Do something, Lola.
“Let me go!” Survival instincts kicked in and Lola renewed her efforts to get free. Bob was strong, stronger than his unfit body let on. Stronger than her.
Bob turned her and slammed her against the wall. Her head bounced off it, pain exploding behind her eyes. Lola closed her eyes, lightheaded. Her legs buckled and all that held her up was Bob.
“I told you I’d hurt them if you talked. You want me to, don’t you? You want me to hurt them,” he snarled close to her ear.
Lola fought the blackness that wanted to take over. His words came from far away, a distant memory flooding to the surface.
“You tell anyone, anyone at all, and I’ll kill them, Lola. I’ll hunt them down and kill them. People have accidents all the time. Sebastian could have something go wrong with his car. Rachel could get food poisoning. All kinds of bad things happen to good people every day. It would be such a shame, a tragedy, for ones so young to lose their lives.
“You don’t talk to them. You don’t even look at them. They don’t come here. You don’t go to their houses. Nothing. You talk to no one. They no longer exist to you.”
A broken sob fell from her lips. Bob was pressed against her, his lower half against her stomach. Oh, God. A whimper fell from her lips. Lola felt vile, unclean, trapped. She couldn’t think straight; couldn’t move.
No. No, no, no!
“Please,” she begged, tears choking her and falling from her eyes. “Please, don’t.”
Bob’s breathing was heavy, his perspiring face against her neck. “I’ll teach you all kinds of things your little boys have no idea about. You’ll like it. I know you will.”
Lola gagged. This isn’t happening. This is a nightmare. I’m in my bed, sleeping. This isn’t happening. She felt herself shutting off, going numb as his hands groped her and squeezed her tender flesh.
Jack’s words echoed in her head. She clung to them, clung to the sound of his voice.
“You promise me you’ll call me, Lola. Promise. If you can’t get to a phone, you go to him.”
Lola thought of Jack, thought of his strength. She thought of Sebastian; so close and still unattainable. No one was going to help her.
You have to fight, Lola. You have to fight. Fight! Jack’s voice shouted inside her head.
Lola cried out and bit his neck, her teeth sinking into the salty flesh. She tasted blood and her stomach roiled.
Bob bellowed in surprise and pain, his grip slackening. Lola brought her knee up and Bob roared, his hands dropping complete off her to grab himself.
“You little bitch! I’ll kill you for that. You’re dead!” he shouted in a voice higher than usual.
Lola fled for the front door. Bob went after her, tripping in his haste. He fell, his hand catching her pant leg. Lola tried to shake him off. She kicked at him, connecting with flesh.
Get to the door and get outside. Get to the door and get outside.
Bob raged at her, promising pain and suffering. His grip tightened on her leg and he jerked her toward him. Lola lost her balance, her head hitting the coffee table as she fell.
Everything went black.
***
Lola’s eyes felt gritty. They fluttered opened and saw nothing but black. She tried to move, to sit up, and couldn’t. Panic set in. She didn’t know where she was, she didn’t know why she couldn’t move.
Lola tugged her arms and legs and realized she was spread-eagle, arms and legs tied somehow. Her last memories caused her to retch. Lola turned her head as bile came up her throat.
She was on a bed. Lola inhaled deeply and gagged once more. It smelled like Bob. Lola was in their bed. In the bed Bob slept in. Lola began to weep.
He was going to rape her. He was going to violate her and no one could help her, no one knew, no one was able to stop him. Lola wanted to die.
The hot tears trickled down her cheeks to dampen the sheet beneath her. Please, let me die. Just let me die now. Lola tried to bring up rage, tried to hate her mother for bringing Bob into their lives, but it was too much effort. Despair and horror choked her, kept her immobile.
Lola’s body trembled with fear and cold. Her shirt was ripped down the middle, her jeans gone.
When she heard his footsteps, her eyes widened, her breaths became frantic; sobs burst from her lips. Lola wasn’t able to control them and the keens got louder as he got closer.
She struggled against the bindings, launched her torso from the bed. Again and again she fought, but it didn’t do any good. Lola cried out in frustration.
Run down, she lay there panting, flinching as she felt his presence beside her.
“That’s good. Wear yourself out,” he said quietly.
She stared at him, tried to make out his features, tried to look him in the eye. If Lola could make eye contact, maybe he wouldn’t be able to go through with it. She couldn’t see Bob’s eyes; it was like staring into an abyss of evil blackness.