Chapter 26

Dawn’s POV

The dance was going well. Dinner was amazing and it ended around five. The hall we were at was actually at a beautiful hotel and was all golden and pearl . . . it was amazing. We were now out slow dancing and I was guessing it was around 6:30ish. Ian was being the ultimate gentleman and that had me kind of relaxed, but my mind was on edge.

The fact that Tony was a shout away sitting at the table was certainly comforting. I knew that if I needed him he would come running with the backup of Travis and maybe even Felix.

As if with that thought I doomed myself, Ian suddenly perked up.

“Come on, I want to show you something,” Ian smiled at me pulling me towards the stairs that led to the hotel rooms.

The unnatural amount of kindness now felt like the quiet before the storm and the fact that he was carrying me away from everyone else was really weighing on my mind. I looked back over the crowd searching and searching.

Please, please, Tony . . . where are you? I looked and looked and then finally I saw the table they were sitting at. Hannah was resting her back against Felix, Julie was sitting on Travis’s lap and they were deeply engaged in a kiss and Tony was sitting there with Lupa leaning into him. As she played with the collar of his shirt, he played with the napkin he was glaring at on the table.

Tony! Tony, please look at me! I begged in my mind sending him a secret distress symbol.

Suddenly he tensed up.

Lupa stopped her smirking and stepped back.

Tony’s head snapped up and he looked around worried but he was not able to spot me before Ian pulled me around a corner and out of site.

“Ian, where are we going? We really shouldn’t leave the dance yet,” I sighed.

“Why not . . . we weren’t having all that much fun anyways,” He shrugged and then stuck a key into the door and opened it. It was a suit and it was amazing.  It was huge and extravagant but the first thing I noticed was the large bed.

Oh shit . . . I have got to get out of here . . . Tony, where are you? My mind panicked. I looked for any possible exit.

As Ian closed the door and I heard the deafening click of it locking into place my heart picked up double time. My palms began to sweat and I started to get slightly light headed. I felt claustrophobic. The walls were closing in on me.

No, no the walls . . . worse, much worse. Ian was closing in on me.

I backed away but soon my back in the post of the bed. I looked behind me shocked and when My eyes shot back to Ian he was already right in front of me.

“Please, Ian, I said I was sorry. I didn’t mean to . . .”

“Shut the fuck up, Slut,” He snapped.

I flinched, feeling the slap of his harsh words as if they were his hand. I couldn’t take this. Not anymore. Tony had showed me who I really was. I wasn’t trash or useless. Tony loved me! I knew this deep in my heart . . . there was no stopping me now. Not with this courage he had given me . . . not with his love backing me up, protecting me.

“No!” I turned back to Ian with a glare.

“Excuse me?” He growled.

“I said no! I am done being abused by you! Tony loves me . . . no matter what you say I know that. Everything that leaves your mouth is a lie and I won’t have any more of it. If I am such useless trash to you, than you don’t need me. I am done. I am leaving you, Ian,” I snapped and then stepped around him.

For a moment there was hope. This glorious feeling of freedom that lifted the heaviest of weights of my chest. For a moment I could finally breathe for the first time in years. For a moment there was Tony and me and forever. For a moment there was love and light . . . and in the next there was pain . . . pure, ruthless, blinding pain.

“You ungrateful bitch!” He yelled as he took me to the ground with a slap. “I need you? Who the fuck do you think you are?” Slap. “You think you are that important?” Scratch. “I took care of you when everyone else left you!” Punch. “You were nothing before me. You hear me?” Thump. “And you’ll never be anything without me!” Kick.

With that he stood and looked down at my already beaten body.

“Get up! I said get up, you useless whore!” He growled and gripped my elbows tight, pulling me up so quickly my head snapped back with a painful jolt. I let out a weak whimper of pain.

“Oh, I’m sorry . . . Did that hurt?” He pouted sarcastically. “How about I take you mind off it,” He threw me on to the bed.

“No!” I cried as he climbed on top of me. “Stop! Ian, please!” I begged him.

I didn’t know what else to do. His large hands gripped the skirt of my dress tearing it. My heart spiked. Adrenaline began to kick in and I began to kick him.

“Stop!” I cried again. It was no use. Soon he had my swore arms pinned tightly over my head.

“Stop struggling damn it!” He growled in my face as his hand tightened on my wrist. I tried to pull out of his tight grip, but he was too strong and just before I was about to give up I heard a snap and then a scream. A blood curdling, horrifying scream.

It wasn’t until Ian’s hand released my wrist and covered my mouth roughly that I realized the scream was coming from me. I had broken my wrist. Then pain was enough to make my mind hazy.

“No . . .” I mumbled trying to fight to stay awake.

“You are only make this harder on yourself, babe,” His hot breath washed over my neck and I suddenly got the urge to vomit.

The tears spilled from my eyes as not only my mind, but my body realized there was no way out. I was already pinned and I couldn’t even begin to win power in this struggle.

That was until Ian sat back. Instinct kicked in. Using my good hand I shoved Ian’s grabbing hands away from me and kicked my way out of the bed. I was just about free when a hand latched around my ankle and yanked back.

I fell to the floor with a painful smack and the undeniable snap that came from my ankle followed by more pain shooting up my leg confirmed my broke ankle.

With that I was pulled back on to the bed and tucked back under Ian’s body.

He put all his pressure on me to the point where it was a struggle to breath. He shoved my legs apart and then began to pulled off his suit coat.

“No . . . please,” I begged weakly shaking my head.

His hand grabbed my jaw roughly, to stop my head. “Shut up, you little whore. I know you’ve been giving it up to that fucking mutt. Well, you were mine first and you are going to laying and taking me like you are fucking supposed to,” His lips brushed against mine as he fiercely growled, boring into my eyes. He pressed his lips to mine horribly and then bit my lip hard enough to draw blood.

He thrust into me causing a searing pain to shoot up from my hips.

I closed my eyes and let the single tear fall from my eye. The warm salty droplet left a cool trail down my cheek. It was the symbol of defeat.

This was finally it. This was the moment when Ian would finally end my life. I had put up with three years of endless abuse and somehow I always knew this would be my end. I was weak. I couldn’t even protect myself . . . All that matter to me is that with me gone Ian would have no reason to go after my mother. He would leave me hear and move on as if nothing had happened. My end would be my mother’s salvation.

There were prettier ways to go sure, but this was so realistic. Honestly, I had truly been dead for the last couple of years. I was empty inside.

Until these last weeks.

That was it! My mind rejoiced . . . no words of wisdom, no heroic last stance. I had nothing to leave this world with except the four tiniest words. Sure they were small but they had a power . . . a passion . . . a love . . . that could take on any army without breaking a sweat.

If I were to die I would want these words to be heard . . . as my last.

“I love you, Tony,” I breathed out.

“You whore!” Ian growled disgusted.

His hand came up.  Braced myself with a large breath. Pain shot across my entire face and then black.

I was done. That was it.

Black.