Out of the Shadows ✔️ [Completed] [Book One]

Chapter 35

I blink for a second to roughly wipe away my tears, so I don't see him lunge at me. My head crashes back against the wall behind making me see stars. I feel his hands close around my throat. He squeezes painfully while I claw at his arms and fight against him. I cannot get any fucking air. I feel the darkness trying to engulf me as I desperately try to pull at his iron grasp.

He loosens his grip slightly because he must realise that I'm about to loose consciousness. I look into his eyes and see that they are completely wild, just like they used to be. The monster has been unleashed. The memories of the countless times I've been in this position flood into my mind. I've worked so hard at blocking out these awful memories, but the floodgates are wide open now.

"I think you need a little reminder of who is in control here. We're not over until I say so... and my dear sweet Elizabeth, we will never be over." I try to fight him off with all of my strength, but he just gently rests his forehead against mine with his hands still clamped around my throat. He is clearly trying to compose himself. Where are you Daniel? I think desperately.

I take this moment of weakness as my chance. I knee him in his crotch as hard as I possibly can and he crumples to the floor. The sudden rush of oxygen burns my throat, but I scramble towards the front door.

Ed is quicker than me and kicks the chair I was sitting on into my path. It knocks me painfully into the corner of the wall and the pain reverberates down my side. I keep going, but Ed uses the lost second to block my exit.

His eyes are alight and feral as he stalks me like his prey. I take a step back and see my phone still on the settee. I move backwards slowly with my hands out as if I am backing down. I lower myself onto the settee. I discreetly press the redial button while keeping my eyes straight ahead, not remembering who the last person I spoke to was, but sure it could only be Daniel or Caroline. I glance down at my phone while Ed swaggers confidently towards me, mistakenly thinking that I am submitting to him. I see Caroline's name is ringing. I stand up to block his view of the phone and pray that she answers.

Ed grabs both my wrists, squeezes hard and then twists them painfully behind my back. The result is that our chests are pressed against each other. My heart is beating violently, but I can feel that his is beating even faster than mine.

He leans down and tries to kiss me. I feel physically sick. I thrash my head madly so that he cannot connect with my mouth. He lets go of my wrists so that he can roughly seize my jaw.

In the second that I am free, I push him away. It has little effect, but he backs off just enough for me to try to work out how to get out. I try frantically to think of how I can get around him to reach the front door, but my mind is not connected to my body. I have to calm down if I have any chance of beating him.

"I like this feisty side of you Elizabeth, but I'm going to make sure you remember you're place. You know how much we will both enjoy that."

He lunges at me again, but I just manage to move enough to the side that he cannot get a good enough grip on my arm. He glares at me crazily and for the first time in my life I'm ready to fight back.

He tries to grab me, but I'm too fast for him. His next attempt connects with my collar bone and the pain takes my breath away. I stumble slightly, but quickly regain my balance.

I swing my arm back and punch him square in the face, feeling his nose crack under my fist. I surprise us both at just how hard I hit him. My hand is excruciatingly painful and I can hardly bend it. But I feel a rush of satisfaction when I watch his hands cup his face. A surge of bright red blood oozes between his finger and down his arms.

He laughs crazily through his fingers and looks at me right in the eyes. His whole body stills and I realise in that moment that he is going to kill me.