Page 52 of Pretty Lies (Watch Me Burn #1)

He cursed before stomping across the room and slamming the door behind him, his big, bad attitude suddenly extinguished. Even a stupid piece of shit like Tristan Holloway knew he wasn’t going to be excused from the Psychos’ revenge if they got their hands on him.

I’d just started to relax when I heard him yelling upstairs at Max, presumably on the phone. Max would likely be hiding out for a while, thanks to Josie’s threats of lawyers and prison.

I hoped the bastard hid forever.

I zoned the yelling out and focused on pretending to be anywhere but here, not realizing I’d drifted off to sleep until I heard the door creak quietly, my eyes flying open.

I held my breath, waiting for the unwanted touch, but it never came.

A small snort came from somewhere in the room, and then they muttered, “Jesus, Dad. A fucking sex dungeon?”

My ears pricked up, too many emotions washing through me at the familiar voice as I managed to rasp out, “Caden?”

It was silent for a second before footsteps moved quickly towards me, the panel around my waist lifting and causing me to blink against the sudden bright light. I was blinded, squeezing my eyes shut to stop the discomfort, and I jerked when a hand rested on my bare thigh.

“Rory? What the fuck?”

Hot tears of relief slid down my face as he quickly started untying my wrists and carefully removed the IV, my hands blindly searching for him for comfort. “Get me the fuck out of here.”

“Hang on. I’ve got you,” he said softly, helping me sit up on the edge. I couldn’t help myself as I wrapped my arms around him tightly, breathing him in as more tears fell.

It hurt to sit but I wasn’t going to let him go.

I reluctantly let my grip loosen as he stepped back, his eyes roaming over the damage his father had inflicted on me as fury filled his face.

“Dad did this?”

“Can we just go?” I sobbed, my hands clinging to the material of his hoodie. “Don’t leave me here.”

I was numb. So. Fucking. Numb.

“I’d never leave you,” he promised, yanking his hoodie over his head and helping me into it carefully, but when I went to stand, my legs wobbled from not using them. He gently hooked an arm under my legs and the other behind my back, cradling me against his chest without me even asking.

He knew I needed him, and for once, I pushed my pride down and didn’t argue.

We managed to make it out of the basement and almost got to the front door when Tristan’s voice hit my ears, making me flinch on instinct.

“What the fuck are you doing, Caden?”

He met his father’s eyes with a sneer, and I hated how I saw their similarities in that moment.

“I’m taking her home, you piece of shit. She’s one of mine, so don’t?—”

“One of yours? She’s a girl, for starters, but apparently, she’s with Skeeter Maddox. Don’t try that bullshit with me, boy,” he ordered, but Caden shook his head, obviously restraining himself from beating the shit out of him.

“I know she’s a girl. For your information, Skeet’s a friend of mine, and I hope he tears you apart limb from limb. I’ll be sure to tell him where to fucking find you.”

“You’d turn on me for this cunt?” he bellowed, fear written all over his face.

He stepped closer, and I burrowed into Caden more, my heart rate spiking.

What if Tristan snatched me back? I couldn’t go back in the box.

“You’re not going back in the box,” Caden murmured, placing a kiss on top of my head. I hadn’t realized I’d said it out loud.

“Max warned me that you’d taken a liking to her. You’ve got premium pussy on tap, why the fuck are you so interested in this one? She’s mine, you ungrateful bastard,” Tristan snapped.

“You’re disgusting. You really believe you have some kind of claim to her?” Caden hissed, stepping back to put more space between us and Tristan.

“She’s been mine since the first time I slid inside that sweet, virgin cunt.”

“You’re dead to me.” He started walking towards the door, and I jumped as Tristan shouted.

“I’m your father! Don’t walk away from me!”

“You’re not anything to me,” Caden said in a level tone, opening the door and glancing back over his shoulder. “I hope you rot in hell.”

“You won’t want her now that I’ve destroyed that pussy. She’s useless to you. If you take her, I’ll only bring her back and tear her apart all over again.”

That made Caden pause, and I panicked when he started lowering me to the ground.

“Caden, don’t?—”

“I’m not leaving you here,” he repeated, giving my hand a squeeze before letting me go and charging at Tristan. I cringed as he slammed his fists into his father’s face, the pair of them fighting like animals while I sat helplessly on the floor by the door.

Tristan got a few good hits in, but he couldn’t overpower Caden’s rage.

Blood spattered the floor, and I was starting to worry that Caden was going to kill him.

“Caden, stop!” I choked out, his fist stopping mid-swing as he looked back at me. Blood marked his face as he heaved in air, and I lifted a shaky hand to him. “You’re going to kill him.”

“He deserves it! Look at what he did to you!” he spat, his muscles relaxing a fraction as I flinched. He kicked his father in the ribs, leaving him groaning on the floor, then he made his way back towards me to lift me into his arms again. “Let’s go.”

I clung to Caden’s neck as we left the house and unlocked the car. I didn’t want to let him go, my grip on him tightening when he tried to place me in the passenger seat.

“C’mon, we need to get you home and check you for injuries,” he said softly.

“I can’t,” I forced out, and he rested his ass against the side of the car, tightening his hold on me.

“Okay, we can stand here a little longer.” He didn’t rush me, holding me silently until I was ready to let go, and then he gently placed me in the passenger seat and squatted beside me. “Did you want me to take you straight to the hospital?”

“I want Skeet,” I said in a panic, gripping his bloodied hand in mine. “Please, I?—”

“I can take you to him, he’s been helping us look for you. I’ll call him once we’re back in Ashburn.” I glanced around, and he answered my silent question. “We’re in Kingslake. Dad moved here after Mom kicked him out.”

He gave my hand one last squeeze before pulling back to shut the door, and I watched him walk around the front of the car to the driver’s seat, not wanting to lose sight of him.

This didn’t mean I forgave him for hurting me, but I also needed his familiar comfort right now.

I didn’t mean to fall asleep, but I jerked awake when the car stopped, panic instantly rising inside me when I realized we weren’t at home.

“Where the fuck are we?”

“It’s okay, we’re at Jensen’s place. His was the closest, and I don’t want to deal with Mom right now. I’ve called Skeet, and he’s on the way here,” he explained as he helped me out of the car to carry me inside.

The staff were gone, so Caden let himself in with a key, switching off the alarm system on the way.

Once we were in the living room, he sat on the couch to cradle me, and I buried my face in the crook of his neck to calm myself with his familiar scent. I ached everywhere, and my head thumped like someone had stomped on it repetitively.

I wanted a bath more than anything. A bleach bath.

“Where’s Jense?” I asked when I realized we were alone.

“At the Shed with the others. I was supposed to grab some of Dad’s dodgy contacts then meet the guys there so we could go through the list together and see if we could find some way to trace your whereabouts.”

“Max cut him another deal. He wanted me gone, so he said Tristan could keep me this time,” I forced out, his body tensing beneath me.

“He sold you to Dad?”

“Gifted me, more like it. He’s pissed that I fucked everything up for him.”

“You don’t have to worry about him anymore. Mom won’t let him near you. I’m so sorry, baby. I had no idea you were even there,” he said quietly, his voice breaking.

“This doesn’t fix what you broke, you know? But thank you,” I whispered, and he studied my face with a sigh.

“I know. No matter what, I’ll always come for you when you need me. Even if you hate me.”

We stayed like that for a while in silence until the door burst open and Skeeter stalked in with Jensen, Lukas, and Tyler behind him.

“Where the fuck was she?” Skeeter demanded, his angry tone calming me more. He cared, and he seemed genuinely freaked out about the whole thing.

“She’s been locked up in Dad’s fucking basement this whole time. Max cut him a deal to take her,” Caden explained through clenched teeth, not looking at anyone as he kept me tightly in his arms.

Jensen’s worried eyes landed on mine as he took a step forwards, slowly moving in my direction to ensure he didn’t scare me. I knew what he was going to ask before he even asked it.

“Babe, did he?—”

I nodded once, letting him know that his thoughts were correct, and I watched as he sank to the ground in front of me with his head in his hands. He looked like he was in physical pain as he processed it, letting the truth sink in.

Skeeter’s hands were in fists as he stared at Caden, looking like he was ready to murder someone. Chances were high that he intended on it.

“Your dad’s had her all this time? Raping her? My fucking girl ?”

“Not your girl,” Lukas muttered, earning a death-glare from him in return.

“She’s more mine than yours, dickbag.”

“Don’t fight,” Caden warned firmly as I became more tense at the thought of a physical fight breaking out. I was exhausted, an emotional wreck, and I just wanted to go to bed.

I lifted my head and reached for Skeeter, tucking myself against his chest as he lifted me from Caden’s lap. I was in Skeeter’s arms again. I was safe.

I kept my voice low as I spoke, not trusting myself to keep my emotions in check if I explained everything in detail.