Sorry it took me so long to update, but our computer was on the fritz and we only just got it fixed. Anyway, here's the latest chapter, hope you enjoy.

Chapter Five

Marie sat on her bed looking out her window at the full moon. Hugging her old, ratty teddy bear close to her, she couldn't help the tremors that racked her body. She tried to tune out the drunken laughter that floated up from the living room where her stepfather and his friends were playing poker.

Rocking back and forth, Marie fought the urge to run from the house. She had to get out of there, but it was too risky. What if he decided to take a break from the game and "visit" her? He would find her room empty and the consequences would be more than she could take. But the thought that maybe this night she would have more than one visitor to her room made her tremble and she had to fight harder to stay where she was.

Footsteps sounded in the hall, causing Marie to tense. It was coming; the thing she dreaded most was coming. The doorknob turned in slow motion, the protesting squeals of the hinges as they moved echoed through the room. Marie could not take her eyes off the door as it opened. A shadow fell over her. She closed her eyes tightly; waiting for what she knew would come.

Marie's eyes flew open. Her mother's toothpick thin arm lay over Marie's stomach, rising and falling with each of her ragged breaths. Thin streams of morning light fought through the heavy drapes and spread across the room.

It had all been a dream. Marie placed a trembling hand over her heart in an attempt to calm the frantic beating. Her breathing was harsh and she could not stop shaking.

The dream had seemed so real; she could see and hear everything so clearly. But she was glad it had been only a dream, she didn't want that dream to come true ever again. Marie knew it would though. For as long as she lived in that house, her stepfather would continue his torture.


School would be starting in three weeks, and that meant one thing to Bradin. Marie. Once school started Bradin would, hopefully, be seeing Marie nearly every day of the week.

It was amazing what she had done to Bradin in the two short times they had spent together. But she had definitely done something. He couldn't go two minutes without thinking about her, without wondering what she was up to right at that moment.


Trying desperately to concentrate on the book she held in her hands, Marie listened to the drunken laughter that floated up the stairs. It was just like in her dream. Her stepfather had called his friends together for a night of poker and drinking. She knew it wouldn't be long before she heard footsteps on the stairs.

Her hands shook slightly as she turned the page. Marie wanted nothing more than to become trapped in the world of her romance novel. Why couldn't things be like that in real life? Why couldn't there really be a prince who came to save her? Why did she have to live this nightmare? It didn't make any sense. What had she done to deserve it?

Then it came. The sound she had been dreading. The sound of footsteps clouded her mind and resounded in her ears. There was no escape. If she fled through her window, whoever was coming towards her room would raise the alarm and she would be in even bigger trouble than she was right then. What was a girl to do? The doorknob turned at an annoyingly slow rate. Her heart sped up, and it was all Marie could do to remember to breathe. The door opened slowly and one of her stepfather's friends walked into the room. His shirt was untucked and the top half was unbuttoned. There was a drunken glint in his eyes.

"Come here baby," he said, reaching out and grabbing Marie's arm and pulled her to him as he kicked the door shut with his foot. His hand on her bare arm made Marie want to puke. Why had she chosen tonight of all nights to wear a tank top to bed? As his eyes flew over her body, devouring every inch of her, Marie tried to fight back the urge to vomit. His mouth covered hers as he pushed her back towards the bed.

It was normal for her stepfather's friends, perverts every one of them, to come and see her whenever they were at the house. Her stepfather didn't mind sharing Marie. In fact, she made him even more popular among the men he hung out with. None of the other men had stepdaughters or wives or girlfriends. They had to find release somewhere other than from the hookers that littered the streets of Playa Linda late at night. After all, that got expensive after awhile.

Marie didn't know who it was that was on top of her right then. She didn't want to know. His hands roamed over her body, pulling at her shirt and tugging off the flannel sleeping pants she wore. Silent tears flowed down her cheeks and she fought the urge to push him off her. It would only excite him further and make it harder on her. Closing her eyes tightly, Marie forced herself to think of anything other than what was happening to her.


"What are you still doing in the house Bradin?" Ava asked as she came down the stairs into the living room and saw her nephew sitting on the couch staring blankly at the TV. "It's a Friday night and you're sitting here looking like you just lost your puppy." She grinned at the young man, but he didn't seem to share her giddy mood. In fact, Ava had noticed that Bradin had been very withdrawn lately and she couldn't figure out why.

"Sorry Aunt Ava," Bradin replied standing up and walking towards the glass doors.

"Bradin wait." Ava said with a low sigh, "Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?" She was hoping that he would open up to her like he did with Johnny and Jay. But Ava knew that Bradin would remain tight-lipped around her, afraid to tell her what was going on with him simply because she was a woman. So it truly surprised her when he turned back around to face her.

"Actually," he said, sitting back down on the couch and focusing his attention on his shoes as Ava sat down beside him. "See there's this girl...and I really like her."

"So what's the problem?" Ava asked perplexed.

"I don't know. She's just really skittish and she won't let me get near her." He looked up and Ava was struck with the hopelessness in his eyes. She had never known her nephew to give up hope on anything. When he had trouble with a new trick on his surfboard he would just keep trying. When his parents died he kept going, keeping his sister and brother going through the hard transition to California. So she couldn't help but wonder what had caused him such despair.

"Maybe," She started, unsure of what to say to Bradin, afraid that she would say the wrong thing. It was so seldom that he came to her with his problems that she wanted to help him as best she could. "Maybe, she's just scared to let you get close? There might be something going on in her life that just keeps her from letting you close."

"You think?" he asked, his eyes clearing and slowly filling with hope. Ava nodded, astounded at her own wisdom. When had she become so insightful?

Must come with the kids she thought with a small chuckle.

"Thanks Aunt Ava," Bradin said, hugging her suddenly. He pulled away after a few minutes and stood. "I'm gonna go now," he said turning towards the door. "Thanks again Aunt Ava." He said before walking out of the house.

"I'm getting pretty good at this whole parent thing." Ava said leaning back into the couch. "Pretty damn good."


Her body ached, bruises were forming on her stomach and arms, and there was an unwanted hickey on her neck. Marie sat before her vanity carefully applying make-up to her neck, trying to hide the obvious bruising around the bite. Growling low in her throat she wanted nothing more than to kick the man who had done this to her right in the nuts. But of course she couldn't pin point exactly which of her stepfather's friends had given her the hickey. It could have been any one of the five men who visited her the night before. It might even have been her stepfather who had come up only an hour ago.

Putting her make-up back in the bag, Marie stood and walked over to her window. She put her fingers on the warm glass and gazed out at the people who were going about their busy summer day. How she wished she could be there with them, basking in the warm sun, letting her skin drink in its rays, feel the ocean breeze cool on her skin. She closed her eyes and imagined she was out there playing in the surf, twirling in circles until she fell on the sand, dizzy. She could clearly picture lying there on the sand her fingers entwined with Bradin's, his lips on hers.

Marie's eyes snapped open and she pulled away from the window as if it had burned her. She could not be thinking these thoughts. No, she wouldn't let herself.

Get a grip Marie, she chastised herself, there is no way that you can be thinking this way. Hell you only just met this guy. And let's not forget what the other men in your life are doing to you.

But as much as she fought it, Marie knew that Bradin was different. He didn't seem like the kind to beat her or hurt her. He didn't seem to have it in him.

Yeah, you thought the same thing about your stepfather before the beatings started. Said a little voice inside her head.

"Shut up," she said quietly, her voice echoing in the silent room, "Just shut up."

But you know I'm right, the voice persisted, you know if you let him close he'll hurt you just like everyone else.

"No," Marie said, wringing her hands in front of her nervously, "no, Bradin's not like that. He can't be."

What do you know about him anyway, the voice said as Marie started pacing the floor, you don't know anything other than his name.

"I know he's not like my stepfather," she said to the voice.

And how can you know that? The voice asked.

"Because I...I just know." She said, fighting to keep the voice at bay, "I just know." A tear slipped down her cheek, falling onto the palm of her hand and leaving a small puddle. She tipped her hand and watched the tear travel down the slope and fall onto the floor. Closing her eyes tightly, Marie came to a decision. No longer would she allow the actions of her stepfather to dictate how she lived. She would take her life into her own hands and live the way she wanted to, not how he wanted her to. She wouldn't take his abuse anymore; she would fight him with all she had. Even if it killed her.


Well there y'all go, another chapter by yours truly. Please review and tell me what you thought.

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