Chapter 18 - "So beautiful."

    The next few days were full of tense moments that I don't want to relive, ever. Luka and I spent some time together, but most of the days were spent corralling our respective best friends. The wedding wasn't called off but it was postponed, understandably so. It was pushed a month back, which some of the guests were frustrated about but they had to understand this is what needed to happen for Chris to get better.

Around the third day, just before the fourth of July, Chris enrolled himself in the mental hospital three hours away. We told him it wasn't necessary, that he could just go to some therapy and anger management classes, but he said between what was going on at home and with his job he was spiralling out of control. The police force understood but only gave him two weeks leave before they'd have to replace him.

We told him to at least consider not going so far away, but he said he needed to be in different town to help his progress. He didn't want people in LA to know that he was enrolling himself in a mental hospital or that he needed that sort of help, and three hours away in Paso Robles where no one knew who he was was what he needed. He considered going to the one in San Diego, but we still had connections there and he didn't want to chance anyone thinking differently of him.

Gia was losing her mind, especially since she'd found out she was pregnant. I couldn't believe it at first, I mean I never imagined my brother being a daddy. She found out after he went in and since he wasn't allowed his phone in there she couldn't tell him. We could only hope it wouldn't erase all his progress and he'd be happy.

The guys were happy, but not as happy as Zoey and I. Owen couldn't really believe it but told her she could still live here with Chris and the baby but she started looking for their own place because if all went well with Chris's treatment she wanted them to live together as a family.

The fourth of July was pretty uneventful besides the fireworks that flared Luka's PTSD. He still hadn't formally talked to me about it, but it was pretty easy to infer. Once the fireworks started going off he had panic attack after panic attack and couldn't stop them until I laid down next to him. We spent the night together that night.

We hadn't had any more bouts of romance, but I couldn't very well focus on a personal relationship while my brother was doing god knows what in the mental hospital. He was allowed calls once a day and visits once a week, but he wouldn't take visitors. He told us before he went in he didn't want to call us and he didn't want us to visit because this was something he had to do alone. We understood, but it didn't help the emotionally pregnant girl I called my best friend.

It was now the day we were picking him up, a week after the fourth of July and three weeks until the new wedding. The girls and I offered to go along and pick Chris up, but Luka said it was something they needed to do alone just in case he reverted back to his angry tendencies. I hadn't seen Zane but Brad had been over daily since Zoey was still staying with us, and I was glad for that.

It wasn't until I saw who was at the front door that I regretted ever celebrating being left alone.

I'd spoken too soon.

Zane stood at the door as I opened it, a smirk flitting across his face as he took me in. We were in the dead of summer and I'd decided on a summer dress that fell to mid thigh that I was now regretting as he looked my legs up and down. I growled at the sight of him, going to shut the door but his foot caught it in time. I still hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Luka about him since we'd been so focused on Chris's recovery, and him being here was only asking to die.

Not that I'd mind.

"Leave," I hissed as I pulled the door opened and slammed it on his foot. Since he had gigantic feet I could still see his face through the crack in the door and his smirk hadn't left his face. If anything, it only turned to an amused one.

"No," Zane denied, peeking through the crack in the door to catch my eye. His almost black eyes looked beady and he was leering at me in the most uncomfortable way. I saw the lust in his eyes and the determination, before he masked them with a blank stare. "I need to talk to you."

I couldn't help the chuckle that slipped past my lips. "No."

"Funny, I don't remember asking," Zane barked before throwing the door open and causing me to fly back. I hit my head on the coffee table as I fell and hissed through the pain while Zoey and Gia ran down the stairs at the sound of the commotion. Zane pointed up the stairs, putting on a charming smile. "We're all good here, girls, give us a minute will you?"

Gia's eyes narrowed accusingly as she asked, "Why is Chloe on the ground?"

Zane's expression took on one of faux concern as he took in my cowering frame. The fear coursing through me couldn't be helped and though I wouldn't let him walk all over me, I knew eventually he could overpower me because he'd done it before so many times. "I don't know, I just got here."

"You motherfuck-" ing liar, I finished mentally, but was unable to physically as a foot kicked my mouth roughly. I groaned, my hand flying up to my mouth that had blood dripping from it. I presumed my teeth had caught my lip to make it bleed and fixed Zane with a heated glare. Zoey and Gia gasped, but I turned to them. "Girls, go upstairs please."

"No way!" Zoey protested with hateful eyes towards Zane. "We're not leaving you with that monster!"

The only thing I could think of was my two best friends getting hurt or worse. Zane was more than capable of using a weapon and I had no doubt in my mind he had one on him. He'd used one on me before in the past, I would never forget that. I could never forget the time spent in the hospital at the hands of who was supposed to love me unconditionally and be there for me through everything. Someone I'd confided so much in.

I think that was why I had so much trouble trusting Luka. He was the person who knew my every secret and though I knew he wouldn't hurt me, in the back of my mind I couldn't trust him because I'd put so much trust in Zane and he'd betrayed it. My mind and my heart were playing a constant tug of war and I just wanted them to stop. I wished for once they would be on the same page. My heart wanted to kiss Luka, I didn't know exactly how I was feeling towards him but I knew something was there. But every time I even entertained that idea, my mind reminded me of the trauma Zane had put me through.

I made a reach for my phone, hoping to call for some help but felt my face pale when I came up empty. I'd forgotten it was on the charger since I had a habit of falling asleep with it before plugging it in. The guys wouldn't be home for at least another hour, maybe even more, and my only saviors had given up the fact that they were here. Not that they knew, of course. But I couldn't let them get hurt defending my honor.

Zoey and Brad were doing good and I feared his retribution in response to her hurting his brother or getting him into trouble. Of course he wouldn't hurt her physically, but I couldn't be too sure he wouldn't break up with her because of it. I didn't know him well enough.

Gia was pregnant and hadn't even told Chris yet, but I knew my niece or nephew was in there and I couldn't let her risk losing the baby to try to help me. There was no way Gia or Chris would ever forgive me and truthfully I would never forgive myself.

I sighed, looking back at my best friends through weary eyes. "It's alright, girls, I'll be alright. Just stay upstairs."

They shook their heads vehemently but the crazed look taking over Zane's eyes had their demeanors changing. They looked between us a few times before slowly going back up the stairs. I turned towards my ex boyfriend and shook my head at him. "You're crazy."

"Crazy about you," Zane attempted to correct, stalking towards me with long strides. He brought his hand up, stroking my cheek softly before slapping it. He really was psychotic and I almost considered referring him to the mental hospital Chris had just gotten released from. "I love you so much."

"No, you're not and no you don't. What you do to me, what you've done to me and what you're doing to me, that's not love, Zane and it really floors me how you and Brad were derived from the same people because he's such a nice guy and you're a monster."

He ignored me, running his hands down my face softly before leaning towards me.

"You're so beautiful, Chlo Stick. So beautiful," He murmured softly, leaning in to brush his grimy lips on my jaw. He left soft kisses down it, going to my neck where he sucked harshly. I pushed his mouth off, jabbing him in the eye in the process and he growled. My breath caught, literally, as he wrapped his hand around the throat he'd just left kisses on. I could only hope there wasn't a hickey. "Do anything like that again, and I'll kill you. Or I'll just repeat last time, I'm sure you'd like that."

I opened my mouth to retort, to say anything back but I couldn't. I couldn't breathe, couldn't talk, couldn't do anything but sit there while he choked me. Black spots danced across my vision momentarily before he released me and leaned in towards my ear. "Now, will you be a good girl?"

I spat in his face at that, taking pride in the way his nose scrunched in disdain and disgust. If I was going to die anyway, I was gonna do it gracefully. He slapped me once more, the rage in his eyes practically blinding me as he glared daggers. "I'm gonna have fun killing you, Chloe. It's really going to be my new favorite activity, it's a shame I can only do it once."

"Just because I look like Sarai doesn't mean-"

"Don't talk about her!" Zane snapped harshly, bringing his hand to my neck.che squeezed, bringing the familiar black spots before releasing. "You've got a mouth I don't appreciate, Chloe. I'm going to have fun with this, maybe you won't but I will. But we can't do it here. We need to do it privately, with no audience. And then you'll be back here, piece by piece."

I felt bile rise in my throat at the insinuation. I struggled, thrashing around harshly to try and break free. It was a last ditch effort but I had to try, but to no avail. I didn't move him off of me even an inch before he brought his hand up with something in it I couldn't see and my vision went completely black.

A/N: this was not supposed to happen already but here we are.