Leather and Lace (Editing)

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Feeling too ashamed to even look towards him, I pick myself up of the ground, sharps stabs hitting my body but I continue to stare at the floor, trying to stop the pain showing on my face.

I can feel his cold stare burning into my side, as he stands there frozen in shock. My dad quickly shakes him out of the trance.

"Who the fuck are you?!" he spits out at him, still fuming from our encounter and his breathing still laboured.

Silence fills the room and I tense in fear of my father hurting him. I finally sneak a look in his direction and as soon as our eyes meet, Ian's face takes on a look of pure rage and something else behind it... regret?

Ian's in front of us in a second and drags my father away by his shirt, punching him hard in the face and pushing him into the wall opposite me. He doesn't get a chance to recover because as soon as he starts to straighten, Ian punches him multiple times, where ever he can reach until dad is slumped on the floor in a heap.

I sit there starring in complete shock as Ian pummels and kicks my father until he's barely conscious. As his eyelids started to droop and his groans quieten, Ian roughly grabs his collar, pulling him up with alarming strength and slams him against the wall, staring at his beaten bloody face in disgust.

"Don't you dare, even think about touching Annabelle again. Got it?!" he growls between clenched teeth, the venom in his words emitting intimidation. When he doesn't get an answer he balls his right fist tightly, about to swing into his stomach, when dad cowards against the wall and quickly whimpers out a small yes.

"You low life piece of shit." Ian spits out and with one more hit to the face, he knocks dad unconscious.

Ian stands there for a moment, breathing heavily with his back to me, his muscles tense and rigid. I'm still frozen in place, not able to move until I fully processed what exactly just happened.

Did that really just happen?

Once I gather my thoughts, I attempt to step towards Ian but the pain hits back full force and I gasp, clutching my stomach as the burning radiates through me.

Ian quickly turns towards me and places a gentle hand on my back.

"Where does it hurt Bell.. tell me." he pleads almost helplessly and I look up and see concern etched into his every feature.

"Here." I gasp, placing my hand over my ribs as it continues to throb uncontrollably.

"Let me take a look." he mumbles in a pained voice, helping me straighten up.

I feel his fingertips graze my skin as he pulls up my top gently and hear a faint gasp, shortly followed by a string of curses. I take a look down and groan. There are already horrible blotchy bruises forming over my stomach.

"We need to take you to the hospital. Now." he says in a rush.

"Wow, wow, wow. No way! I hate hospitals. It's not that bad anyway." I state defiantly, even though just talking is painful enough to make me grimace.

He gives me a look that says 'Do not mess with me', making me cross my arms stubbornly, only to pull them away quickly as it puts sharp pressure on my ribs.

I mumble out a reluctant agreement and am about to step forward but my left side is stabbed with pain again. It slowly becomes so intense that tears blurred my vision and a small scream of agony leaves my lips before I can stop it. I clutch my side as every breath stings and I squeeze my eyes shut, letting my tears fall.

"Alright, let's go." Ian mumbles worriedly and I feel him carefully lift me up in his arms. I bury my face in his neck and clutch his shirt tightly as we rush towards his car. Another sharp pain making me gasp and cry harder into him.

"It hurts so bad!" I cry out to him without thinking.

His grip tightens on me and I hear him sigh. "I know Bell, we'll be at the hospital soon. You'll be okay." he tries his best to reassure soothingly but when he lays me into the back seat, I look up and see his worried face and helpless, pained blue eyes meet mine. This only seems to make me cry harder.

Once I'm safely in, he slips into the driver’s seat and speeds off down the road. I close my eyes and try to block out the pain until I feel a soft hand grab onto mine tightly.

"Just don't go to sleep." he sounds so panicked.

I find myself mumbling an agreement but I can’t help letting my eyes droop slightly as they start to feel heavy. My grip on Ian's hand loosening as he grasps mine tighter.

"Anna, do not go to sleep." he demands.

"I'm so tired.." I breath out quietly, my mind becoming fuzzy and I almost welcome it.

"No, no, no! Don't go to sleep Bell! Just hold on, were almost there." I feel the car accelerate.

I dont reply and sigh as my eyelids get heavier. What's the harm in going to sleep for a little bit? The thought is so welcoming. I can't hold it off as my eyes close and I fall into a relieving see of blackness, faintly hearing Ian call out my name.

***

I hear footsteps surrounding me and loud talking nearby but I can’t make anything out properly, everything is foggy and my eyes are still too heavy to open them.

I feel something warm grasp my hand and the sense of being moved. Panic starts to rise until I suddenly hear a silky gentle voice that seems to instantly comfort me.

"Open your eyes.. come on Bell, just show me you’re okay." he pleads, his voice breaking slightly.

I was about to force them open to reassure him but there is a sudden uncomfortable pressure on my stomach and my chest becomes heavy. My limbs feel numb, with a slight tingling sensation in my fingers and toes and a sharp pain every time I breathe stabs my side.

I hold my breath as long as possible to try to sooth it but as soon as I take in air again it continues its relentless pain.

I try to concentrate on the voices in the background instead of my aching body but can only pick up bits as my mind remains clouded.

"Possible... overdose... broken... could be punctured... emergency.." a deep voice bellows with authority. I hear other muffled voices and shuffling around me but am distracted by another sharp pain in my chest that intensifies as I started coughing uncontrollably, gasping for air with no relief.

I feel the hand on mine tighten and something warm run down my chin. It was wiped off gently.

"I'm sorry sir but you need to leave." A feminine voice says apologetically. His hand tightens more.

"No."

"It's in the best interest of your girlfriend that you stay in the waiting room so we can do what needs to be done. Your no help here." she states softly. I would have probably denied or even blushed at the mention of being Ian's girlfriend but at the moment my body doesn’t want to respond to any commands I give it.

I hear him sigh heavily before he loosens his grip on my hand and I feel a pang of disappointment as the comforting warmth leaves me. I feel a soft touch on my lips for a second before he completely leaves my side and I hear a door slam.

I savour the sweet tingling on my lips before I feel something less welcome touch my ribs and scream out in pain as another wave of burning spreads through me and aches at my side.

"The pain relief has worn off Dr." the same female voice from before state.

I feel the familiar sting from a needle but this time it’s in my hand. The content are injected and I wait impatiently for the high I'm so used to but it never comes.

Instead I feel everything quiet as the pain slowly eases into a satisfying dull ache. Eventually I fall deep into unconsciousness and the last thing I see in my mind is Ian's welcome blue eyes and gentle face looming over me.