Bombshells ~ Complete

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Dark

Someone was shaking me. I opened my eyes sluggishly, waiting for someone to tell me I was dead. I let my thoughts wander to what happened before I fell unconscious.

Nope. Not dead.

Too much pain to be dead.

"Ariel? Finally, I thought my father had put you into a coma or something." Kas gave a breathy, pained laugh. I looked her over, taking note of her bloody nose, busted lip, and halfway swollen shut black eye.

I couldn't look too much better.

"Unfortunately not. Where'd he go?" I asked, sitting up against the kitchen cabinets. I looked around. I was still in her kitchen. Blood was on the floor, along with a couple small cracks from my head. Oh, goody. Another headache.

"Back to some woman's house." She shrugged and sat back, nursing her head. I was sure she had a headache that could rival mine. I sighed and leaned my head back against the cold floor. It didn't help anything other than giving me the shivers.

"What time is it?" I asked. Kas looked at the clock on the stove.

"Midnight. God, your brother's are probably going out of their minds with panic." She said with a small chuckle. She wasn't wrong. The boys had asked that whenever I went over to Kas's house I texted them every hour just to tell them that Micah hadn't hurt me or something of that nature. I texted them whenever I was going to bed and whenever I woke up. It was just our system, even though they were a little overprotective.

But I understood. They were just trying to keep me safe. It was sweet.

"Can I borrow your phone for a minute. I think it would be wisest to just go to my house." I said, groaning softly when I sat up straighter. Yep, some ribs had definitely been broken. Kas handed me her phone, the call already going through.

Kade answered on the second ring.

"Kas, where's Ari? Is she okay?" He asked instantly. I smiled a bit with a tiny laugh, but stopped laughing immediately. Not a good idea, not a good idea.

"I'm alright, Kade. There was a slight incident at Kas's house. I'll text you the address. Can you please just pick us up?" I asked, sounding out of breath to my own ears. I couldn't imagine how bad I sounded to his.

I heard a clatter as he picked up his keys. There were yells, someone said they were coming with him. I hoped it was one of the boys who wouldn't pester me with questions. Oh, wait. That boy hadn't been born yet.

I noticed I got slightly sarcastic when I was hurting. I hung up, seeing no reason for it to still be going, and handed Kas back her phone. She slipped it into her back pocket before standing. She walked as quickly as she could to her room, then returned with a bag. Her overnight bag.

"Let's go wait outside. Here, let me help you." Kas said, taking my arm and helping me stand. I leaned heavily on her as we walked outside, only to sit on the stairs and wait. I groaned at the pain in my stomach. This really, really hurt.

"Does he normally do all this to you?" I asked. Kas quickly shook her head, putting me at ease. Well, slightly at ease. I was still in a lot of pain and being completely at ease in pain... Not possible. For me, at least.

"He never hurt me as badly as he did you." She told me in a hushed whisper, as her neighbor had just returned home. I could only give a brief smile. Kade's 2019 Ford Mustang GT Fastback, that he was very much in love with, skidded to a stop in front of the house. Kas stood up, but I stayed down. I couldn't move, it hurt too much. Then I saw who it was. Kade and Xavier.

Why did it have to be the two most overprotective brothers I had?

They rushed towards us. Thankfully the neighbor had already made it inside their house, so no one saw. The two boys stopped in front of us.

One look at Kas and Xavier was growling. She had basically become a little sister to the boys, since she had spent so much time with them. Kade was crouched in front of me, studying me. Without hesitation, Kade stormed into the house. Xavier was leading Kas over to car, holding her arm to steady her.

"Where is that motherfu-" I stopped him before his language could get too bad. I didn't want to hear anymore cursing that night. I had my fill when Micah had cussed me and everything I held dear, out.

"Gone. Dunno where. Can you help me to the car, please? And then to wherever there's Tylenol?" I said, trying to hold back my pants of pain. It hurt so bad. Kade looked me over, his expression softening. Xavier jogged back to me, a protective look taking over. I gave them a small, pained smile.

"You're never coming back here, do you hear me?" Xavier asked, bending down to my level. I chuckled, then gasped at the pain in my ribs.

"Deal. Can we go?" I asked, trying to prompt them to move. I wanted to get some pain medication. Whatever I could get my hands on. Kade bit his lip then looked at Xavier who shrugged.

"Can you walk?" Kade asked. I thought about it for a minute. I could feel tears rising up in my eyes. Xavier flinched at the sight of my tears, but Kade looked ready to tear Micah's head from his body.

"I can't even get up." I said, my voice breaking at the end of my words. I cursed myself for sounding so weak, but it hurt so much. I had been without this type of pain for weeks. I wasn't used to this. And usually when my father beat me, I was prepared. Micah's attack was completely unexpected.

"Alright, sweetheart. We need to take you to the hospital. You got mugged, okay?" Xavier said, picking me up bridal style. I whimpered at the pain in my ribs. Tears leaked from the corners of my eyes. Kade pet my hair for a second, then sprinted to the backseat and opened the door. Kas was already sitting back there.

I cried out in pain when I was laid down on the comfy, leather seats. My head was in Kas's lap. I curled up into a ball and choked down my sobs of pain. Kade barely let Xavier get into the car before he was speeding to the hospital. Kas's hand was gently running through my hair.

I could only guess how guilty she felt about my pain. It wasn't her fault. It was Micah's fault.

Kade kept checking his rearview mirror to check on me. Xavier didn't even have his seatbelt on, as he was turning to look at me too much for his seatbelt to serve much of a purpose. The pain died down a little, only for it to flare up again as we hit a bump.

I screamed at the pain in my stomach.

I had never felt anything like this before.

 I felt like I was dying.

I hoped I was dying.

Kade cursed and sped up more. Xavier was fully turned around in his seat, comforting me with words. Kas's hands had gotten to a frantic speed, her fingers shaking so much I think she knotted more of my hair than combed.

I felt something leak from the corner of my lips. It tasted coppery.

That couldn't be good.

Didn't blood coming from your mouth mean you had blood filling up your stomach? That meant internal bleeding. Oh crap.

"Kade, hurry! Oh God, oh God, oh God." Kas screeched. Xavier was looking at me in horror.

The pain subsided a little. But I was tired. Was that normal? It hadn't happened before, so I guessed not. Kade skid to a stop, and called out for some help. Some stern looking ladies came rushing outside with a stretcher. A kind looking old man was racing after them.

I felt arms lift me up.

"Please don't die." Kas whispered into my hair as she kissed my forehead. Kade's arms were the ones holding me up.

I decided I liked this feeling. This freedom, the lack of pain, the lack of coherent thoughts. It was all sort of beautiful. I wished I could stay like that forever.

But as most people said, all good things must come to an end.

I felt myself get pushed on bed. Someone shined a light in my eyes.

And then everything went dark.