Hold On to Me
“You got another thing coming if you think you can take off so easily. That’s my kid, you bitch.”
“It may not be yours,” she spat out, finding the courage deep down.
Ben pulled back slowly, but he left the death grip on her arm. Realization in his dull gray eyes formed. “I had a feeling that pansy fucked you too. You were so easy to get in bed. All I did was grin and you opened your legs for me, just like that one girlfriend of his.”
“So you did take his girl.”
“I didn’t take anything when she willingly gave it
to me. Just like you did that first time with you. It was too easy. You were no challenge after a few shots of tequila.”
“You’re a liar,” she snarled. “Do you have some sick obsession with him and want what he has?” Where was this courage coming from?
Realization dawned on her. “That … night,” she whispered. “I blacked out but woke up with an ache. I had a feeling something happened but I would’ve never thought …”
“All I had to do was work you up real good and slide right in. So simple … You were a good fuck until you had to get pregnant and fat—“
“I’m not fat!” Alyssa yelled, and then spit in his face. Digging deep, she shoved Ben away from her. He stumbled back but quickly found his footing. She couldn’t believe her ears.
A sneer spread across his face and her heart dropped into he r stomach.
His nails dug into her skin and she winched. Ben noticed her pain and dug deeper. “This is for thinking you can get rid of me so fast,” he punched her side so hard she felt a crack and lost her breath. Her heart lodged in her throat. For a split second Alyssa was glad it was her ribs that Ben hit and not her stomach. Her ribs might fracture, even break, but her baby could be saved.
Alyssa crumbled, her legs giving out, but Ben dragged her back up. She couldn’t even cry. The pain was so intense it left her speechless.
“This is for dragging me along thinking it was my kid.” He backhanded her across the face and she tasted blood in her mouth. “This is for having me arrested, you fucking whore.” The burning sting on the other side of her face was from Ben backhanding her again. “And this is for screwing up my life,” he roared, before swinging his fist around and punching Alyssa in the temple.
Ben hit her so hard her vision blurred. A dirty boot came at her legs, and wailing to her arms with his dirty fists. She couldn’t fight his abuse off so she curled into a ball to protect her stomach. Ben picked her up by her hair and she cried out, reaching for his wrist hoping he’d release the pressure on her head. Her feet shuffling across the worn carpet as he dragged her into his room and threw her to the ground. Alyssa looked over her shoulder, her hair matting her tear stained face. Ben slammed the door shut, locking it behind him before he stalked over to her.
One thought crossed her mind before her eyes closed, please let my baby be okay.
Low, hushed voices caused Alyssa to stir. Her face was pounding, her eyes swollen and she groaned in pain. A beeping sound replayed in the background, one that she would normally find annoying but didn’t seem to care at that moment.
Confusion swirled in her head, and the pain it caused was severe. Where was she?
Her hand was enveloped between two others. She moved her fingers trying to get a feel of who it was, but it was a struggle. As she tried to open her eyes, she heard, “Shhh …” and relaxed immediately. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that voice and knew she was safe, so she drifted back to sleep.
Alyssa took a deep breath and exhaled, opening her eyes. The bright florescent lights nearly blinded her dry eyes. Turning her head, she spotted a dirty blonde buzzed head.
Johnny? His clothes were rumpled and his back was to her as he rested his head on the mattress with the rest of his body in a chair. He was sleeping and holding her hand at the same time.
Confused, Alyssa took in her surroundings. IV’s were hooked up to the crest of her elbows, gauze bandages wrapped haphazardly on her arms.
How in the …
Alyssa gasped so deeply that her lungs burned. Her baby!
Immediately, she reached for her stomach shuffling the blankets off of her and lifting her hospital gown, bearing her stomach. Her heart was in her throat, tears clogged her eyes.
Please … please …
Alyssa ran her hands over her stretched skin but found no sign of bruising. Thank you, Lord. She rubbed her stomach in circles, trying to comfort her baby. Her emotions took over, her jaw burning as it shook.
Alyssa’s head lulled back when hot tears began streaming down her cheeks. Covering her face with her hands, she cried silent tears in the quiet hospital room. She thanked God she was okay, but prayed that her baby was as well.
She needed to buzz for a doctor.
Suddenly, it was all too much. The past and present slammed into her and she broke down. Her chest ached from holding everything in, from the abuse she was dealt, from the fear she lived in, from her mother rejecting her and everything that had happened since moving to South Fork.