She stopped in her tracks, in pure disbelief. Did she hear him right, did Noah really ask about Gerald.
"You have been watching me.'' She says bitterly, glancing at Noah who now held an unreadable expression. the words did not need to hold much more meaning for Noah to understand.
''I was worried,'' he responds as though he expects that answer to be a cure to the damage he had already caused.
'' Worried about who? About me? You were worried about me? how many times are we going to keep playing this game?'' Lily asked, evident in her tone.
'' This is not a game lily, this is about your life. You can't keep letting that bastard hurt you.'' he responds. He is avoiding eye contact. There is more to the story than he's letting on and Lily can tell that.
''So how many days have you been watching me? Where have you been standing to watch what happens under our roof? Is it any of your business? Do you know what you're getting yourself into?''
''No, I do not know what i'm getting myself into, nut if it means saving you and helping you understand that you deserve better, then i will do it. I will risk my life for this.'' He says those who do too much determination and excitement.
'' what are you doing? what made you think that I needed saving? What would have attracted you to me so much that you needed to know what was happening in my life? tell me the truth noah, why are you really here?''
More time to continue the conversation when her head turned towards the direction of their house and she noticed Gerald peeping from the window.
'' I have to go, I never want to see you again.'' how was your final and she expected Noah to respect him. She did not give him any opportunity to further the conversation or defend himself. Lily understood that walking into that house would still bring her greater pain and suffering. Gerald had seen a boy accompanying Lily to their house.
taking a deep breath, she opened the front door and took a step inside. When she turned around to Grant outside, she noticed that Noah was nowhere in sight. she let out a breath of relief because she did not need to worry about him anymore. She still felt disgusted by the intrusion of privacy and wondered where Noah had been watching her all this time too. his intentions had to be far more than curiosity. there had to be someone who was working with him. Someone was interested in understanding more about the werewolf species and whoever that person was, he was manipulating Noah. Lily needed to understand.
"So the conversation we had was not enough? Did I need to do more to explain to you what would happen if you continue to do these hideous acts? ''His voice boomed from the other direction. Gerald stood at the stop of the staircase, hands firmly holding the rails of the stair as the other hands held a glass of wine.
''He insisted, he …. I tried Play to stop him, but i could get rid of him.'' she argued, shaking on her feet as Gerald walked down the stairs.
''He insisted.'' Gerald repeated. ''Is that really the excuse you are going to give me? That he insisted?''
The shattering sound of the glass when he threw it across the room and towards Lily, only missed her an inch. Yet again, another glass would have been stuck inside her were it not for luck. Gerald did not care about the consequences that were brought by his actions as long as it meant he was disciplining Lily in the way that he deemed fit.
When he stood at the bottom of the stairs, he threw one last glance at his step daughter before he clenched his fist and moved to stand before her.
He wasted no time in hitting her, his fist colliding with her delicate skin as the force pushed her backwards.
"You stupid bitch!'' He screamed, bending down, his fingers feasted around the collar of her shirt and pulled her back and forwards. another hit will send to my stomach as a bad one was sent on that same spot but he had punched her. blood seemed to clot on that area as the discoloration of her skin began to appear.
''I'm going to kill you today.'' he rumbled, sending blow after blow towards her face. Lily did not do anything to shield herself on her stepfather at all and neither did she beg for Mercy. to her, this was just like any other normal day.
She however understood that she might have crossed the line by allowing Noah to walk her that close to home. Earlier, she was so lost in their argument that she did not realize herself working closer and closer to home. The deal was that Noah would walk her up to a few miles away from their premises so that her uncles and stepfather would not see them.
Lily understood that she was slowly growing softer for Noah, which was the first friend she had.
''What is he to you?'' he finally asked, taking a step backwards as he hoisted himself onto the couch tirelessly.
''Nothing. he's no one to me.'' Lily responded.
'' go fetch me a beer.'' Gerald commanded.
Lily got up, ignoring the pain she felt internally he forced her movements. using the limited visions she still had, she moved towards the kitchen and opened the freezer. retreating with a can of beer she proceeded to lean towards her stepfather who was lost in thought seated on the coach.
When she handed him the beer, she did not expect for Gerald to take it so peacefully without sending another blow her away.
'' I'm trying to raise you like your mother wanted. haven't I been a good father to you? I have given you a roof over your head and yet you are not even my real daughter. how ungrateful can you be by bringing those little human boys towards our home. What will be next? are you going to bring him inside your bedroom and I'm going to find the both of you fucking?'' he says in disgust.
When he stood from the coach, she ignored Lily's presents and moved towards the stairs. climbing up one foot after another, Lily watched him hoping that he would perhaps collapse on the bed due to exhaustion. but Gerrard had different plans for her. He was not done with her.
Whatever happened today, he would not stop until he had let out all his frustrations. Until he had beaten her to near death….