Page 144 of Dream On, Liar

Slowly, she pulled back, her hands falling to her sides as my arm kept her in place in my lap. Moving my free hand up, I tucked a soft stray piece of hair behind her ear. “You sure you don’t want to go checked up?”

“They’ll just say to rest, and take some painkillers. If it gets worse, I can go.”

I gave her a nod, trusting her judgement. “Fine. Then tell me what happened? The amount of locks you have inside tells me that the place wasn’t broken into, but clearly, someone was in the flat.”

Her gaze flickered to the floor instantly, and it was then I knew that someone she knew had done this.

“Maeve. Who did this to you?” My voice had been cold. Colder than I intended it to be.

“My ex-boyfriend.”

My blood ran cold. “Did he put his hands on you?”

Her hand came up to my chest, like she wanted to keep me from moving. “He didn’t hit me…just pushed me. Hard.”

“That’s the same thing, Maeve.”

“I know, I know. But he didn’t get to do anything.”

I paused. “What does that mean?”

“He had a knife—”

“What the fuck?”

“But he didn’t get to hurt me. When you rang the door bell, it scared him enough to make him run.”

“How did he even get in?”

“He was waiting for me, and even after I’d threatened him to make him leave…he waited until I had unlocked the door to push his way in.”

“I’m calling the police. We have to report this.”

“No.” The answer came immediately.

I stared at her in disbelief.

“No?”

She shook her head. “I don't want to.”

“He broke into your home.”

“I know.”

“He threatened you.”

“I know.”

“And you're telling me you don’t want to report him?”

Her eyes finally met mine. “His friend is a police officer. He said they’d help him before he was put behind bars.”

I said nothing, but my mind had already began to churn.

She swallowed, waiting for me to accept what she’d said.

“If I promise to make him pay for this, would you let me?”