Love's Delusion || ✓

Chapter Thirty Three

 CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

I ran as fast as I could. I was terrified.

"Veronica!" I heard bellow through the house, echoing despite the fact he was only inches away from me.

Aaron had released me for one second when I had made the decision to run, a poor decision in an even poorer situation. I felt his fingers curl in my hair as my head jerked backward. I screamed as my body involuntarily lunged itself into the wall.

"Aaron!" I cried out, trying to claw at his face as he got closer but he only grabbed my wrists tight as he held them in place. " Please, please I'm sorry!" I sobbed. My words sent me in déjà vu, the words I had continuously said to him during our relationship.

He didn't respond, only grunted as he pulled my body up by my wrists. "Please..." I whispered, my voice cracking at my tears continued to trail down on my face.

How did it come to this? How broken was I to fall in the arms of someone who was—impossibly—more broken than I was. I looked up from my wet lashes to see Aaron look down at me, an emotionless look on his face that pushed me further through my terror.

I was frightened.

"Oh, my baby." Aaron began soothing me, one of his hands releasing it's grip from my wrists only to gently caress my shaky jaw. "You never denied." My brows knitted together as confusion filled my muddled up head. He noticed it then carried on, he sighed with now both his heads on my jaw. "You never denied cheating."

My eyes widened a fraction but before I could do anything, he leaned his head back for a split second before bringing it back down to head with crash. I cried out in pain as I felt the blood rush through my head, unable to fall to the ground as Aaron held me in place.

"You're a dumb little bitch, I hope you know that I'm doing this because you basically asked for it." I spat blood out of my mouth as I registered his words. Did I ask for this? He snatched my face from the side and made me face him, his fingers gripping tightly on my cheeks as they forcible pouted my lips. "You understand that right, Roni?"

The nickname that I once swooned to hear now made me sick, just hearing his voice in general made me sick and I wanted nothing more than to make it end.

The man in front of me was a monster and he destroyed me for years—and I wasn't the only one.

"Daryl..." I managed to spit out, his hands restricting me from properly speaking. He froze a moment; maybe he hadn't heard me clearly. He took his hands off of my face as if he was touching fire.

"What?"

I swallowed, my throat dry and my voice cracked. "Did Daryl ask for it?" Aaron flinched for a split second, before slitting his eyes at me. Instantly, he flung his fist into the side of my face causing me to the tumble to the side table of the bed.

He pushed me on my back then proceeded to straddle me. His hands quickly found my neck as he gripped tightly but didn't go any further before saying; "Maybe you could go and ask her."

I couldn't breathe, his hands on my neck got instantly tighter after his words and I was unable to focus on anything but his hands.

As I tried to fight him off, all I could think of was the family I did have; the family that I thought I would never get back while being with Aaron. 

If I was in this position three months ago maybe I wouldn't be fighting-- all I believed I had was Aaron, if I didn't have him I didn't have anything to life for. But now? I had Ellie to live for, I had Carter to live for, I had their baby daughter-- my baby niece-- Ann to live for, and I had Gage to live for. 

I didn't want to die.

My hands clawed at Aaron's and my legs were flaying about before him. He paid no attention to what was happening about him as his sole focus was on my pulsing throat. I couldn't breathe as my body involuntarily went to get more air, I couldn't—Aaron was restricting it.

As I moved on the ground, my head banged on the side desk from behind me and the lamp the table wobbled slightly. My widened eyes were red as I clawed for air and they flickered to the lamp on the desk.

As an instinct, my hand shot up to the lamp and as soon as it was in my grasp, I swung for Aaron's head. The bulb smashed on his head as he collapsed to the ground with a loud thud on the wooden floor. He grunted on the ground, focusing on the pounding that was most likely occurring in his head and I took this moment to jump from my position on the floor-- ignoring the shooting pains-- and ran out of the room.

My mission was to get out of the house, but he was too fast. As soon as I reached the door he was already on his feet and charging at me. In that very moment, I didn't know what else to do as I sped the corner and found myself in the bathroom.

Quickly, I was fast with my hands as I slammed the door and twisted the lock. In an instant Aaron was on the other side of the door, banging it with all his might. 

"Open the fucking door, Roni!" I backed away from the door, my heart beat so loud I could hear it in my eyes. I was going to die, there was no way I could get out of this. I couldn't fight him, I was too weak. 

Fuddling with my back pocket, I managed to get my phone out. With shaky hands, I called the first person that was on my call list. 

Sorry, but the person you are trying to reach is una-- 

Fuck sake Ellie! I stifled a cry, biting my lip as I clutched my phone tightly in my hands, pressing it to my forehead as I listened to my breath.

"Roni! Don't make this harder than it has to be!" I heard Aaron shout from the other side of the door.  I let out a shaky breath, leaning my head back on the tiles for a second before going through my phone.

"Come on, please..." I whispered to myself as I heard the phone to my ears.

Two rings and he answered. 

"Hey V, what's up?" I heard Gage's deep voice through the phone, sending waves through my body that calmed me slightly. I didn't feel too scared of dying after hearing his voice. "Veronica? You there?" I didn't answer but Aaron did.

"Veronica you fucking bitch! I will knock this door down, you good for nothing whore!" Aaron roared through the house, my body shaking in fear as I heard him and the grip on the phone tightened. 

"Veronica, was that Aaron?" Gage's voice that was once calm and collected as now rushed and fearful. "Where are you, Veronica? Tell me!" 

"I'm sorry," my voice was cracked and nothing but a whisper as I responded, my eyes shut tight as I tried sniffling away the tears. "I just wanted to get my things from the house, I didn't know he would be here." 

"V baby, you don't need to apologise okay? I'm coming to get you, it'll be alright baby." I knew he was just trying to make me feel better, but it didn't work-- no matter how buttery and warm his voice was to me. I could faintly hear from the other side of the phone the shut of a car door. "I'm coming baby, okay? Stay on the phone with me V, I'll be there in no time." He spoke hurried as he made his way. 

"Gage--"

"It'll be alright baby, I'm coming!" He kept repeating himself, almost as if he was trying to make himself believe it as well as myself. Too bad it won't be alright. 

It won't. 

"Gage, I love you." I didn't hear his response as Aaron chose that moment to slam down the door, the door ripping from it's hinges and falling down to the ground with a loud slam.