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He catches up to me and grabs my arm like I’m a child to pull me away from Lennon.
“I need a beer. Let’s go,” he barks, walking past Hunter and guiding me inside. We go to the bar, and he gives me a dirty look when he orders two beers as if he knows I’m going to say something about him drinking. It’s the last thing he needs to do because he doesn’t know his limits. I keep my focus on the floor and try not to make eye contact with anyone because I’m worried they’ll see how swollen my face is. I wish I could disappear right now.
As if Lennon can read my thoughts, she walks up and pulls me away. Before capturing me, she gives Weston the sweetest smile. “I gotta run to the bathroom and change Alison. Wanna come with me, Soph?”
“Sure,” I say, knowing Weston won’t say no to Lennon, who then waves Maddie over too. Lennon grabs the diaper bag, and Weston gives me a silent warning, causing a knot of fear to form in the pit of my stomach.
Once we’re in the bathroom, Lennon locks the door and grabs me, turning me toward her. “Please tell me you’re not trying to cover up a black eye, Soph. I swear to God, I will murder him.”
“It’s not what you think,” I say out of habit, though I know it’s no use. He doesn’t deserve the excuses anymore. He doesn’t deserve me.
Maddie is a ball of fire, pissed to the extreme. “Did he hit you?”
As I try to explain, my bottom lip trembles, and my emotions begin to pour out. The questions continue one by one, and I answer them truthfully. I explain him drinking and driving, and why we were so late, and then Lennon’s words bring me back to reality.
“You can’t honestly keep making excuses for him, Soph. He’s a drunk, and he’s hit and hurt you on more than one occasion,” she tells me firmly. “Please leave him. I’m scared for you.”
I swallow hard, feeling my heart in my throat, feeling my entire world crumble around me, as the truth of why I really can’t leave tumbles out. “I don’t have anywhere else to go. I don’t have money to get my own place, and I can’t go back to my old apartment. What am I supposed to do, Lennon?” I’m so fucking scared, and I know my sisters see it in my expression and hear it in my voice.
I’ve thought about my options over and over the past couple of weeks. My only choice is to quit my dream job—resign from the symphony—and move back to Utah with my parents, ultimately ending my career as a professional musician, which can’t happen. I won’t let it. She offers for me to stay with her, and while it’s generous, that’s not my only concern.
“It’s not just that,” I meekly say. “He won’t just let me break up with him and leave.”
Both of their eyes go wide, and the questions keep coming. I explain how I tried to end it a few weeks ago and he slammed me into the wall. And then I tell them exactly what he said. “He told me if I left him, he’d kill me.”
Lennon urges me to go to the police and get a restraining order.
“I’m scared, Lennon,” I say as tears glide down my cheeks. They pull me into a hug, and when I’m with them, I feel safe. Leaving the reception tonight is going to be difficult, especially if he’s drinking again.
“I know, Soph. We love you and will protect you, okay? Hunter, Mason, and Liam are all on your side too.”
The thought of them coming to my rescue makes my heart swell, but I don’t think Lennon realizes how dangerous Weston really is. She hasn’t seen the side of him that I have. He threatened to kill me, and if they get involved, he’ll retaliate against them too. “Just don’t say anything yet, okay? I’d rather move my stuff out when he’s sober, tell him it’s over, and then if he doesn’t take it well, we’ll get the cops involved.” I wipe away the tears, knowing I need to stop crying, or my makeup will fade away, revealing all my secrets. I wish I could leave him tonight, but it’s best not to do anything abrupt with him or make a scene in public.
“You aren’t doing it alone, though,” she tells me, and I agree even though it’s dangerous as hell.
After a moment, I’m grateful when Lennon changes the subject. Just as she’s about to announce her big news, I hear police sirens.
“What the hell is that?” Maddie asks, unlocking the door, and we see people rushing down the hallway, almost as if the place is on fire. Maddie steps out, following the crowd, and we stay close behind her. Tons of people are by the door, and we somehow make our way through them until I finally see Hunter and Liam. They look terrible, and I’m fearful that something’s gone wrong.
