Someone Hiding in the Shadows...

119 - I want to break free

 Jarod grabbed my wrist with force, gripping so tightly it hurt. Determined to get away, I utilised my free hand to hit him as hard as I could, desperate to defend myself.

My life and that of my unborn child, felt as though it was in the balance. Moving from my body one side to the other, I tried to avoid Jarod grabbing my other wrist. He grasped me so tight with his hand, that he bruised me with his grip.

My mind went into over drive. May be my child was the one reason I was not dead yet. My mouth went dry and I desperately tried to cling to anything I could with my free hand, as he dragged me closer to the balcony edge.

Jarod yanked my arm roughly. In pain, I screamed out between my parched lips. In response, Jarod turned abruptly and looked at me. His eyes were black and cold. As a cold shiver slid down my spine, I let out a further scream.

All I could do was hope that someone would hear my screaming and raise the alarm. Maybe Mrs Pattison would help if she heard me. She was a caring type. What else could I do? This was my only chance to get out of here alive.

Jarod's eyes narrowed and his cheeks pinched as he drew closer and I felt his breath on my face.

"Be quiet bitch!" Jarod spat at me, the spit covering my cheeks, as his arm raised up at speed and his free hand hit me with such force that as his fist collided with my face, I half spun round with the force of it, I cried out. The blow made my face feel on fire, his knuckles had caught the bridge of my nose and I could feel blood escape from my nostrils and drip down my face. I felt the stickiness, attach to my neck and the dampness on my clothes.

If his thought was to control my screaming, his attack on me had the reverse affect. I couldn't stop myself. The noise of my terrified cries filling the room.

"Help me, I think he's going to kill me," I looked down at the claret stain on my clothes and then at him. Backwards and forwards. Screaming and sobbing.

The blood didn't stop flowing. Engulfed in a cold wet sweat, my throat felt unable to cry out any longer, spent and exhausted.

My head was spinning and ached with scenarios. Maybe he wanted to hurt me. Or did he would want me to live until I had the baby but what then? The alternative was Jarod didn't care about me at all and I was just breeding fodder, a commodity that could be discarded. A sick feeling swam over me at that thought. No, I didn't want to think that. Something still didn't add up, as sometimes he had acted like the perfect fiancé, though a little overbearing at times. Other times he worried ridiculously about me, even if it was out of control or unreasonable.

Still, at the moment the man before me didn't feel safe to be alone with and I needed to escape.

My head felt heavy and my body hurt with every move I made, as Jarod's punches landed on my arms and face; red plasma mingled with silent tears.

Was his plan for him and Theodora to take the baby, just as they had with Emily?

Suddenly he stopped and an eerie quiet filled the room. Jarod stepped back rubbing the side of his left ear and then ran his hand through his hair on the same side, all the time muttering incoherently.

I wasn't sure what would happen next but I had to try and make him see sense.

"If you carry on hitting me you'll kill me and the baby. Is that what you want Jarod?" I gasped.

"Maybe..."he said, "It's a chance, I'm willing to take... or maybe, I'll kill you and take the baby from you."

I wanted the wall to swallow me up and conceal me, hide me from this crazy man. The pain in my head hurt so much, I thought it would explode.

My hand dropped to my side as he let it go. Jarod's words were still indecipherable.

Cautiously, I spoke to him softly, "I can't hear what you are saying Jarod?"

He stared at me, his eyes seemingly darker than before.

"Jarod talk to me, you're frightening me."

I screamed out, as he remained silent. The quietness and the strange looks, un-nerving me. Protectively, I put my hands over my stomach and began edging slowly but purposely along the floor, as far away as I could from him. Trying not to make any sudden movements.

No one had come. I needed to make a noise that might attract attention.

My options were limited but it seemed to me my only option was to make Jarod angrier, so he would shout back at me. I would not let him and Theodora raise my child as their own and become another Emily. Even if it took every ounce of strength in my body, I would do everything in my power to stop that ever happening.

Recollections of the day I saw Jarod passionately kissing Theodora at the hospital came soaring back into focus, as tears filled my eyes and words flowed onto my lips.

I couldn't hold the words that fell like an avalanche out of my mouth. "I saw you kissing Theodora. You weren't faking. Why would you kiss your ex-wife that way? You're engaged to me. Does our relationship mean nothing to you?"

Jarod spun round on his heels, his dark brows pulled down together and his eyes bulged like bubbles about to explode as Jarod's lips tightly closed and thinned.

Edit 2.5 August 2017

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I have dedicated this chapter to my fellow NBR member MarizaHaris