"No dad! No!" I scream as my father drags me away from Liam, his gun pointed at his heart.

I'm thrown to the floor and my head bangs painfully onto the ground. My eyes blur but I watch, utterly helpless, as my father advances on Liam.

The heavy thud of the gun hitting the floor echos through my body as I watch my father advance towards my boyfriend.

The first hit splatters Liam's blood onto the floor.

He doesn't stop.

I scream.

I beg.

I watch my father beating my boyfriend like he's going to kill him.

Liam is curled up on the floor in a ball, he won't fight back.

"Liam!" I scream, "fight back!"

But he doesn't, as the blows and boots fall on Liam, he whimpers and curls up tighter.

Finally, I drag myself back to my feet and grab hold of my father's arm. His elbow catches me in the face and my nose crunches.

Blood spurts up my face and I can taste it in my mouth.

"Please dad." I sob as he pauses for a moment, "you're going to kill him."

We both stare at Liam, bleeding and sobbing on the floor. I move to comfort him but my father grips my wrist hard enough to bruise it.

I yelp and struggle to break free, to get to Liam, but I can't.

"If you hurt him again." I spit out as I stare at the man I once saw as my father, "I will never forgive you."

My father's jaw clenches as his eyes scrutinise Liam and then me.

My father drags me across my bedroom as I kick and scream, begging him not to do this. Begging him not to hurt Liam.

He throws me onto the bathroom and then locks the door behind me. I'm on my feet and thumping the door even though I know it's hopeless.

"Please! Please! Dad! Don't hurt him!"

My voice cracks as I continue to scream. I can't hear anything from my room, and no gunshots, but it doesn't make it any better.

I scream until my voice gives out I can only wheeze and sob.

"Liam, Liam, no," I whimper as I collapse onto the floor, clutching at my swollen jaw and aching nose.

The cold floor races through my body as I shiver and sob.

Hours must pass before I hear the click of the door being open. I stagger to my feet, my eye puffy and my nose swollen.

Adrian, the kind man from before, is standing in the doorway. My feet are unsteady and Adrian catches me, his eyes stare at my bruised face.

"You'll be alright now, Miss Katie."

"Liam?" I croak out, already fearing the worst.

"He's alive." Adrian begins, leading me to the bed, "and banished from the territory."

My eyes swim with tears as I realise I'm never going to see Liam again. My heart is as broken as my nose.

Adrian finds my first aid box under the sink in the bathroom and begins to dab at my nose.

I hiss and pull away but Adrian fixes me with a stern glare and I reluctantly place my head back in his reach.

"Come on now, Miss Katie, let me treat your wounds and then I'll give you some good news."

"How can there be good news?" I weep pitifully as my tears splatter into my upturned palms.

I feel numb.

I feel nothing that Adrian is doing to me.

I just want Liam.

"Your father has banished Liam."

At his words, I judder out another sob as I remember how close my father was to beating Liam to death.

"And you are to be locked in your room from now on."

"What?" The words catch on my throat, "how is this good news?"

"It's not." Adrian gently squeezes my hand but I pull away, I don't want anyone to touch me but Liam.

"But your father has gone on a run in a rage tonight, he couldn't be around you."

I whimper and wrap my arms around myself, my life is over now. My father will never let me go to college, never let me have a boyfriend, never let me have a life.

"And Liam is waiting for you at your hotel. I can take you to say goodbye."

Weakly I look up at Adrian, "really? You'd do that for me?"

"Of course. Liam isn't a bad lad, and I know how much you care about one another. You deserve to say goodbye."

I weep as Adrian leads me down the stairs, my legs feel like lead from the shock, and into the car.

The compound is deserted, everyone knows what their president did to Liam. Everyone knows and everyone is scared of him.

I sit in the passenger seat of the car, my knee jigging with nerves as the engine turns over.

Adrian drives in silence, neither of us can think of anything to say to the other. And I just want my Liam.

We are a street away from the hotel address I gave Adrian when he pulls over.

"I won't go any closer in case someone is following us, is that ok?"

"Yes, I'll be fine."

I smile weakly and gratefully at Adrian.

"Thank you, for everything."

Adrian nods and shakes his head, silently telling me that it doesn't matter, but it does. I'm so grateful.

"I'll be back here in two hours to take you home, and..."

Adrian trails off and swallows hard.

"And lock you back in your room."

I nod my head and open the car door. It's only two streets away and my legs feel more and more full of conviction with every step, I want to see Liam. I need to.

Turning the corridor, out of sight of Adrian's gaze my knees give way and I sob. I just wanted to be with Liam, why would my father do this to us? To him?

Taking a deep breath, I stand up again but freeze when a shadow looms behind me.

"Is this her?" The voice sneers as I frantically try to keep breathing, as I decide whether it's worth running.

A harsh hand grabs me by the shoulder and yanks me around to stare at him masked face.

"That's the whore, yes."

I scream but a hand from a person I didn't see clamps his palm over my nose and mouth.

A needles jabs into my neck as I flail and gasp, but now sound escapes me.

I feel my blood slowing and the world goes dark around me.