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“Actually, I did find a place to stay.” I settle down into the bed more. “That’s where I am now. Jaxon, the owner of the bar, has an apartment above it and is letting me stay here. Once I begin making money, I’ll be paying rent.”
“This Jaxon character seems like a nice guy.” I hear a question in her statement. I’m not ready to divulge everything that’s happened between Jaxon and me yet. I’m still trying to figure things out myself.
“He’s been very nice,” I say carefully, not wanting to rile any suspicion. “He got his sister to stock the fridge and cabinets for me. Unfortunately, he found out that I don’t have much money, so he sent her to get some things I would need until I can get them myself.” I still feel extremely embarrassed about the whole situation. I also still intend to pay him back.
“Wow, that’s nice. It sounds like you stumbled across an amazing little town. Enjoy it while you’re there, Bailey. You deserve to be treated with kindness. You’re way overdue for it.” I love this girl so much. I miss her and wish she were here with me.
“It’s just so strange, Chris. I’ve never had people act the way these people act toward me. They seem to like me, and I don’t know how to respond. I’ve been so out of touch with people that I feel lost.”
“Just be yourself, okay?” she says quietly in my ear, her voice full of emotion. “You’re such a wonderful person, sweetie. It doesn’t surprise me that these people see that. One look at you and anyone could see that you’re special.” Chris always knows what to say. She doesn’t realize she’s the one who’s amazing. It’s because of her that I’m still here. She’s brought me through the worst of my life with Steven. She’s been my rock, and I would be lost without her.
We talk for a few more minutes, me telling her more about the town and its people. She tells me about how school and work are going. She talks about a guy she met yesterday who just started working at the restaurant she’s waitressing at. Apparently, she has the hots for him.
Ten minutes later, we get off the phone after I reassure her that I’ll call again in the next day or two. She doesn’t like going too long without hearing from me. Calling and giving her updates is the very least I can do after everything she’s done for me. Besides, I always seem to feel better after talking to her.
After hanging up, I place the phone down on the nightstand and snuggle down under the warm soft comforter. It’s total bliss. I bury my head in the plump pillow and allow my eyes to drift closed.
9
“I TOLD YOU, YOU STUPID bitch, that I won’t put up with you associating with that cunt! Why won’t you listen to me? Why do you push me?” Steven asks as he lands another kick to my stomach with his fine Italian loafers. I pull in a breath, and I swear his last kick must have broken a rib and punctured a lung. The breath that I take in is almost as painful as the kick itself.
I’m huddled on the floor in the corner of our living room with my arms thrown around my head. Steven had just walked in unexpectedly while I was finishing up my phone call with Chris. He wasn’t due back for another couple hours, so I thought I was safe. Apparently, I was wrong.
Steven crouches down next to me, grabs a fistful of hair, and yanks my head back, hard.
“You will not speak to her! You will not see her! You will not even so much as think of her! She’s bad news, Bailey! I’ll not have her putting crazy ideas in your fucking head about you leaving me! I’ll fucking kill her and you before I allow that to happen! I know she hates me, and I’ll not have you around her! Do you hear me?” He emphasizes his words by slamming my head down onto the hard tile floor. I hear a crunch, and blood gushing out of my nose and mouth. The pain is excruciating.
“Fucking answer me, Bailey, or so help me God, you’ll live to regret it.” The grip on my hair tightens.
I stifle another pain-filled cry when he yanks my head back again and gets in my face.
“I’m sorry, Steven. I promise I won’t talk to or see Chris again,” I croak out. The sooner h’is appeased, the sooner this will be over. I’ll say or do anything to make the pain go away.
Steven slams my face back onto the floor, which causes another bout of pain to shoot through my head. I roll to my side with my back facing him. Steven stands back up and plants another kick to my body, this time to my back. Blood sprays from my lips, while I’m forced to arch my back and whimper through the pain.
“Now get your sorry ass up and clean the mess you’ve made on the floor. Once you’re done with that, get dressed. We’re going to the club. You need to be taught a lesson for disobeying me.” He turns around and walks away, leaving me to drag myself off the floor to do what he says.
I yank myself from the nightmare I’m having and sit up in bed. This one wasn’t as bad as some of the others. I don’t feel the need to immediately rush to the bathroom. Even so, I dry heave a little.
Pushing back the covers. I swing my legs over the side of the bed. I plant my feet on the floor, bend over, and place my elbows on my knees, putting my head in my hands.
That wasn’t the only time I received a punishment for speaking to Chris. No matter how much I tried pushing Chris away because of the fear of Steven hurting her, she refused to back down. She didn’t know for a long time that Steven abused me. I was good at hiding it. When the abuse was visible, I would come up with excuse after excuse as to why I couldn’t see her. Eventually, she figured it out. Of course, her showing up at the house one day and me opening the door with a black eye and split lip probably helped her along the way. She was devastated that she hadn’t figured it out before. She begged me to go to the police, and even threatened that if I didn’t, she would herself. I pleaded with her and explained that it would only make it worse. Steven had a lot of influence in the community. There was no way they would believe a woman who came from lowlife drug addicts over a prestigious and distinguished law-abiding citizen. He was, after all, the attorney who put criminals away. No way would someone like that be the very person he fought so hard to rid the world of.
I lift my head and glance out the window. Dawn is just barely creeping over the horizon. The sky has a stunning purple and pink hue to it. I hear the early morning birds chirping, and every so often, a rooster crows. It’s such a peaceful sound.
I get up from my perch on the bed and move to the bathroom to relieve myself. Once I’m finished, I brush the fuzz off my teeth and wash my face then pull my hair on top of my head and secure it with a hair tie.
I leave the bathroom and head toward the kitchen. I need coffee, stat.
I look at the clock on the microwave that sits above the stove and see that it’s six thirty. Jaxon is supposed to pick me up for breakfast, but I have no idea when he’ll be here. I’m assuming that he probably sleeps relatively late since he works at night in his bar, so I figure I’m safe for another few hours. I don’t want to be caught in my pajamas when he gets here
Once the coffee is done brewing, I pour some in my mug that’s a quarter full of sugar and milk. Chris used to pick on me because I put so much sugar in my coffee. She would ask if I wanted coffee with my sugar. A small smile tugs at my lips. I miss Chris so much. She’s been my only friend for so long.
Taking my mug to the table, I watch through the window as several kids walk down the street carrying books and backpacks. They laugh and joke, and I’m completely envious of their carefree natures. They’re so innocent to the dangers in the world, as they should be. I never had that as a child. My children will never have that either.
Just as I’m lifting my coffee for another sip, I hear a knock at the door. It startles me so much that my hot coffee spills over onto my hand. I yelp and quickly get up to rush to the sink to run some cool water on my burnt hand. The burn lessens immediately, and I sigh in relief.
I’m reminded why I burned my hand in the first place when another knock sounds.
