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Heartbeats in the Dark	By : Erinlindsay97 Category: M through R > Riverdale Views: 524 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Riverdale or it's characters I only own the plot and my ocs

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
Nick sat on the bed, running his fingers through Veronica's hair, the gesture feeling more like a possessive claim than a comforting caress. Her face was buried in the rough pillows, muffling any sounds she might have made.
"It'll be alright, Ronnie," he hummed, his voice a low, unsettling purr. Leaning down, he placed a kiss on her bare shoulder, the touch leaving her skin crawling. "We'll go another round soon." He smirked, a cruel glint in his eyes, when he saw her tense at his words.
Veronica heard what he said, each syllable a fresh wave of nausea. All she wanted was to disappear, to rewind the last few hours and make different choices. "Just please go away," she managed to croak, the words barely audible.
She moved to cover her naked body, the chill in the air mirroring the cold dread in her heart. But Nick smacked her hand away from the blanket, his touch rough and dismissive. "Don't cover up," he said, his voice thick with a predatory hunger as he ran his hand down her body, leaving a trail of unwanted heat in its wake.
The raven-haired woman whimpered, a small, broken sound that seemed to fuel Nick's twisted pleasure. He climbed back on top of her, his weight pressing down on her, stealing her breath. He placed kisses on her neck, each one a violation.
"Nick, please, no more," Veronica begged, her voice laced with desperation as she moved her arms to push him weakly. She wasn't feeling well; a dull ache throbbed in her head, and her stomach churned. It didn't help that her system was swimming with drugs, blurring the edges of reality and weakening her resolve.
Nick grabbed her arms, his grip tight and unforgiving, and pinned them above her head. Her wrists burned under his hold. "You can keep begging me not to do it," he said, his voice a low, mocking growl.
"You know it just makes me want to do it more and more." His words were a chilling confirmation of her worst fears, a stark reminder that her pleas were not a deterrent, but an invitation to further cruelty.
Veronica turned her face away, tears sliding down her cheeks. She didn't know how much more she could take, and she was slowly giving up hope that Archie and her father would come and save her. The cold, damp basement air did little to soothe the burning shame and fear that consumed her. Each echoing drip of water from the leaky pipes above was a metronome counting down to an unknown, and terrifying, fate.
"I don't think Archie would come for you now, especially when he finds out about what you let me do," Nick said, his voice a sickeningly smooth caress against the rough backdrop of the cellar. He pressed a series of vile kisses against her neck, each one a brand. "He'll probably won't want a washed up slut like you..."
Veronica closed her eyes, trying to block out Nick's words, each syllable a poisoned dart aimed directly at her heart. Her heart pounded against her ribs, a frantic bird trapped in a cage, with each movement Nick made. She was trapped, helpless, and utterly terrified. Her skin crawled with revulsion. Suddenly, she jumped when she heard Tim call for Nick, his voice muffled from upstairs, and she couldn't help but be thankful for the interruption, even though she knew it was only temporary.
"What is it now, Tim?" Nick asked, his voice edged with annoyance as he pulled away from Veronica. He carelessly threw a dirty blanket over her, a gesture that felt more like a dismissal than an act of kindness. "Um, we got company," Tim said, his voice laced with a nervousness that mirrored her own.
Nick's eyes narrowed, his handsome face twisting into a mask of barely concealed anger. "Company?" he asked, clearly not liking the interruption. He stood and quickly dressed, his movements jerky and impatient, leaving Veronica huddled on the makeshift bed, her heart a frantic drum against her ribs. Curiosity, a weak flicker of hope, began to stir within her.
Veronica swallowed against the lump in her throat as she heard that someone was here, and she prayed with every fiber of her being that it was Archie and her father, finally here to get her out of this living nightmare. Her breath hitched as she watched Nick walk towards the rickety stairs leading upstairs.
- Outside With Archie, Hiram & JP-
The biting wind whipped around Archie's face as he waited, the abandoned hotel hulking behind him like a skeletal beast against the bruised twilight sky. Every instinct in him screamed to tear through the grimy doors and rip Nick St. Clair limb from limb. The thought of Veronica being held captive, even for a moment, ignited a white-hot rage he struggled to contain.
But he had to be smart. Veronica's safety depended on it.
He turned to face Hiram Lodge, who stood a few feet away, his gaze fixed on the dilapidated building. Hiram's face was a mask of controlled fury, a dangerous calm that Archie knew well.
"Archie," Hiram said, his voice low and gravelly as he gripped Archie's shoulders. "I want you to go in and get Veronica. JP and I will take care of Nick."
Archie’s fists clenched. "Are you sure?" he asked, the desire to unleash his fury on Nick burning in his throat. He wanted to be the one to deliver the justice Nick deserved, to make him pay for daring to threaten Veronica.
Hiram's grip tightened. "Yes. I think Veronica would love to see that you get her out of there, especially if we're... too late. I don't want to see my daughter in that situation." He watched the entrance of the abandoned hotel with intense focus, a silent plea etched on his face.
Archie understood. Hiram was seeing the worst possible scenario unfolding, and he needed to know that Veronica was safe, in Archie’s hands. He nodded, the primal rage momentarily subdued by a deeper, more protective love. "I'll bring her out." He promised, his voice resolute.
As if on cue, the heavy doors creaked open and Tim, one of Nick's goons, emerged, pushing Nick roughly ahead of him. Archie watched, his jaw tight, as Nick scanned the deserted parking lot, a smug smirk playing on his lips.
"Where are they?" Nick asked, his arrogant tone grating on Archie's nerves.
Just then, JP, Hiram's ever-present shadow, materialized from the darkness between two rusted-out cars. "Nick St. Clair," he said, his voice a low growl that echoed in the empty space.
As Nick turned, a flicker of apprehension crossing his face, Hiram stepped forward, emerging from the shadows near his SUV. His presence was imposing, a force of nature that commanded attention. The air crackled with unspoken threat.
Archie turned his attention back to the hotel. He had a promise to keep. He took a deep breath, steeling his nerves, and stepped towards the grimy entrance, ready to face whatever lay beyond those doors and bring Veronica home. His heart hammered against his ribs, fueled by fear, adrenaline, and the unwavering conviction that he would do anything to protect her.
The air crackled with tension outside the opulent hotel. "Go now, Archie!" Hiram demanded, his voice a guttural roar as he tackled Nick to the ground. Nick, scrambling for freedom, found himself pinned beneath Hiram's fury, each blow fueled by paternal rage. JP, Hiram's ever-present shadow, delivered a brutal kick, sending Nick sprawling again. "You better hope my daughter is okay, or I'll do more than beat the shit out of you," Hiram snarled, his words a promise more terrifying than his fists.
Inside, adrenaline coursed through Archie's veins. He nodded sharply, acknowledging Hiram's command, and charged through the revolving doors. Tim, was right behind him, his face etched with concern. "She's in the basement!" Tim blurted, pointing Archie towards a narrow, inconspicuous staircase.
Archie didn't hesitate. He threw open the basement door and plunged into the dimly lit stairwell, his heart hammering against his ribs. Each step down was a prayer, a desperate plea for Veronica's safety. He reached the bottom and saw a single, bare bulb illuminating a grimy room.
"Ronnie?" he called, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and hope. His eyes scanned the space, and his breath hitched in his throat. There, in the center of the room, was a bed. On it lay Veronica. His heart stopped.
A ripped and tattered blanket barely concealed her small frame. He could see the stark outline of bruises on her skin, the sheen of sweat clinging to her forehead. She looked so fragile, so vulnerable. A wave of nausea washed over him. He wanted to scream, to tear down the walls, to obliterate the monster who had dared to touch her.
Veronica had been lost in a haze of fear and pain, every creak of the floorboards sending shivers down her spine. When she heard footsteps approaching, her body stiffened. But then came the voice, a familiar, beloved voice that resonated deep within her soul. "Ronnie?"
Her ears perked with a surge of hope so intense it almost overwhelmed her. Archie. It had to be Archie. As she felt a tentative hand rest on her shoulder, she flinched, her muscles coiled tight.
"Easy, Veronica," Archie whispered, his voice a soothing balm against the rawness of her fear.
Slowly, cautiously, Veronica turned. The blanket, heavy and suffocating, slid down, exposing more of her battered body. Her eyes, wide and brimming with tears, locked onto his.
"It's really you?" she asked, the question a fragile whisper, a desperate yearning to know if this was real, if she wasn't lost in a terrifying dream. Her body began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Archie, you got to get out of here! Nick will kill you," she begged, her voice rising with panic. The thought of him being hurt, of him suffering because of her, was unbearable. She couldn't bear for him to be in danger.
Archie knelt beside her, his eyes filled with a love and protectiveness that transcended words. He gently pulled her into his arms, careful not to exacerbate her injuries.
"Don't worry," he murmured, his voice low and reassuring. "Hiram and JP are dealing with Nick." He held her close, feeling the tremors racking her body, and vowed, with every fiber of his being, to keep her safe. He would never let anyone hurt her again.
The flickering fluorescent bulb above cast long, dancing shadows across Veronica’s face, highlighting the grime and exhaustion etched into her features. Archie's words hung heavy in the stale air of the basement. "Hiram and JP has Nick."
Veronica nodded, the movement barely perceptible. "Okay," she whispered, her voice raspy and thin. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ward off the encroaching darkness threatening to consume her.
"Ronnie, stay awake." Archie's voice was a low, urgent plea. His hands, calloused and strong, gently cupped her face. He could feel the tremors racking her body, the fragility threatening to shatter him. He carefully scooped her into his arms, her weight alarmingly slight.
He moved with a controlled urgency, navigating the treacherous debris-strewn floor of the abandoned hotel. He couldn't let her see the fear that clawed at his throat. He had to be strong for her. He wrapped her tightly in the thick blanket he'd found tucked away in a dusty corner, shielding her from the prying eyes that might be lurking outside.
As he emerged from the hotel’s dilapidated entrance, the crisp night air hit them. Veronica’s head lolled against his chest, her eyes still closed, her breathing shallow and ragged.
"Come on, babe, you got to stay awake for me," Archie whispered, his voice laced with desperation. Each breath she took, each shallow rise and fall of her chest, was a victory, a small battle won against the encroaching darkness.
And then he saw them. Hiram and JP. JP stood a few feet away, his posture rigid, a silent sentinel. At his feet lay Nick, a crumpled, bloody mess on the cracked pavement.
He walked towards them, his focus solely on getting Veronica to safety. He couldn't help the swell of pride that bloomed in his chest when he saw Veronica’s father, Hiram Lodge, standing there. Despite everything, Hiram was here.
Archie carefully carried Veronica to the waiting SUV. Hiram followed, his face an unreadable mask. The air crackled with unspoken tension as Archie gently laid Veronica across the back seat. Hiram slid in beside her, his hand hovering protectively. Archie took the wheel, the engine roaring to life under his control.
JP remained behind, a lonely figure silhouetted against the decaying backdrop of the abandoned hotel. He was waiting for the police, waiting to explain the mess that had been left behind.
Archie’s foot pressed down on the accelerator, the tires spitting gravel as they sped away. He glanced in the rearview mirror, his heart pounding. Veronica lay still, her face pale in the dim light.
All he could do was drive. He gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white, and prayed he could get her to the hospital in time. He had to get her to the hospital. For Veronica, for Hiram, for himself. He had to save her.
- 10
- 11
- 12
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Heartbeats in the Dark