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Voice:
Looking for this?
[A voice from behind her said. She turned and saw her father Bronson standing there with her phone in hand. Before she said anything she just stared at him as he stood there, all six feet, six inches of him and two hundred pounds of muscle. She had no idea that he had even come home as he must have when she was in the shower. She bit down on her lower lip as she stared at him. He had a look about him that made her nervous and she wasn't all together sure why.]
Lauren Jane Callahan:
Yeah I was Dad. [She took a step forward.] I'm about to head onto bed and I was going to check my messages before I did so. Why do you have my phone though?
Bronson Elijah Callahan:
Considering I paid for it and am paying your bill, I think I can take it whenever I want. [He smirked a bit as he also took a step forward and kept the phone in hand. He opened the phone and started going through it, as he did so he kept talking.] You know I'll admit Laurie that I trusted you most of your teenage years. In fact I started to believe that you were not going to be like your mother, I honestly believed that you were going to make something of yourself.. I regret to say that I started to doubt you when you told me you wanted to babysit for that friend of your brother's and after I told you no, you had some story about meeting up with a friend for some study session. I'll admit it Laurie, I got a little suspicious. [He shook his head and made some sort of clicking sound with his tongue.] It's a good thing I did to because if I hadn't of done my snooping, I never would've known that you became a little whore for one of your brother's low-life friends.
Lauren Jane Callahan:
Daddy I can...
[He didn't give her a chance to finish and without missing a beat he backhanded her. Her head got thrown to the side as she quickly brought her hand to her face to shield it. He continued to shake his head in a disapproving matter. He didn't look angry, in fact what made it unsettling was that he looked calm and collected. His eyes were cold as he looked at her while she coward with her hand over her face.]
Bronson Elijah Callahan:
I really had hopes for you Pumpkin, I mean you were going to go to college. It truly is a damn shame. [He took his hand and backhanded her once again, this time on the other side of the face. This hit was harder and louder than the one before.] I truly thought you were going to make something of your life but just like your brother, you are another disappointment and one that I will gladly disown once you are eighteen.
Lauren Jane Callahan:
[She had her face covered with her hands to protect herself as it throbbed. She was crying and prayed he was going to stop this.] Daddy please, no more. I made a mistake and I'm sorry, please don't hit me anymore.
Bronson Elijah Callahan:
Awww Baby, don't you think I want to? [He said in a soothing yet sadistic tone.] But you made a mistake and you have a punishment that you have to serve. [He reached out and grabbed a handful of her blonde hair. He pulled her roughly toward him and held on tightly to the hair which caused her to yelp in pain.] You're still a child and when a child does something wrong, they have to be punished. I'm afraid to say Pumpkin that what you did was the worst thing you could do. [He shook his head again disapprovingly me.] Of all people that you could've lost your virginity to, it had to be that low-life cocksucker Hunter Donimari. [He let go of her hair for a split second as he backhanded her for a third time. He then grabbed her wrists tightly so that she couldn't protect her face any longer. Both sides of her face were swelling as the left side up by her cheekbone had been broken open. Drops of blood were trickling down her face mixed with tears.] Honey don't you get I'm doing this for your own good? [He tightened the hold on her wrists that caused her pain, she was certain he would almost break her wrist.] For all we know you could be carrying his bastard child and we have to take immediate steps to make sure if you are that it gets terminated immediately. We can't take any chances of letting you get any further along can we?
Lauren Jane Callahan:
[Her sobbing made it hard for her to breath.] Please don't do anymore to me, I've learned my lesson! I swear to God I have! Please don't hurt me anymore Daddy, please!?!?
Bronson Elijah Callahan:
I just don't think you've learned your lesson though Sweetheart. I'm only doing this because I love you. [He kept ahold of her wrists and dragged her into the front part of the house.] We just can't take any chances that you're having his bastard child. There is no way I will let any spawn coming from the likes of him be apart of this family and have my last name. [He shoved her to the ground and stood over her.] Really I don't understand why you are getting so upset. You know better than anyone what kind of punishment your mother was dealt when she defied me. I just had hoped that I never would have to do this to you. [He sighed as if it were nothing more than an inconvience as he rolled up the sleeves to his dress shirt, one to start with.] Again I am disappointed in the women in my life. [He rolled up the other sleeve and looked down at her, continually shaking his head.] I guess all women are disappointing in one way or another, even if they do have my DNA. [He then brought his foot back and kicked her hard in her ribcage.] Really Sweetheart I wish that it didn't have to be this way, but it does. [He brought his foot back and gave her another swift yet hard kick. She let out a soft, pain-filled moan as the pain was way too intense that she couldn't scream. Instead she sobbed in silence.] See I had to hand your punishment to you before I left for Europe with Vivian. [He glanced at the clock and sighed to himself.] We leave in the morning at Five Sharp and I still have a lot to do. [He knelt down beside her and grabbed her roughly by the hair, pulling her head up toward him. He spoke to her in an almost loving, fatherly tone] Now I expect you to get yourself up to bed Young Lady. You're starting school in less than a week and you need to get yourself back on a schedule. [He smiled at her.] And if you so much as get anyone else involved in what happened here tonight, it will be ten times worse next time. You know that I don't like anyone getting into our business, also remember this while I'm out of town and you feel as if you want a boy to come over. Remember that this is only the tip of the iceberg as to what I can do. [His cell phone began to ring as he let go of the hair, letting her head fall against the hardwood floor. He stood up and answered it.] Hello? Vivvie? Of course I'm heading out now. I just had to come home and talk over the house rules with Lauren one last time...Yes of course...All right Darling, I'm on my way. [He hung up the phone and looked down at Lauren.] My bags are in the car so I should probably go, I'll see you in a few weeks. Good luck with school starting next week.
[She knew he was gone when she heard footsteps toward the door and the front door shut. She kept her silence which wasn't hard to do as she wasn't sure she could talk. She wanted to make it up to her bedroom so that she could see her face in the mirror for herself butknew that moving on her own was an impossibility. The chances were quite good that she was going to be on the floor in the foyer area for most of the night. At least that's what she thought until she heard a car pull up in front of the house. Terrified that it was her father coming back to dish out somemore of his punishment, she tried to drag herself as best as she could into another room. Her breathing became heavier and faster even though it caused the pain throughout her body to become even more intense. Quiet sobs mixed with soft wimpers escaped her lips as she heard the front door open. She could only semi-breath a sigh of relief as it wasn't her father who was there, it was her older brother Lucas. She was out of his sight as he shut the door behind him.]
Lucas Waylon Callahan:
Laurie, you here!? I was looking through some of my things at my apartment and found my copy of Dante's Inferno. [He somewhat shouted toward the staircase.] I know you were wanting to read it. You're not sleeping are...[He had started towards the steps but something caught his eye. He turned his head and saw Lauren. She had managed get against a wall and curl herself up into a ball. It was causing her even more severe pain but she was willing to do anything to protect her body. Lucas' eyes went wide as he ran over to her.] Jesus Christ, what the fuck happened to you!? [He screamed as he knelt down next to her. He gently took her battered face into his hands and looked at her. She let out a small whimper of pain as he touched her face.] Tell me what happened...
Lauren Jane Callahan:
[She shook her head.] I can't Luke, please don't make me...[She managed to swallow back some saliva but it was hard.] Just help me get up to bed...[She wanted to say more but couldn't. If she told him what happened, she would have to tell him about Hunter and she was still hell bent on keeping him out of trouble.] Please Luke, don't ask questions, just help me up to my room.
Lucas Waylon Callahan:
This is bullshit, you've got to get to a hospital. [She started to object but he stopped her as he lifted her into his arms.] I'm not stupid Laurie, I know who did this to you and I'll be damned if I'm going to let you stay in this house even if he is on his way to Europe.
[She said nothing more as she turned her head to the side and buried it in the nape of his neck. It wasn't long before Lucas had taken her to an emergency clinic outside of the city limits. Lauren knew that if he took her to one of the hospitals in Beverly Hills, they would know who she was seeing as how powerful her father was. While they were in the car Lucas and Lauren concocted a story that she was attacked on the street and she didn't get a look at her aggressor. The story seemed to hold up at the clinic as Lauren was placed in a bed as Lucas sat at her side. The doctor who examined her said that they wanted to keep her overnight for observation and Lucas planned on staying by her side all evening. Once the two of them were alone in the room and the door was shut, Luke studied her bruised face in which both eyes were blackened and her lip was split. Her face was swollen, but not as bad as one would've expected. She also had a couple of broken ribs, one of which almost pocked into one of her lungs, but missed it slightly. She laid back comfortably in her bed as she had her head turned and looking at Lucas. He stared at her and exhaled before finally saying.]
Lucas Waylon Callahan:
That mother fucker promised me that he would never lay a hand on you. [He shook his head.] I never should've left home when I knew that something like this could happen. [He looked at her gently.] Why did he do this to you Lauren? What reason does he think you gave him that justified him in doing this to you?
Lauren Jane Callahan:
I can't tell you Lucas, I swore I wouldn't. [She said as she turned her head away. He was the most important person in her life and she couldn't hurt him by letting him know about she and Hunter.] Please don't ask me anymore about this, I just want to forget and go home.
Lucas Waylon Callahan:
You're really planning on returning to the house after what he did to you? [She kept her head turned away from him.] No, there's no chance in hell that you are going back there. You turn eighteen in less than a month and there's no reason that you can't stay with me from now on. Besides he's going to be in Europe for at least a few weeks with Vivian and with any luck he won't be back until after your birthday. [He placed a hand over hers.] You've got to tell me why he did this though. Forget any promises you made to anyone and just be up front with me Laurie. [She started to turn her head his way and as she did, he looked at her with tears in his own eyes.] Right now I'm all that you've got, so you have to tell me.
Lauren Jane Callahan:
Fine...[She said as she sniffled a bit and studied the tears that were welling in his eyes.] I didn't want to tell you this because I knew it would hurt you and the last thing I ever want is for you to be hurt because of something I did Luke. You're the only family that I really have and to know that I've done something that could hurt you, hurts a lot more than anything Dad did to me tonight. [He said nothing.] I slept with Hunter; that night that I watched his girls. [Lucas lowered his head into his hands.] It was only that one time though and it shouldn't have happened.
Lucas Waylon Callahan:
[With his head still lowered.] I'm not as hurt as you think I'd be Laurie. [He rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands and then looked at her.] I know you've had a crush on him for a while and with him being on the rebound as he's been, I should've known it would be a mistake asking you to offer to help him out with the girls. [He gently took his younger sister's hand in his and held it.] How did Dad find out about this though? I know you wouldn't open your mouth and Hunter has a lot to lose if it comes out he slept with a minor.
Lauren Jane Callahan:
There were some text messages on my phone and he decided to snoop. He confronted me with them tonight and before I could explain, he hit me. [She shuddered at the memory.] I should've just deleted them like I said I was going to...
Lucas Waylon Callahan:
Laur, I've got to ask you something. [He tilted his head to the side as he looked at her.] Did Hunter make any promises to you? [She shook her head without saying anything. Luke thought for a moment and exhaled.] Okay here's what we're going to do; as soon as they release you, you're coming back to my apartment. You're moving in with me and over the next week we're going to get as much of your stuff out of that Dad's house as we can. And as it pretains to Hunter...[He exhaled.] What happened, happened and there's no sense in getting pissed about it. He's my best friend and your my sister-- I'm not happy about what happened but I'm not surprised that it did. Right now my biggest concern is keeping that sadistic bastard father of ours away from you.
Lauren Jane Callahan:
You have no idea how good it feels to have you in my corner right now. [She managed a sad smile as she squeezed his hand. The smile disappeared almost instantly.] What am I going to do though? If I just leave, Dad is going to cut me off financially. Luke, I have school and car payments and I have no money.
Lucas Waylon Callahan:
[He exhaled and sat back in his chair.] It's too late to make any of those decisions right now Laurie-Jane. The biggest thing you need right now is sleep. You rest and I'm going to call Ashlee and tell her to get the other bedroom at the apartment made up for you along with getting some of your things. [He paused for a moment.] That is if you're okay with it.
[She nodded as she soon felt exhaustion overtake her. She gently shut her eyes and knew that the pain medication the doctor had given her had finally started to set in. It wasn't long before she was asleep and Lucas had left the room. He made the necessary calls as she continued to sleep. Despite the pain she was in and everything that had happened, Lauren was able to sleep peacefully. Luckily for her, Bronson didn't plague her dreams as she didn't dream. She had a deep and dreamless sleep which she was greatful for when she woke up. The last thing she needed was a bunch of fucked up dreamsmessing with her even more.]