I sighed, closing my apartment door behind me. Things hadn't exactly gone as planned- I was back home…alone. She'd insisted that she had to go back to that shitty little flat of hers and told me that I couldn't go with her. I threw my jacket over the back of the leather sofa and slung myself onto to it, burying my head in the pillows. I knew she wanted to be with me- why couldn't she just accept what she was feeling. Peyton Sawyer was never one for truly sharing what was going through that complicated mind of hers though. She'd always been like this. If ever there was a problem, an argument, she'd just run. Whenever we'd had a fight it would always end with her storming out and drowning her sorrows with a bottle of wine. I wish I could just get through to her that there isn't a thing she could do that would make me think less of her, there wasn't a thing she could tell me that would make me love her any less. I'm completely in love with her and I guess when you're in love with someone you accept them for who they are. I wish she could just open up and tell me what she's scared of, why she's scared of us being together. It could all be so simple if she'd just let me in. My phone ringing in my jean pocket tore me from my thoughts. It made me jump so much so that I flipped over, landing on the floor, like the fucking pratt I am. I looked around, dazed for a few seconds, before returning my attention to the persistent vibrating coming my pocket, retrieving my phone hastily. A smile graced my lips as her beautiful name flashed across the screen. 'Hello. Couldn't last long without me huh?' I smirked. She'd see soon enough that she belonged here- with me.

'L…Luke?' She mumbled breathlessly into the phone. Her quivering voice wiped the smug smile from my face. Fuck what had happened? I knew I shouldn't have let her go, I should have at least insisted on walking her back- what if something awful happened.

'Peyton? Peyton' My voice was loud, my heart thumping away furiously as I waited for some response.

'Luke' She repeated shakily.

'Peyton where are you? What's happened? Are you ok?'

'I…I need you to…to come to my place'

'I'll be right there' I scrambled to my feet, already heading to the door as I spoke, my phone pressed to my ear, straining to hear her. 'What's happened?…Peyton?' I groaned angrily- she'd hung up.

I was breathing heavily by the time I'd got to her building and raced up to her floor, I don't think I've ever run so fucking fast in my life. I pounded my fists against the door, her name falling from my lips in a raspy murmur as I tried to catch my breath. 'Peyton?' The door suddenly opened and before I had time to look at the person on the other side I was being jerked inside.

'What the fuck?' I shouted, yanking my arm from the strangers grip. My eyes slowly scanned the room. There were three men- that fucking Rick tosser and two other guys I didn't recognise. She was stood beside Rick, blood trailing from her nose down to her chin. She avoided my eyes, not daring to breathe a word. 'What have you fucking done to her?' I shouted accusingly, running over to her and reaching out to touch her cheek. She cowered away from me. 'Peyton' I whispered, urging her to look at me but she refused eye contact. 'Peyton?' I groaned irritably, turning my attention to finding something to clean her up with. I stumbled over her messy floor to the sink, running a tea towel under the tap before returning to her.

'Leave her' I faintly heard Rick but continued to see to her wounds, gently pressing the cool material to her lip. 'I said leave her' I was suddenly yanked away by the two other men, each taking a firm grip on either of my arms, keeping me at a distance. 'Get the fuck off me.'

'Now, now Mr. Scott, try and stay calm.' The fucking smarmy git smiled at me.

'Don't hurt her' I said more calmly, her life was in danger, I had to stay calm and think logically. Just take deep breaths Luke, deep breaths. But it was easily said than done. Rick viciously jerked her to him.

'Looks like you got yourself a little hero' He whispered into her ear, his hand running down her body 'I'm going to make this easy for you Mr Scott, just do as I say and everything will be fine' He looked up at me with a smirk on his face.

'Just let her go'

'What're you going to do if I don't? I think we both know that I can kick your ass.'

I lost my cool and began to struggle furiously, trying to escape the vice like grip I was being held in. 'Get the fuck off me'

'Now, now' Rick sniggered. 'This will all be over soon and you can return to your life. You see, you've spent a lot of time with Peyton over the last couple of weeks - I'm a fair guy- I just want what I'm owed and then you can forget all about this'.

'You can have my money- just leave her alone, she comes with me'

'Awww babe I think he's fallen for you' He cooed into her ear, she cringed as his lips brushed across her cheek, his eyes on me as he flicked his tongue sickeningly over her soft skin.

'Stop it' I snapped, I couldn't fucking watch him touch her like that but my rage was only provoking his behaviour.

'She likes it, don't you babe?' She exhaled heavily turning her head to look up at him.

'Please, lets just go' It was the first words she'd spoken since I'd arrived- her voice croaky and quiet. She stared at him with such desperation. 'He doesn't owe you anything' Fucking hell, is she completely crazy- she couldn't go anywhere with this lunatic. I wasn't going to let her leave with him, how could she seriously think I'd let her walk out of here with this fucking psycho, he'd hurt her.

'You mean to tell me you haven't fucked him' She shook her head. He gave her a loathsome smile, nodding understandingly for a few seconds before he struck her with such force that she stumbled backward shrieking as instant tears fell from her eyes. Her screech made me feel sick, hitting the pit of my stomach and sending tremors of fear reverberating through my body. The terrified scream that had arose from the back of her throat faded into a whimper when his malicious hand clamped down over her mouth. I swallowed hard, staring at him.

'Don't fucking hurt her' I ordered, although I was beginning to see I didn't really have much authority within the situation, here I was, hands held behind my back by two guys bigger than myself, helpless to her aid. As expected my demand went unheard.

'That was for fucking lying' He growled at her. She whimpered loudly as his fingers dug into her soft skin. 'No more screaming' He snapped before slowly removing his hand from her mouth.

'I..I'm not lying' She whispered.

'Look at this Peyton?' He thrust a newspaper article in front of her face, with a picture of us both together on it, which I can only guess talked about some kind of relationship we were having. 'I'm not fucking stupid' He looked at me. 'Did she tell you what she is? What she does?' He grabbed her upper arm, yanking her in front of him and pointing her in my direction. 'She's a fucking hooker- she sells her body' He smiled. 'She's easy to fall for' He commented, looking at me sympathetically. 'I don't blame you- She's a good fuck. But she's nothing but a slut'

'Don't talk about her like that'

'Aw look at him defending you babe' She gasped as he jolted her body forward, looking up at him fearfully. He gripped her chin. The fucking bastard, I swallowed thickly as I watched him stare at her. He was looking at her so sickeningly, undressing her with his dark eyes. 'Why don't you take a seat Mr Scott?' The two tossers holding me, forcefully pushed on my shoulders causing my body to involuntarily fall onto a chair. 'Right- this is what's going to happen. You and I are going to go for a little ride to the bank. If you try anything stupid Peyton will be the one to suffer, so I suggest you do as I say- ok?' I nodded mutely, I don't know how I could've been so naive- I let her come back here by herself, it didn't even cross my mind that she would be in trouble for not showing up at the club- I'd caused this mess, this was all my fault, she was hurt because of me. 'Sorry what was that?' He said patronisingly.

'Ok' I nodded again, the sooner I complied with his wants the better chance I had of getting her out of here and for good this time,