Shattered Love

Chapter 8

Lyla's POV

"You're going to be just fine here. I promise that he is a good guy," Conrad whispered in my ear as he was leaving. I wasn't ready for him to leave and Kenzley wasn't happy about it, but we both knew that in order to stay safe we had to stay here and in the bottom of my heart I knew he wouldn't hurt us, but that didn't mean he wouldn't scare us in the meantime. The man was big and scary. He had these blue eyes that I wasn't sure if they were looking at me or in my soul sometimes and the way he talked. He never sounded happy. Always grumpy. He never laughed or even smiled.

"I know and thank you for always helping. I will find a way to pay you back one day."

"No, you saved my life first. Take this and if you need anything at all, use it. I don't care what it is for," he said, slipping a credit card into my hand. I tried to hand it back to him, but he wouldn't take it. I finally gave up, but I also wouldn't use it. I would have to find some sort of a job, and I also needed to get Kenz enrolled into a school of some type.

Conrad left out the door with Max right behind him. I grabbed Kenz and I pulled her up to our bedrooms. She had things to put away. We wouldn't be going anywhere until my father was found and once, he was out of the picture I would take her, and we would start over somewhere.

"You need to go and start putting your clothes away. Make drawers just like at home and when I'm done putting my clothes away, I will come and hang up your shirts."

"Do I have to? Miss Kitty wants to color a picture right now."

"You and Miss Kitty can color when your clothes are put away," I told her, and she wasn't happy about it, but she had to get it done. If I gave in now, she would never listen to me. We both heard the door slam shut, and I jumped, and her eyes grew wide. "It was just Max coming back inside. He is safe," I told her, and gave her a quick kiss on top of the head and walked out of her room and to mine.

I was still in shock at the state of the room. It had a large king-sized bed that I hoped would bring dreamless nights and I would finally get some sleep. The nightmares haven't stopped since I came home. I try so hard to hide them from Kenzley, but I know that she hears me sometimes because I've woken up with her asleep in my bed, and I've heard her telling Avery about them. I was a little surprised that no one had asked, but they also knew that I wouldn't talk about it.

After an ungodly amount of time spent sitting on the closet floor after my clothes were put away, I finally got up and went to Kenz's room, and she was sitting on the floor coloring. I could tell her clothes were put away because they were sticking out the drawers. She just looked up and smiled at me. I went to her closet, which wasn't as big as the one I had, but she didn't need it. I didn't need it.

We had managed to spend all day in her room. She didn't have toys to play with, and I didn't want to go downstairs and run into Max. I kept her occupied with color books and when that wasn't enough, I took her to my room and let her take a bath and that was the best idea ever because she spent an hour in there pretending to be a fish.

"I'm hungry Ly," she whined when I got her out and took her to her room to get into pajamas. It was early, but I was hopeful that I would be able to get her to go to sleep quickly tonight.

"How about you color another picture or, better yet, why don't you create me a book in your drawing pad and I will go downstairs and see what I can find for you to eat," I told her, and she nodded and happily ran to get her things.

I tiptoed downstairs not knowing where Max was, and I didn't want to interrupt him. I made it to the kitchen and didn't see him or hear him. This whole thing was weird, and I hated going through his things and I would have to get groceries tomorrow because I wouldn't eat all of his food.

I opened the fridge, and it was all things that either needed to be cooked, or Kenz wouldn't eat. I opened the pantry and the first thing I saw was a box of pasta and I knew there was milk and cheese in the fridge. I could make up some crappy mac and cheese. I found everything and got the pasta boiling on the stove and cut up some cheese because I couldn't find a cheese grater and I grabbed a glass for some water and filled it up with ice and gave it a minute to get ice-cold.

I heard the door open and slam shut and Max's light footsteps coming into the kitchen. I hadn't seen him since this morning and I honestly didn't want to, but I guess it was now or never. I could hear him getting closer and closer and the second he walked into the room I figured out I was wrong. Very very wrong. It was a man that wasn't Max. I dropped the glass at my feet, making it shatter, and I moved as fast as I could, grabbing the knife. I could feel the shards of glass cutting my feet, but I didn't care. I was supposed to be safe here, and I wasn't. This man would kill me and Kenz and not think twice about it.

I pulled the knife up like I was going to stab him, and I fought back the tears that were brimming my eyes. I wanted to cry and fall into myself, but I couldn't.

"Whoa, I was just looking for Maxten," he said, but I knew better. These men were good. They knew everything about you and used everything against you. I tried to step forward, but I could feel more glass pushing into the bottom of my feet.

"Don't move, and I will get you out of there," he said, taking a step closer, and I pulled the knife back even further and he stopped again. My heart was beating wildly in my chest to the point I thought it might explode.

"I'm just going to grab my phone and call Maxten," he said and reached into one pocket while keeping one hand up, but then I heard Kenz.

"Ly," she yelled, and had to be on the stairs from the sound of it and I didn't think I just acted. I ran towards the man with the knife back and ready to stab him. He stepped back and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"STOP," he yelled, but I didn't care. I lunged for him, and, to my shock, he didn't run away. He ran at me, hitting me full force, knocking us both to the ground. We landed with a thud that knocked the air out of my lungs.

"LYLA," Kenzley screamed when she came into the room, but I couldn't respond. I was trying too hard to get air back into my lungs.

Kenzley ran and tried to push him off me, but it didn't work. He grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him. "I'm not going to hurt you. I need Maxten. Can you go get him?" He asked Kenz, while holding my arm down that had the knife in it and sitting on top of me.

"Kenz go to your room," I said calmly, but I was anything but that. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and I could see her wanting to fight, but we've talked about this before, and she knows she is supposed to do whatever I say with no questions. I watched as one tear fell down her little round cheek, and she took off running. Her face broke me, and I wasn't going to let him do anything, and so while he watched her run away, I reached up and ran my fingernails down his face, scratching him as hard as I could. He let out a growl and squeezed my arm even tighter and the look in his eyes told me how much of a mistake that was. I dropped the knife, and he grabbed my other arm, pinning them both over my head.

"NO, please don't," I screamed, and I could feel the flight or fight kicking in and, for me, it was the flight. Black spots filled my vision, and it didn't matter how hard I tried.

"HELP," I screamed out, but it wasn't answered because it was weak. I had to pray that he wouldn't hurt Kenzley as blackness took over.