Stay Strong

Chapter 19 He Found Out

Liam's POV

I watch Melanie and the kids walk away down the hall. But I'm more hypnotized by the sight of those curves swaying from side to side with each step that she takes so gracefully across the floor.

She gets to the bottom of the stairs, and before she makes her way up, she stops, turns and looks at me, blowing me a kiss. My smile gets big as she walks up the stairs after her siblings. Shutting the door behind me, I lock my gaze with my Grandmother's. "They really are wonderful I can see why you want to stay here and build a life here.. when you had first left for here I thought for sure it was only going to be for like a month or two but here we are and you look like you will be staying forever.. Oh how things have changed in such a small span of time." She says making me smile.

"Yea I really can see a future with her and the best part is she sees it with me too.. it's nice knowing it's not just me.. She even had a suggestion of opening my own restaurant since I love to cook and have business degree.. I think that sounds like a great idea and I told her I like it but I didn't have anyone to run the front while I cook and she willingly volunteered.. I would love that gramma. I could see me marrying her, running a business with her and growing having a family with her as well.. I never thought I would ever get to this point when it comes to a woman but with her these feelings have hit me like a brick wall." I explain to her as she smiles and reaches into her bag. She has pulled something out but I can't see what it is.

She makes her way across the living room and sitting at the couch patting it for me to sit with her. Of course I take her invitation sitting down right besides her as she let's out a deep breathe.

"Ok so I know you haven't heard much about your grandfather.. he was a good man who was in the war.. he risked his life to save his platoon and they were forever greatful no matter how heart broken I was. But I just had to keep telling myself how much I knew he loved me and he wouldn't have left me if he didn't feel he had to.. I had this as my reminder of the best times of my life that were coincidentally mostly with him.." She says pulling out an old box. She opens it in her hands and it's an old but stunning diamond ring.

"I'm not saying anything has to happen right now because obviously she is not ready just yet but I didn't know when I would be back here with you and wanted to bring it because I could tell your going to need this at some point with Mel." She says to me, extending her hands that are holding the open box for me to take.

"I don't want to take your ring, you just said it's one of the only things you have from him.. don't you want it still?" I say to her as she gets a sad smile on her face responding, "Your grandfather has been gone for a very long time Lee. I have had plenty of time to adjust and I haven't been wearing that ring for a while now, to help me try to move on in life and also because it doesn't fit anymore.. but I would love for it to go to something special, that reminds me of what I use to have."

"Why didn't you give it to one of my brothers? they have been married for years?" I ask curiously as she scoffs and responds, "I love your brothers so don't get me wrong.. but both of their wives are just trophy wives.. they don't have a special spark or bond like you and Melanie have. Their love is forced for looks, reputation and money..and that's not what I had with your grandfather.. I had love at first sight too.. It was years ago but I still remember it like it was yesterday... I was out having a couple drinks with my friends when this navy man wanted to dance with me because I know it's hard to tell now, but I use to be something to double take at.. but I turned him down not interested.. He demanded I dance with him grabbing my arm in his tightly as I hear from behind me from the huskiest baritone of a voice say, "She told you no, now back off." I look and it's your grandfather a very tall muscular marine.. he was about a foot and a half taller than me and I won't lie, I wanted to climb that bean stalk.. The guy didn't let go so he retaliated with a punch to the face and taking my arm out of his hold then punching him again. This was the usual among these types of bars since they mostly had military of every branch here.. so they were known to bump heads every now and then between different branches of military. But the only way to solve the issue was to kick the people out.. so needless to say we got kicked out.. but it was the best thing that ever happened to me. We spent the whole night talking.. and other things.. but we were attached at the hip for the months that he had before he had to go in the draft.. he proposed and we ran to the courthouse before he left and that was about the time I found out I was pregnant with your mother.. but the best times of my life were with him in those months before.. we had good ones inbetween before his untimely death. But you and Melanie have something special and she deserves something special.. so just take it please." She puts the ring box into my hand as I smile at her and nod. "Alright thank you Gramma.. I do want to do this at some point but who knows when.. but I will put this ring to good use." I tell her as she smiles big and hugs me tight.

BANG!BANG!BANG!

The door sounds like it's going to get broken down so I cautiously stand up and open the door. It's Caleb and Emily.. But Melanie is not with them and they look terrified.

"Caleb? Emily? Where's Melanie?" I ask looking down the hall as they both start to cry and shake their heads. I notice Emily's arm is red and Caleb's cheek is red.

I bend down and try to calm them down, "Its OK guys, try to take a deep breathe for me and tell me what happened?" I ask them as Caleb squeaks out. "Our step father somehow found out about you and Melanie being together." He says still crying as my eyes go wide. I push them into my apartment and toss my phone next to my grandma. "Call the cops Gramma. this won't be good.. her apartment is 2E. I'm going up there, kids get in here where you're safe with my grandma." I say getting them in as I hear banging on the ceiling above.

"Get up there to her Lee!" My Grams Instructs. So I shut the door behind me and running up the stairs and down the hallway.

Melanie's POV

I unlock the door and open it wide letting the kids make their way in. I take a look around and don't see anyone suprisingly enough. I shut the door behind me as I hear a loud echoing slap.

I whip around and Caleb is on the floor grabbing his hurt, beet red cheek.

My step father is standing over him with his hand still up and ready to hit again if need be but this time Emily's arm is in his grip. She struggles in his hold as he holds her tighter. He glares at me and says, "You have been hanging out with that boy haven't you?" He asks me as I swallow hard and say wearily, "I don't know what your talking about."

He grips Emily's arm in his hold tighter so she's crying and being slightly picked up off the ground.

"Ok Ok stop!.. I HAVE been seeing him!.. just let them go please.. if your going to be mad at anyone be mad at me I'm the one who did it please." I beg as he throws Emily to the floor. She is crying and so is Caleb.

"Alright Mel, I warned you about seeing that guy and you deliberately disobeyed me." He says grabbing my arm into his death grip pulling me into him as the kids gasp at my side.

I swallow and calmly look down at them and say, "Just go to Liam's you'll be safe there." They don't move a muscle as I feel his nails burying into my skin as I whimper in pain, "Go!" letting the tears flow down my cheeks.

Caleb gets up and helping Emily up as well. They open the door taking off down the hallway. I finally look at my step father once I don't hear the pitter patters of their feet.

"I don't know why you couldn't just listen to my warnings Mel." He says pulling me closer, until he spits in my face with every word, "I think you wanted to be punished by me, is that it? I knew you would come around eventually." I gag at the strong smell of alcohol that's now surrounding me.

I push him and he grips my arm tighter until I kick him and he lets go long enough for me to run into my room, slamming and locking the door behind me.

I'm panting and trying to calm down when I hear him messing with the door knob. I smirk to myself knowing he can't get in unless he wants to break it off.

That is until I hear the door lock unlatch as my eyes go wide.. I turn around staring at the door as I slowly back away from it.. He turns the door knob opening it. But as the door opens it exposes his malicious grin to me more and more until he says, "How long did you think that trick would work on me before I had the whole thing replaced while you're gone with your boytoy?"

He slinks into my room as I back up trying to stay as far away as I can from him, but my room is not big at all. So I hit the dead end wall in no time at all. He takes his phone out of his pocket and waving it at me before he explains.

"So for the past couple days I have been receiving pictures of you and your boy toy out and about together from an unknown number." He states as he flips through the pictures and most of them are us kissing but the scary part is most of them are when I thought we were alone.. some were even of us in my bedroom from afar.. and the park the other day.. even us ice skating.. I swallow hard realizing I'm caught.. there's no denying any of it, I just swallow hard in the realization.

"I told you were being a little whore.. look at these ones." He says showing me my bedroom pics and I can't help but feel dirty by the fact that someone was watching and taking pictures of that personal moment for myself.

"I'm not being a whore." I spat back as he states as if it's a matter of fact, "You had s*x with him though right?" He asks inching closer to me as I spat back again, "That's none of your business what I do with my man."

He gets closer slapping me across the face yelling, "It is my business because I told you not to see him and that you were mine!"

"I'm not YOURS.. I gave myself to HIM, I will only be HIS." I say spitefully to him as he slaps me even harder with so much force that it sends me to the ground. I try to pick myself back up as he kicks my stomach keeping me down on the ground. He kicks me a couple more times probably for good measure.

My step father gets down on the ground hovering over me as I groan and gasp for air on the ground. I hold my stomach in pain as I stare into his evil filled eyes that look so dark they look almost all black.. which makes this so much scarier.

"You gave yourself to him? That was probably the stupidest thing you have ever done.. I wanted to have you." He has so much anger in his eyes pulling my hair back in his fist so I'm looking up at him gasping because of the pain and lack of air from that last kick.

"You're.. disgusting.." I spat between pants. "Don't give a f*#k what you think about me, all that I care about is what I think of you and I have thought a lot about you.. and you have been nothing but a bad dirty girl.. and I think you need to be punished." He says so maliciously as I try to get out if his hold. He straddles over my arms holding them down as he sits, putting most his weight on top of me. He let's my hair go only for a second, to take his knife out of his pocket, flipping it open to cut down, ripping my sweater dress open down the middle causing a squeal from me.

"Look at ALL of you.. I was wondering how good you looked after developing and man I had it right when I knew you looked this good." He says into my neck and down my chest biting me here and there making me cringe and yell.

I struggle under him trying to get him off of me.. but he doesn't budge.. He keeps ripping down the dress until it's completely ruined being torn open. I just have my knee high thick socks and bra and thong on.

His hands trail all over my body as I struggle and yell more trying to get him off.. his touch feels so dirty and disgusting I don't want anything to do with it. His hand trails to my thong and I can't help the whimper that escapes my mouth as he laughs and cuts it off of me.

"I have been thinking about this for a long time and I'm mad you haven't saved the special moment for me but I at least still get this to hold on to." He says cutting my bra apart, making me squeal and I feel it just fall to each side exposing all of me. I can't help the tears running down as I squeak out a yell for help.

He laughs an evil laugh that just matches the crazy look in his dark eyes directed right at me. "Alright time for the piece of resistance." He says stripping off his shirt and undoing his button on his pants.. I struggle more yelling, "No no no please no."

He laughs again and it sends chills down my spine because of how creepy and evil this moment is.. my heart races as he pulls his pants down past his boxers. "No please Stop don't!" I yell more as my door swings open bashing against the wall and it's Liam.

He sees what about to happen and looks livid beyond belief as he tackles my step father to the floor, hitting him like a brick wall, getting him straight to the ground and off of me.

I back up all the way to the wall crying as I watch Liam hover over my step father punching him over and over again. until I can't see any features on his face I only see blood accompanied by Liam's bloodied fists. The cops break in and pull Liam off of my step father handcuffing the both of them and trying to attend to me.

I shake my head and run to Liam wrapping my arms around him. He leans his head against mine as he whispers, "Everything is going to be ok Mel. I promised you I would protect you."

"Please don't arrest him, he was just helping me because my step father was trying to rape me.. please." I say to the cops as they look sad but say..

"We have to take him down town getting a statement from both of them.. No matter what you say right now, our officers came in on him assaulting the other man and we have to get explanations to why. We can't just let him go taking your word.. I'm sorry ma'am.. we need a statement from you as well." He says to me as I nod and Liam whispers in my ear, "Baby your still naked, get some clothes on please."

I nod and running to my closet as everyone looks around the room and away.. letting me grab something to put on. I walk up to the cops as they guide my father down with multiple men in tow surrounding him. They take Liam down the same trail with me in tow. I leave the police in my place to take pictures. Once I get down the stairs I see Penny standing at the bottom of the stairs watching us pass as she jumps up hugging me so tight touching my face gently. "My dear are you ok?" She asks me as I shake my head and cry squeaking out, "He ripped my clothes off and tried to rape me and Liam came in and beat the hell out of him for touching me. but now Liam is getting arrested. This isn't fair he shouldn't get in trouble for helping me!" I yell and cry as she holds me tight. She looks at me saying reassuringly, "Everything will be ok.. if he requires bail I'll take care of it. I'll watch your siblings until you both can get out.. call Liam's cell phone I have it with me, just to keep me updated.. but go with him and give your statement."

I turn and follow the cops out of the building. Everyone is in the cop cars as they drive off to the police station.

"Ma'am we need to take you to the station to get your statement too please" The police officer says behind me as I whip around startled. He puts his hands up showing he is not a threat. I nod trying to calm my heart as I turn and walk with him to his car. He opens the door for me as I get in to head to the police station as well.