put some of the money back in safe, along with the bullets and the gun. She locked it, moving the boxes back over it. She put the money and photos in the bag, and walked out with him behind her.

They arrived back at his house a while later. She sat on the couch not saying anything. He sat beside her. She turned to him, "Want to see something?" She asked him.

"Sure." He said, as she dug through the bag pulling out photos.

"Here's me as a kid." She handed it to him. She had fire engine red hair, a plaid coat on. But the smile on her face made him happy. She looked about 6 years old in it. She was hugging a black puppy. Her eyes looked so alive. He smiled looking at it.

"This is me and Gabe. About 2 years before he died." She said, handing it to him. Gabe had the same red hair as she did. He was taller than her. He was well built, like he worked out a lot. He had the same smile as her.

He looked closer at the picture, Vyla had a black eye in it. The bruise was much darker than the one she currently had, and her eye was swollen. She also had a cut on her forehead. She was smiling, but he could tell she was doing it for the camera. Her eyes looked sad.

"It's the last picture of the two of us." She said quietly. She set the photos down on the coffee table. "I need to lay down. My head hurts so much." She said as she stood up.

"I'll come with." He said starting to stand.

She shook her head. "No it's ok. I know you're not tired. I just need some time to think." She said, walking to the bedroom.

He laid back against the couch sighing. Looking around, he saw the photos on the table. Picking them up, he looked through them.

Some were of her growing up over the years, some of what he presumed to be her parents, some of Gabe over the years. He smiled, getting ready to put them back, when one fell out of the pile.

Picking it up, he noticed it looked like an evidence photo, taken by the police. He dug through the pile of photos and found more. They were pictures of bruises on her arms and legs. One was of her rib cage, her entire side was almost purple. One of her face, both eyes swollen, along with her bottom lip, making her almost unrecognizable. He put them back as he had found them.

His hands shook with rage. He wanted to scream. His breathing became heavier. He walked out the front door, quietly closing it. He walked to the very end of his long driveway, making sure he was far from his house. "MOTHERFUCKER!!!!!" He screamed, hurting his throat. He yelled a few more times, picking up a few rocks and throwing them as hard as he could. He sat down, trying to calm himself.

Once he calmed down, he walked back to his house slowly. He shut and locked the door quietly. His adrenaline had worn off, making him exhausted. He realized after looking at the clock, he had been out there almost two hours.

He went to his bedroom, finding her with the sheet wrapped half around her. She had stripped down, and it made him smile. She looked at ease. One of her legs was sticking out from under the sheet. He saw she had a tattoo of a small star on her ankle that he never noticed before.

She is so beautiful, and she doesn't even know it, he thought to himself. He took off his clothes and got into bed, shutting off the light. "Corey?" She mumbled. "Its just me" he whispered. He held onto her as he fell asleep.

She woke a while later, unable to sleep. She turned to look at Corey, and found him awake staring at the ceiling. He turned to her and asked, "Bad dream?"

She shook her and said, "Can't sleep."

"Me either." He said.

She stretched her arms above her head, causing the sheet to slide down and reveal her bare chest. Corey had been watching her as she did this. She grabbed the sheet, starting to pull it back up when he stopped her.

She looked over at him. The look on his face was different, like he wanted her so badly it was killing him, but she could see frustration, even some anger.

She felt her face heat up. "What is it?" She asked him.

"I am trying to control myself. I want you, but I don't want to be too rough with you." He said in a husky voice.

Her whole body felt like it was on fire hearing that. "How about I tell you if you are?" She asked.

"Are you sure that's what you want?" He asked moving over her, pinning her arms above her head.

Narrowing her eyes at him, she said, "Maybe I have been waiting for you to." She said egging him on.

That was all he needed to hear. He bit at her neck roughly, keeping her arms above her head with one of his hands, while the other hand groped her breast roughly, making her moan.

Letting go of her hands, he grabbed her hair, pulling her head back, running his tounge up her neck. When he reached her ear, he sucked and bit at her ear lobe. He kissed her hard, his tounge demanding more from her. He broke away, nipping hard at her collar bone.

She dug her nails into his shoulders hard, making him grunt. She pulled his hair, dragging his face back down to hers. He kissed her roughly, biting her bottom lip almost painfully, as she raked her nails hard down his back, causing him to moan loudly.

"Mmm someone likes that." She said seductively at him.

He let out a growl almost, as he suddenly thrust into her hard, making her gasp.

"I think you like that, don't you?" He asked, moving harder and faster.

"Yes." She cried out, feeling like she was going to explode. She bit down on his chest hard.

She wrapped one leg around his waist, as she pulled his hair hard with one hand, and with the other, dug her nails into his back, raking them down.

"Oh Fuck!" He yelled. "Mmm do it again baby."

She tightened her grip on his hair, and scratched his back again, making him groan. The heat between them so intense now.

She brought his neck down to her mouth, biting it, then slowly kissing the same spot she just bit. "Vy." He moaned loudly. The way he said her name just then turned her on even more.

He was moving faster and harder, making her shudder in pleasure. He was hitting a certain spot on her just right, causing her whole body to tense and arch at the same time.

He grabbed her hips hard, moving into her deeper. She tensed around him hard, crying out, sending him over the edge. Everything had been fast and intense. It was almost as though they both needed it that way. Tonight was different for both of them.

"Shit, Vyla, are you ok?" He asked breathlessly, he knew he had been rough with her, but he didnt want to hurt her.

"Mmmhmm." She replied, not moving. He was hovering over her suddenly, with a worried look on his face.

She smiled up at him, "Jesus, I am not a delicate snowflake Corey." She laughed, seeing the relieved look on his face. He smiled and kissed her softly. He brought his hand up gently caressing her cheek as he continued kissing her.

Pulling away, he laid down next to her, looking at her lovingly. "What is it that's bothering you hun?" She asked him quietly.

"Nothing." He said, looking away.

"Don't bullshit me. Something is really bothering you." She said concerned.

Sighing he sat up. She sat up next to him. "I have told you a lot of things Corey. You need to tell me if something is bothering you. It's not fair if you don't." She said looking at him.

He was rubbing the back of his neck. He stopped and turned to her. "After you went to bed, I was looking at the pictures of your family." He said, sighing. "I was putting them back, and a picture fell out of the pile. It was one that showed bruises on your legs and arms." He said looking at her.

Her eyes went big and she let out a gasp. "I started looking through them more, and I saw, well everything." He said, noticing she had tears in her eyes.

"It just pissed me off so much, seeing what he did to you. I went outside to cool off, and threw some things around." He said, watching as a tear fell from her face.

"I, I forgot those were in there." She said, burying her face in her hands. "I am so sorry you saw that. I am so fucking embarrassed." She said, moving to the side of the bed to grab her clothes.

"Vyla, stop." He said, moving over to her. She put her shirt on, then her shorts. "I'm going to take a shower." She said walking out of the room.

"Fuck!" He whispered to himself. He sat for a few minutes, letting her get in the shower. He got up, threw on a pair of pants, and walked into the bathroom.

"Vyla, you don't have to be embarrassed, ok? As fucked up as it sounds, I am glad I saw them. It showed me what you have been through, and why you are so scared. It made me understand things better." He said to her through the shower curtain.

He heard her sobbing, and it was killing him. He hated it when she cried. It didn't make him mad, it just hurt him because he couldn't take her pain away. He loved seeing her happy. He loved her.

Not able to take it, he opened the curtain. She was sitting on the shower floor, with her arms resting on her knees. She had her head resting on top of her arms, as the water beat down on her.

"Vy, look at me." He said as he knelt down next to the tub. She turned her head to him, the water still falling on her, making her look even more beautiful. He placed his hand on her cheek, gently rubbing it with his thumb. "I understand now. I know why you are so scared. It doesn't change the way I feel about you."

She turned so she was kneeling in the shower, and pulled him in to her, hugging him tightly. He hugged her just as tight, running his hand down her wet back.

"I really get it now. I am just sorry you had to go through all of that. No one deserves to be treated that way." He said as she pulled back.

"You know what bothers me most about all of it?" He asked her. She looked at him as he continued, "You said he was sober. I guess it's because most times, when you hear about these types of situations, it's usually because of drugs or alcohol. But it's like he enjoyed it." He said shaking his head. He shut off the water and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her. She said nothing. She was just listening to him.

"I just can't wrap my head around how a guy gets off on hurting someone the way he did to you. And to hurt someone as beautiful as you, I just don't understand it, and it kills me to know what he did to you." He said helping her out of the shower. He handed her clothes to her. She got dressed, and watched as he sunk to the floor. She sat down beside him and grabbed his hand, holding it.

"No one but Mason knows why he is the way he is. He is just sick. I don't know what else to say, other than he is sick." She said quietly.

"I wish I would have met you years ago. You would have probably called me on all my bullshit, and gave me the kick in the ass I needed at times. I would have kept you from all of this." He said turning to her.

"But we are here now. And you have given me the kick in the ass I have needed." She said making him smile at her.

"I don't ever want to let you go Vyla. Ever." He said, looking almost worried.

"You don't have to. There is no where I would rather be." She said. "I know that I have tried leaving a few times and you have stopped me. I can't tell you how glad I am that you did. It just has become a routine part of my life. I don't even realize I am doing it. Just like the other day, when the cops were here. I honestly didn't realize I was doing it, until you threw my clothes on the floor. I was already in my own little world." She said looking at him.

"You didn't realize you were packing?" He asked surprised.

"No. Corey, I have been woken up to shit like that in the past, and knew I had to get out or I was dead. My mind just goes into survival mode, and I just worry about getting away. I'm not doing it to hurt you. It was just me before. I didn't have anyone." She said.

"I guess I didn't realize that. I understand though why you want to though now. It makes more sense. I thought you were doing it because you felt like I wanted you to go, and I don't" he said letting everything sink in.

"Want to go stay somewhere else until we have to be shoved on a bus with a bunch of guys for a few months?" He asked her. "We can stay there until we have to go. Maybe you can relax a little?" He asked looking at her.

"Where are we going?" She asked him suspiciously.

"Sid's parents have a place about 4 hours from here. It's a cabin in the middle of no where." He said.

She started laughing, "What is it with you taking me to the woods?" She asked him playfully.

He thought back to her comment the first night they met and laughed. "Christ Vy." He said laughing at her.

"I'd love to." She said, pecking him on the lips.

"But I really need to do something before we go. And I just need you to hear me out." She said seriously.

"What is it?" He asked her.

"The paperwork that I have of, hospital visits, police reports, photos. I have extra copies of all of it with me. I gave copies of all of that stuff to my parents and Gabe to hold on to. I got it back after they..passed." She said.

"I did that because if anything that happened to me, they were told to give it to the police, so they knew who to go after." She said looking at him.

"If something were to happen to me or god, both of us, someone needs to know what to do." She said.

"I understand what you are saying. Who do you want to give this to then?" He asked her.

"Please don't think that I am trying to involve your friends in my fucked up life ok? But I wanted to give it to Mick and Sid. If they don't want to be involved, I understand. But I can't," she stopped almost in tears.

"No it's ok. But are you sure you want them to know everything, and see the pictures? They won't say anything except to each other. I just want you to make sure that this is what you want." He said.

"It is. I am tired of hiding it from people. I shouldn't be ashamed of it. I just worry they can handle it, and that they don't look at me like a piece of shit." She said looking away.

"They would never, ever think that of you. And I know they can handle it. They will be upset that about what happened, but they won't let you down, I promise. I will have them come by in the morning, ok?" He said as she nodded.

The next morning, she paced the house waiting for Sid and Mick to show up. She heard a knock on the door, and Corey answered it to find Sid, Mick, and Sid's dog Mojo.

"Mo!" Vy exclaimed, as Sid let him off the leash. He ran up to her happily, and licked her face as she laughed. She gave him a pet as they all sat down. Mojo didn't leave her side. He laid down at her feet.

"So, what's up guys? What did you want to talk to us about?" Mick asked.

"This is really hard for me to ask. If you guys don't want to do it, I understand, but please tell me if you can't." Vyla started.

Mick and Sid looked at each other for a second. "What is it Vy?" Mick asked concerned.

"I have some stuff I need you both to hold on to. If anything happens to me or god forbid, Corey, or both of us, I need you to give it to the police, so they know who to look for." She said handing each one of them a large envelope.

Corey spoke up, "It's her hospital visits, police reports, and pictures of," he paused, clenching his jaw, "of what he did to her." He finished.

They careful took the envelopes from her, and stared at her. "You need to know what is in there. It's ok to open it."

Mick and Sid opened the envelopes, each of them going through the hospital records and police reports.

"The pictures are in the bottom of the envelope." She said, looking down. Corey put his hand on her leg, trying to comfort her as she heard them go through the photos .

She looked up at both of them. Sid looked pale, and had his one hand in a fist. Mick had a hand covering his mouth in horror.

She looked down, ready to cry. Mick jumped up from his seat, standing in front of her. She couldn't look up. He gently grabbed her hand, pulling her to stand. He bear hugged her.

"I will guard it with my life. I promise." He said in almost a whisper.

She felt the tears fall, as Mick stayed hugging her tightly. "I can't breath Mick." She gasped out.

"Ahh shit! Sorry Vyla! You ok?" Mick asked as he put her down, and smiled at her.

"Yeah Andre. I'm good." She smiled. He moved out of the way.

Before she could sit down, Sid had already picked her up into a hug. "Whatever you need. You know that." He said quietly, as he put her down.

She sat down and said, "You guys have no idea what this means to me. Thank you so much." She said.

"Thanks for trusting us Vy." Mick said, as she nodded.

Corey moved closer to Vyla, putting his arm around her. He heard a low growl, and saw Mojo sitting back up to look at him. "What the fuck Sid? Why does your dog hate me?" He asked as they all laughed.

"He doesn't. He loves Vyla and you are moving in on his girl. He sees you as competition." Sid laughed.

"I love this dog." Vyla said smiling as she scratched Mojo's ears.

Mojo growled again at Corey. "For fucksake Mo! Get your ass over here!" He yelled, commanding the dog over to him.

"Sid, think we can borrow your parent's cabin for a few months? We need to get away. Especially after last night." Corey said.

"Yeah, no problem. What happened last night?" Sid asked.

"He tried to burn her house down. The garage is pretty much gone, but we are pretty sure he was the one who called it in to the cops, since she lives out in the middle of no where." Corey said.

"Why the fuck would he call it in, if he did it?" Mick asked confused.

"Because it's a warning to me if I don't go back to him." Vyla said quietly.

"Goddamn. Yeah man. The keys are at my house. You want to swing by on your way out of town?" Sid asked Corey. Corey nodded.

"Vy? When do I get to drive your car?" Mick asked laughing.

"Tell ya what Mick. You and Corey can go now if you want. Just make sure you share, so Sid gets a turn." She laughed.

"Fucking sweet!" Mick exclaimed happily.

When they left, it was just Vyla and Sid. He looked like he wanted to say something.
"What is it Sid?" She asked him.

"Everything makes sense now. I understand you more. I'm sorry. I really am." Sid said sadly

"No. Don't be sorry, ok? You have been the best friend I have ever had." She said, sitting down next to him. "I mean it." She said looking at him.

"It's just shitty." He said, as she nodded.

"I know. But look how much you have brought me around. A few weeks ago, I almost ripped your head off." She smiled, as he laughed.

"That's true. But there is one thing you can't beat me at." He said. "My AWESOME ninja skills." He said tackling her before she could speak.

They were laughing and wrestling around. Sid was sitting on top of her, straddling her, when the door opened, as Mick and Corey came inside.

Both of them stopped and stared at Sid and Vyla. Vyla covered her face with her hands and said, "Fuck my life."

Corey chuckled and shook his head. "I have come to realize that I am going to walk in on more of these situations with you two." He said making them laugh. "You can explain it later babe. Let's go Sid." Corey laughed walking out.