The Boy Who Paints Me (27 page)

"He doesn't have a great relationship with his dad," I said as I quickly walked over to the window. I parted the thin, green drapes and checked for any sign of Leighton, when I was sure that the coast was clear I continued. "His dad left him with his grandma when he was two years old. The only time that he comes back is when he's in trouble and needs a place to stay and then he just disappears again. A few days ago he came back again."

"That's terrible but I still don't get why you're so sad?" She asked in confusion.

"His dad is Mitch-"

"What?" She breathed as she took in the information. "I don't get it...I don't understand? What happened?" She whispered in a state of shock.

"He threatened me. He told me that I had to leave with him in a week or he would do something to my aunt or Leighton-"

"But it's his son."

"That's what I said. H e doesn't care, Jess, he just wants...he wants..."

"You," she said sympathetically.

"Yeah, and he won't give up."

"What happened when you told Leighton?"

"I didn't, I couldn't. He would never look at me the same if he knew-"

"You don't know that, Rainie. If he loves you the way that you sound like you love him then I think you’re wrong."

"It'll destroy him, when I really got to know my mom and what she let happen to me, I was so mad, and so angry, I don't want that for him."

"I understand that but you're going to have to tell him at some point or are you planning to let Mitch take you?"

"I was, yes but my friend, Megan she knew that my stepdad was back, she didn't know who he was but she knew everything else. She told Leighton and he drove me out of town last night. He just said that my aunt was safe and that we were going."

"I think I like this Megan girl already," she chuckled.

"Yeah, I think you would."

"So, what now?"

"I don't know, he's given up everything for me, I just, I don't know."

"Well, at least you're safe, that's all that matters to me. What you do now is up to you but I think you should just be honest..."

"I can't, Jess, I wish I could but I can't. He's just so perfect."

"He sounds it, does he have a brother?" She said, causing us both to start giggling. I was glad that she was lightening the mood, I needed it.

"No, he doesn't-"

"Cousin?"

"I'll ask," I chuckled.

"Good and then you can tell me when you next call, which you 
are 
going to do, right?"

"Yes," I breathed as I closed my eyes for a moment.

"Good, just...take care of yourself, ok?"

"I will."

"Good. Bye, Rainie."

"Bye, Jess."
 

* * *

After talking to Jess I decided that I needed a long, hot shower. I had put on a pair of sweats and a tank top that Leighton had packed and slipped back inside the bed. When I watched Leighton walk through the door my heart did a mini back flip. He had a hand full of popcorn and what looked like three different films. 

"Hey, miss me?" He smiled as he gently kicked the door closed with his foot.

I didn't answer, instead I rose to my feet, walked over to where he was stood, wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him like he was the only chance of survival I had. I chuckled quietly as I heard the items in his hand hit the floor and his hands slip gently around my waist.

"Please tell me what I did to deserve that and I assure you I will do it more often," he said as he smiled against my lips.

"Just for being you," I whispered against his.

"Seems way too easy," he said before kissing me again. This kiss was slower, much slower as though he were really taking the time to explore my mouth. I felt myself melt in his arms and fall in love with him all over again.

"Ok?" He whispered as he let his forehead rest against mine. I nodded my head as I held him slightly tighter.

"Thank you," I whispered as I watched a look of confusion cross his face. "For bringing me here, for everything."

"Rai, I don't want you to thank me for the things that I'm supposed to do. It's my job to keep you safe. I'd be a pretty useless boyfriend if I didn't, right?" He chuckled.

"I don't know, you do have a couple of other uses," I said as I laughed, really laughed. It wasn't fake or forced, it was one hundred percent real and it felt good.

"Just a couple?" He said, raising his eyebrow at me.

"Hmm mmm," I answered whilst laughing.

"Are you sure about that because I'm thinking that you may just change your mind in a minute," he said as he began tickling me.

"No!" I screamed as a fit of laughter took over me as I tried to escape his grip.

"Sorry, I can't hear you over all of the noise," he laughed as he kept on tickling me.

It wasn't until I felt myself fall backwards and land on the bed that I realised that we had moved away from the door. Leighton had a huge smile on his face as he continued his torture.

"Ok, ok!" I screamed through my laughter.

"Still can't hear you, you're going to have to speak up," he shouted as the tears started to roll down my cheeks.

"You have more than a couple of uses!" I screamed as clearly as I could.

"Well, that's good to know," he chuckled as he finally stopped tickling me. Everything suddenly went very silent as he looked down at me. He was hovering over my body and we were both
breathing erratically. I felt his hand slid slowly up the side of my body until it reached my face. He stroked my cheek so gently that I'm surprised that I even felt it. "You're so beautiful, Rai," he whispered as he stared down at me. I was speechless; there was too much tension for me to move or even breath. "And you I like seeing you laugh like that," he said as he smiled down at me.

"What, when you're torturing me, you mean?"

"Something like that," he whispered. "You know that you can talk to me about anything, right?" He said more seriously.

"I know...I just, I need time...I'm sorry..." I trailed off as I turned my head away from him.

"Hey," he said as he gently turned my face so that I was looking up at him again, "no pressure, ok? As long as you're happy and safe that's all that matters. I just want you to know that when you're ready then so am I, ok?"

"Ok," I whispered.

"Good, now do you think that I can kiss my incredibly beautiful girlfriend because staring at those lips is driving me insane," he said as his gaze flickered down to my lips.

"Be my guest," I giggled.

"That just became my new, favorite sentence," he said before his lips covered mine. His kiss was tender and gentle. He pecked my lips before gently rolling off of me and standing up. "Right, you have three choices," he continued as he picked up the DVDs off the floor. "First up is romance, we have 'The Notebook' picked simply because the lady suggested it, may I just point out that I have no knowledge of this movie," he chuckled as he held it up for me to see.

"Mmm I'm not sure that I believe you," I giggled as he raised his eyebrows at me.

"Do we need to be tickled again?"

"No!"

"Good," he said with a huge grin on his face. "Ok, so next up we have comedy 'What Happens in Vegas' and lastly we have some action 'Fast Five' and the choice is yours?" He said as he stared at me.

"Ok, I have a choice what about you?"

"Nope, I watch what you watch, so which one?"

"How about we both say a film at the same time?"

"Ok, but we'll still watch whatever you say," he replied.

"Fine. After three.
One, two, three."

"What Happens in Vegas," we both sang with huge cheesy grins on our face.

"Remind me to brag that I have ridiculously good taste in women when I next see Callum," he chuckled as he put the movie into the DVD player. I just laughed as I watched him plop down on the bed next to me after turning the light off. He slipped his hand under me before pulling me right next to him so that my head was resting on his chest as we both lay down on the bed.

"Ready?" He asked as I felt the vibration of his voice through his chest.

"Ready."

"Good."

* * *

We had already watched Fast five and were forty five minutes through What Happens in Vegas when I felt
Leighton start to rise. "Just going bathroom," he said as he slipped out from underneath me.

"Want me to pause it?"

"No, I've seen it before," he said before kissing my forehead and then heading towards the bathroom.

I continued to watch the movie when the sound of my phone distracted me. I suddenly remembered that I hadn't called Megan like I said I would and that she was probably quite worried about me. I picked my phone up and froze when I saw the name on my screen. I knew that he was going to contact me soon but I had only just got used to the idea of it just being me and Leighton. I took a deep breath before opening the text and reading the words on my screen.

I warned you...

I scrunched up my nose not quite understanding whether there was supposed to be more to the message when
suddenly it vibrated in my hand again. This time it was an image... I automatically sat up as I clicked on the image. When I looked at the photo before me my whole world suddenly came to a standstill. There on the screen was a picture of Aunt Sarah tied to a chair, with her mouth gagged and a tear stained face. I suddenly couldn't breathe. I felt sick just as I always did whenever Mitch would enter my life. I didn't even realise that I was already crying until my vision started to blur.

"Rai? What's wrong?"

"He's got her," I whispered as though saying it louder would make it more real.

"Who/ I don't understand? Baby, you're not making any sense," he said in a panicked tone as he took a step towards me.

I couldn't talk anymore so I just handed him the phone and left him staring at the picture. I watched as the shock took over his face before his eyes lifted up to look at me.

"You said that she was safe," I mumbled.

"She was, I thought that she was..." He trailed off. "Your stepdad did this?" He asked in disbelief.

"He's not going to stop, not until he has me, I have to do something! I have to find her!" I said frantically as I started to race towards the door.

"No, you're not going anywhere if that's what he is capable of," he said as he blocked my way through the door.

"I have to go, this is all my fault. I never should have gone there...I caused this."

"No, no you didn't, look at me. Look at me, Rai. This is not your fault. This man is sick and needs help but this is not your fault. Rai, baby, I need you to tell me who he is-"

"I can't," I whispered as the tears started to stream down my face.

"Rai, you have to."

"You'll hate me...you'll never look at me in the same way," I said as I let my back slide down the door until I hit the floor.

"Rai, I need you to trust me, baby, I love you," he said as he bent down to my level. "Rai, I need you to trust me. If you don't tell me then I can't help you find her. You can't do this alone."

I looked up at him praying that this was just some silly scene out of a movie and that at any moment the director was going to shout cut but it never happened.
 

"I'm sorry...I'm so, so sorry," I muttered as I looked up at his confused face.

"Why are you sorry, Rai?"

"My stepdad...
its Mitch...It's your dad..."

Chapter 16 –

"What?" He whispered in shock as he stood to his feet and took a step away from me. "I...I don't understand...what are you saying?"

"I didn't want to have to tell you..." I was at a complete loss for words. I hadn't planned this, I didn't want to do this, and I had no idea what I was supposed to say.

"Repeat what you said," he said slowly with a look of despair in his eyes.

"I...I can't," I whispered as I rose to my feet and stared at him. I could feel the tears strolling down my cheeks as I started to panic.

"Repeat it," he said sharply.

"I can't-"

"Just say it!" He screamed, scaring me as I watched his fist bunch up at his sides. This was it; this was exactly why I didn’t want to tell him because I never wanted him to look at me the way that he was looking at me right now.

"It's your dad! He has Aunt
Sarah; he's the one that let people do all those things to me! He's the one that I hate!" I screamed, suddenly losing all control. It was like I was saying everything that I had always wanted to say but never could. I could feel myself shaking as the room went deadly silent. He just stood in one spot and stared at me. I couldn't read his emotion and I couldn't gauge what was happening. He turned around so quickly that I almost missed it. He punched the wall so hard before grabbing his jacket and storming out of the room without saying a single word. I just stood there in shock.