My Way Out

Chapter 5- Broken, now healing

Lucas's POV

The bruises on my ribs ached every time I took a breath. This was nothing compared to the weight on my chest. The night before had been a blur of pain and rage, fists and the echo of the commands I dared not disobey. Peter taught me a lesson, one that left more than just physical scars.

I stared out of the cracked room in the estate, the sunlight was too bright for the kind of world I was trapped in. I now live in. A bandage wrapped around my wrist and my jaw was still throbbing.

I was doing everything in my power to avoid Deborah. I didn't want her to see the bruises. I didn't want her to hear any of it. But I am sure she did. I couldn't bare the thought of her looking at me with such pity.

A soft knock startled me.

Then a louder one came after.

‘Lucas?”

I didn't answer. I couldn't answer.

“Lucas, I know you're there. You've been avoiding me all day. I am not leaving until you open this door.”

I flinched at the sound of her voice. I ran my hand over my face, my heart pounded in my chest trying to escape. I was conflicted. My heart tells me that I am scared, but I should let her in. My brain, however, reasons with me that now isn't the best time. Going against my better judgement, I let out a reluctant sigh and limped over to the door. Slowly, I unlatch the door.

She stood there on the threshold, eyes wide and glassy. She stepped in without invitation, the concern on her face slicing through my guarded expression.

“Lucas…”

I turned my back to her. I didn't want her to see me like that.

“Don't, please don't.”

“Don't what? Pretend I didn't hear you crying? Or even shouting?” Her voice cracked. “What happened to you?”

My jaw clenched. “You won't understand.”

“Then make me understand.”

Her hand was on my shoulder. I felt a surge of electricity run through me. This wasn't something of love. No. It was a surge of fear.

I turned slowly, letting her see the darkness that had engulfed me. She saw the bruise on my cheekbone, the swelling on my lower lip. Her gasp cut through the tension like a blade.

“I told you not to come,” I said with a low voice but yet a demanding tone.

But the resilient Deborah stepped forward anyway. “Well, that's a little too late, I have vowed to never leave you alone.”

My composure cracked. Just slightly.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my shoulders were trembling. Deborah sank beside me, the space between us was charged and fragile.

“They said to stay away from you,” my voice was barely above a whisper. "They said I needed to learn obedience. Discipline.”

Her hand found mine, tentative but firm. “I will always love you, Lucas.” Her tone was soft, which broke me even more.

Tears started sliding down my cheeks, silent yet loud, wiped yet unstoppable. I wanted to hide from everything.

Deborah leaned in, her eyes brimming with hope. The light I needed.

“I won't leave you, I'll never leave you.”

She slowly lifted her hand to my face, brushing her thumb beneath my eye. On contact, I closed my eyes and leaned into her palm, starving for warmth.

In the quiet between us, we kissed. It was soft, hesitant at first. It was like a breath shared, a confession in motion, but then it deepened, pulling emotions from every hidden place inside both of us. Our lips moved slowly, deliberately, like we were trying to say all the things we hadn't spoken about yet.

My hand threaded through her hair, meanwhile she choked my cheek. The pain faded, momentarily the noise died and for a fleeting moment, no, a second it was just us.

The sounds of sudden footsteps in the hall pulled us apart and the moment shattered like glass.

The sterile light of the hospital room stung my eyes.

I blinked slowly, the world still spinning enough to remind me of my mistake. My mouth tasted of cotton and regret. My head throbbed in sync with my pulse.

Amidst all of that, I felt the warmth.

A hand wrapped around mine. Familiar and steady.

I turned my head to Deborah curled up beside the hospital bed. I smiled at the sight of her. She was in a cheap plastic chair and her head had tilted slightly as if she had just dozed off. Her fingers, however, remained firmly laced with mine, like she never wanted to let me go.

My breath was caught up in my throat, yet I was able to groan. “Deborah.”

Immediately, she stirred, her eyes snapped open and relief flashed across her face like sunlight.

“You're awake,” she smiled.

“I feel like death,” I muttered, trying to sit up.

“Oh no you don't.” She gently pressed my shoulder back down. “The doctor said you have to lay down for at least another few hours.”

“You've been here the whole time?” I asked, my eyes widening in both shock and appreciation.

She gave a small shrug. “Well, I don't want the last place you were seen to be on my doorstep now, do I? Besides, if I left you, who's going to sign my next paycheck?”

My lips tugged at the corner. “Are you always this cheeky?”

“Only with men who collapse in front of my door like overly dramatic telenovela characters.”

A genuine chuckle escaped my mouth. It made my ribs hurt.

She must have noticed the pain because a look of concern appeared on her face.

“Do me a favor and laugh a little less,” she pushed a fake smile. “You look like hell.”

My gaze lingered on her face. “Still better than seeing you cry though.”

The smile faltered just a bit. There was something raw in my voice. I could tell. Neither of us acknowledged it.

“Why Lucas, Why drink like that?” She gently squeezed my hand.

Silence engulfed us. The room, the world came to a stop as it was waiting for my answer.

My gaze flickered towards the ceiling.

“I had to forget, I needed to forget.”

“Forget what?” She asked softly.

My jaw tightened. “Some memories that don't deserve company.”

The deflection stung, but she didn't press.

I think she could sense I was lying. I don't know. Maybe my eyes betrayed me.

It hurts me that I have to keep this a secret from her, but she couldn't know.

Another silence stretched between us.

The door opened, and a nurse stepped in with a clipboard. “You're cleared for release, Mr Blackridge. We have arranged a wheelchair for you and contacted your driver.”

I sat up slower, wincing. “It's fine I can walk.”

Deborah helped me into my shoes and I put my arm around her as she pulled me closer to her.

When we got out of the hospital, the black SUV was parked outside with the driver outside smoking a cigarette.

I looked up to him, making eye contact with him, and he hurriedly came over to me and helped me into the car.

“Put out that cigarette, before you get fired.”

“Sorry sir.”

“Deborah, please come with me."

She sat beside me and I leaned back and put my head on her shoulders and closed my eyes.

The hum of the city outside lulled us into a quiet that didn't feel awkward anymore. It was more of a moment of understanding.

That's what I hoped at least.

“You sure you're okay?” She asked, caressing my hair.

“You want the truth?”

The vibrations from her shoulder indicated a nod.

“No, I am not okay, but I'm better now.”

“You're lucky I was home, I was planning on eating out that night.”

“Well, would you look at that? You always had an instinct to save me.”

I could tell her cheeks flushed a little, but she looked out the window. “Don't flirt with me when you're fragile, I find that manipulative.”

“Sorry, I can't help myself, I love that look on your face.”

For a while, silence had settled, but this time, it was more understanding.

The silence was broken when Deborah realized something was off. “How many houses do you have?”

“Why?” I asked with my eyes closed.

“This place looks too… rural to me.”

My brows furrowed at her response and I glanced at the tilted window.

The driver was taking us to my house of illegal businesses.

“I have a second one just in case I need some time alone.”

I prayed to God that there wasn't any panic in my voice.

The car pulled into a quiet estate that was gated and shadowed by trees.

“This looks untraceable.”

“You don't need to worry, no one can hear your moans of ecstasy here.” I intentionally said that to make her feel at ease and to wipe that concerned look off her face. “I just need to check something here, if you don't mind, please come with me.”

She hesitated, she crossed her arms along her chest and looked down.

“I'll need someone to make sure I don't pass out again.”

“Then why are you paying them?” Her head looked up like it was pointing to my guards.

“Please, you are my only joy,” I said sincerely.

I pulled out my hand, and she grabbed it, and we slowly made our way into the lavish house. I limped slightly, leading the way down a wide hallway.

“What is this place?” She asked, her curiosity finally getting the better of her, making her break her silence.

“I thought I had already told you.”

“Sorry, the security guards are putting me off.”

“Don't worry, they don't bite,” I smirked.

“Why are we here?”

I let out a loud sigh of annoyance. She could be childish sometimes. I mean just shut up and observe your surroundings or something.

“Because I have been wasted, and I want you to look after me, privately.”

“Besides, I am part of a group of people who want to take over the world, and you are safer not knowing anything more, also if I leave you alone you'll start asking questions.”

“Of course,” she smiled, rolling her eyes.

She locked her arm around mine as we both made our way to the kitchen.

I may have to fire the driver. He is new but still.

How could you think of this place to be the first place to take me?

A door with three rooms down the hall was locked and behind it, it was muffled with reinforced walls, but you could still hear the faintest thud of a chair shifting.

A groan.

His cousin was still alive, but he was a captive.

I needed answers before I could let him go.

Deborah was only steps away from the door. Only a few steps from the darkness.

But for now she was standing in my kitchen, making tea and sometimes rolling her eyes at what seems to be my stubbornness.

The air between us was filled with intimacy and tension.

She set the cup in front of me. “What are you thinking about?”

I lifted the cup up and took a sip. “Why is your tea so damn good?”

“Flattery gets you nowhere,” she blushed.

“Well, on the contrary, it got me here with you, didn't it?”

Her expression softened. “Your driver got you here, and you had to make up a sob story of fainting so that I can stay.”

Our gaze met and in the quiet of the kitchen, the soft light pooling through the windows making something shift between us. The wall between past and present… cracked.

But then…

A sound, faint from deep inside the house.

Deborah turned.

“What was that?”

For a second, I froze as she started toward the hallway.

“Deborah, wait…”

But it was too late. She was already walking towards the locked door in the hallway.

Another thud came from the door and I winced.

“Lucas… what's behind this door?”

A million answers ran through my mind.

Not your business.

It's the dog.

It's the cat.

It's my aunty, she's sick.

I don't know what to tell her.

Before I could answer, the doorknob twitched.