Formula One - One-Shots Collection - Complete

16 (2) - Daniel Ricciardo

My mind was in disarray as I stared up at my reflection in the mirror. I felt the tears in my eyes as I saw how much of a mess I was. My right eye was swollen shut, my bottom lip was bust open and around my neck were purple bruises in the shape of handprints and fingerprints. How had I managed to get myself in this situation? I found myself with no way out of it, not at the moment anyway. 

"Kiara!" His voice was loud and demanding as he started to bang on the bathroom door. "Open the door, baby!" He was using pet names, but I knew there was no way he wanted anything good right now. 

Nervously I walked towards the door, just as I went to grab the handle he violently hammered on the door making me jump back. "If you don't open this door right now, I'm going to kill you, you fucking bitch!" The words were spat angrily, I didn't need to see his face to know how livid he was. 

I unlocked the door, but before I could open the door, it swung open smashing against the wall behind it. My eyes widened as I found myself face to face with my irate partner, he quickly grabbed hold of my hair and pulled me out of the bathroom. 

"Please, Josh," I begged as I grabbed hold of his hand that was in my hair. The pain was horrendous as he dragged me down the stairs, my feet struggling to keep up with him. "Josh!" I tried to get his attention, "I'm sorry." I didn't know exactly what I was apologising for, but it was worth a try, "I'm so sorry."

Once we were downstairs, he threw me against the wall, my back hitting it hard before I slumped down it. "You really are weak," he sneered as he sat on the sofa and stared at me as I cowered on the floor. "I know you were with him again."

"He's just a friend," I tried to explain. 

Josh picked up a mug from the coffee table, throwing it in my direction. It narrowly missed my head as it smashed into a thousand pieces next to me. "You'll never see him again," he said calmly as he watched me. When I didn't speak for a moment, he seemed to move at lightning speed to me, his hand pulling me up by my arm sharply. "Never see him again," he warned me in a deadly whisper as he glared at me. He threw a punch at my face before he let me drop to the floor before he stalked off up the stairs, leaving me alone. 

Closing my eyes, I let the tears fall silently as I stayed in the small spot I was in. My hands were shaking, my body was trembling as my whole body throbbed. There was nothing here that was keeping me here, there were no belongings that couldn't be replaced. Everything was replaceable, but I was not. 

Slowly, I managed to make it to my feet. My hands shaking as I listened for movement from Josh. Using the wall to guide me, I got to the front door. I put my hands on the handle before taking a deep breath then pulling the door open and taking the chance, leaving the house as quickly as possible.

I didn't even care that I had no shoes or socks on, the hard floor hurting my feet as I managed to break into a run away from the house that I had lived in for the last year. Weaving through the alleys, I dodged people and stray animals before I got to my destination. I walked up the driveway of old of my closest friend's house, my hand trembling as I knocked on the door. 

When the door opened, I was surprised to see a woman opening the door. "Can I help you?" She asked me as she raised an eyebrow at me. 

"Who are you?" I blurted out as I stared at her. 

She flipped her brown hair back, "Who are you?" She repeated my question as she crossed her arms over her chest. 

"Where's Daniel?" I asked her as the security light finally came on lighting up my broken face. 

Her eyes were full of surprise when she saw me in the light. "Daniel!" She shouted loudly yet she didn't take her eyes off me at all. "Daniel!"

I waited before he appeared behind her, then he looked directly at me. "Ki?" His stare was intense as he looked at my face before he pushed passed the woman at his door before putting his hands on my cheeks, moving my face into the light so he could see it more. "What happened?"

"Don't," I begged him as tears filled my eyes again as I stared into his big brown eyes. "Please, just let me come in.

He backed away from me before offering his hand out towards his home, I quickly bolted into his house and through into the living room. My eyes landed on the two wine glasses on the coffee table and a cheesy film on the television, I turned back to see Daniel in the doorway, the woman standing behind him in the hall putting her coat on. 

"I'm so sorry," I quickly apologised as I looked up at him. "I should never have come here, I didn't mean to interrupt anything-"

He held his hand up, "Don't be stupid. You are welcome here anytime, you can come here as much as you like, as long as you are safe."

My eyes stared at the brunette who was looking back at me now she had her jacket on. "But your date?"

Both Daniel and the woman laughed as she stepped forward and stood next to him, "Oh, sweetie." The woman smiled as she looked at me, "I'm surprised Daniel hasn't mentioned me." She walked towards me and offered her hand out to me, "Chloe, this lummox here is my brother."

 If I could have the ground swallow me up right now, I would have gladly have jumped into the hole. "Brother?" I sheepishly looked between them as I shook her head. 

"I would say it's lovely to meet you," she spoke as she looked at my face. "But every time I hear about you it's never good-"

Daniel groaned, "Chlo!"

She looked at her brother before she looked back at me, she leaned close to me and spoke in my ear so only I could hear her. "You deserve so much more than you have." She stepped back and smiled at me, "Take care." She said her goodbyes before she left me standing there with Daniel. 

I looked over at him, his eyes were full of sadness and guilt. "Why do you let him do this to you?" He stepped forward and traced his fingers gently over my face, "I wish you could see he's no good for you, Ki."

"I'm not going back," I whispered as I put my hands over his before threading my fingers through his as he held my face. "Can I stay here?"

He nodded at me, "I'm not letting you go anywhere near that animal again." Daniel kissed my forehead, "I promise I will do whatever I can to protect you." He squeezed my fingers before he closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against mine, "Whatever you need, Kiara, I'll do my best to give it to you."