WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS VIOLENCE AND DOMESTIC ABUSE. DO NOT READ IF YOU CAN GET TRIGGERED.
Khael's POV
I stood for a few minutes watching the car drive out of my sight.
Why had he acted weird and just left without a word?
Good riddance anyways, he is more of a headache actually.
My keys jingle as I proceeded to unlock the door that led to my studio apartment but the door gave way even without me unlocking it.
That sent a chill down my spine and I paused briefly before slowly pushing the door open.
"Had Rowan forgotten and left it open?" I thought with a frown.
But as soon as I crossed the threshold of the door my nose caught the unfamiliar yet familiar scent, a scent that always sent chills down my spine and always made me run for cover and cried silently. That I had grown to despise and fear.
It sent a wave of anger and fear down my body.
The last time I came in contact with it was over a year ago.
Why is he here again? How did he find us so quickly?"
When the door opened fully I walked through the door and left the door slightly ajar. It's a habit I had grown used to in the past.
The man I had called father until a few years ago was sitting on the single couch in the small living space.
Rowan was sitting beside him with a terrified look on his face and his tears stained face tugged at my heart.
"What are you doing here?" I asked calmly, a part of me wished I could yell at him to leave.
"Give me some money, I need two thousand bucks". He said with a straight face. Not feeling any ounce of shame for the words that came out his mouth. The lines of his face had become more pronounced since the last time I saw him.
He looked at me like he was demanding what belongs to him.
"I don't have such money". I replied in a shaky voice and took a step back.
"Then what are you wasting your time fucking around for?
It's better you sell yourself at an auction and give me the money!" He yelled angrily and threw everything that was on the table in front of him.
His outburst brought back painful memories. He had been the reason I had plunged into this kind of life.
I had desperately tried to make money to take Rowan away from him.
"You should be ashamed of yourself for saying that! It's not my duty to give money to you. Work for some money if you need it!" I yelled angrily, losing it for a second
He had done this several times in the past, always spending everything I gave him on alcohol, gambling and other stuff that cannot be accounted for.
"What did you just say?" He yelled and lunged at me.
I did have enough time to react, I fell to the floor before I could move out of his way and he kicked me repeatedly on my stomach.
His kicks didn't stop until I had curled up like a ball and my stomach and chest ached. I retched violently as my stomach was trying to empty it content.
I thought he was done but he pulled me off the ground by the hair.
"There is no reason to keep this pretty face if it won't make me some money!". He bellowed and dragged me towards the sharp edge of the wall aiming to ram my face into the wall.
Rowan's scream pierced through the air suddenly and clung to his legs while weeping.
"Please don't hurt him". He cried and begged. He let me go momentarily to kick him off and I used the opportunity to move away but running away was impossible. I doubled over in pain as my inside twisted and bile travelled up my throat.
"I will be back in a week, you better have money ready for me or you will never see him again. I will sell him for money if you don't give me money". He yelled and dragged Rowan with him.
I ran after them as Rowan did not stop crying but he pushed my already frail body away from him and I crumbled to the ground weakly.
He left and dragged Rowan with him despite his wailing. I lay down on the ground in exhaustion and pain. Tears burnt my eyes and my vision blurred.
I had continuously fought and confronted this same monster over and over again for years. I had managed to help Mom escape from his death grip, but I got caught myself.
I had no idea how long I had lay in the same spot but I got up when my inside had finally settled and it no longer felt like I was going to throw up my internal organs.
I walked slowly to the bathroom, walking was painful and difficult.
The face that stared back at me in the mirror was unrecognisable.
I have a lump the size of a meatball on my forehead and a little space at my sideburns from where he ripped my hair.
A cut had also miraculously made its way to the side of my lips, all these seemed manageable but I was scared to lift my shirt.
After a few intakes of breath I lifted up my shirt and the sight before me brought fresh tears to my eyes.
It's been a long time since I had gotten bruises as bad as this.
The middle of my chest down to my stomach was reddish purple, blood had clotted beneath my skin from the kicks.
I looked nothing like I was a few hours ago.
But all that didn't seem to bother me except getting Rowan out of his clutch.
My current pay is quite low and I can't even raise a thousand in a month doing only that work except I go extra lengths to earn more. Having no one to turn to for help made it feel like I was drowning.
I stayed awake for most of the night and could not sleep at all. I stood up from the bed groggily to make breakfast when the day breaks until I remembered that I was alone. Rowan was gone.
No!, I can't keep letting this happen. Not when I have blood pumping through my heart.
I look relatively better than yesterday, I had put an ice pack on the lump on my forehead and it had gone down to a size that I could easily brush my hair on.
I didn't bother checking beneath my shirt before I took a jacket and left the house.