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But I can’t.
He is as much a part of me as I am myself. The love I feel for him is indescribable because there aren’t any words to express how much he means to me. The only time I feel whole is when I’m with him. I don’t care about the uncertainties which face us. As long as we’re together, we can tackle anything.
“Y’ve got nothin’ to say?” He finally looks at me in the rearview mirror, and I see pure hate reflected in his eyes.
“What do you want me to say, Rory? That I’m sorry? Well, I’m not. I can’t help who I love, and I won’t apologize for putting myself first for once. I didn’t want you to find out this way, but I—”
“Get out,” he snarls, not allowing me to finish. “Y’ve made yer choice.”
Not once has he ever spoken to me this way. But I suppose you can only break someone’s heart so many times before they snap.
With a sigh, I open the door and get out of the car, but jump back when Rory takes off so quickly, gravel kicks up in his haste. He speeds down the driveway, almost taking out an oncoming car as he pulls out onto the road.
I’m utterly defeated when I walk toward Punky’s house, but the scaffolding around the castle is a wonderful sight. Witnessing it deteriorate with time was a hard pill to swallow. It was like it didn’t want to stand without Punky either.
When I arrive at Punky’s house, I brace myself for the worst, but when I see Hannah sitting on the couch, beaten and bloody, I realize I haven’t braced myself for jack shit.
Punky sits beside her, legs splayed and head cradled in his hands. When he hears me enter, he lifts his chin. He doesn’t need to say it—this is bad.
“I’m sorry,” Hannah sobs when she sees me. “I tried to stop them.”
“Shh,” I say, walking to the couch and dropping to my knees in front of her. “It’s okay. I know you did.”
“She’s with Ethan,” Hannah says, looking at me through one eye as the other is closed over.
Taking her hands in mine, I try my best to smile. “She’ll be fine.”
My voice is alien as I know nothing will be fine ever again.
“Let me help clean you up.” I stand and offer her my hand.
Hannah nods and slowly rises, flinching when she stands. But the fighter in her won’t allow her to concede defeat. We take our time, hobbling toward the bathroom. Cian is on the phone while Punky merely stares into thin air.
He needs time to process this. We all do. But seeing him this way just cements the shitshow headed our way.
I close the bathroom door, giving us some privacy.
Hannah tries to take off her T-shirt but cringes in pain.
“Here, let me.”
She nods.
Carefully, I remove her bloody clothes, holding back my vomit when I see the full extent of her injuries. Her small, fragile body is beaten black and blue.
“Hannah, you need to go to the hospital.”
“Naw, I can’t. They’ll call Mum.”
And this is why she hasn’t called the police.
She knows contacting the authorities will bring about questions we can’t answer. Sean knew this as well.
“I just want a bath,” she says, wrapping her arms around herself.
I do as she asks and run her a hot bath. Once I’ve helped her into the water, I dip the sponge into the bath and gently wash her face. She whimpers as her cuts are deep.
“What happened? If you’re not comfortable talking about it, I understand.”
