AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s certainly something I’ve seen before,” Elliot said. “Keep going, sweetheart.”
“Once I was at home all the time, I got lonely, so I started visiting friends and family to fill my time, but he got paranoid and asked me if I was seeing other men. I realized he had cameras in the apartment and the security system was rigged to notify him any time I left and then again when I returned. When I asked him about it, he said he just wanted to make sure I was safe, and when I mentioned going back to work because I was bored, he started planning weekly dinner parties, inviting his boss and colleagues over, to keep me busy. It was during those dinner parties that I started to wonder if he’d had an ulterior motive for dating me.”
She opened her eyes and looked directly at Tione. He was so caught off guard that he stared right back. It was like she was talking to him, and only him. He wished he could reach out and take her hand, but he didn’t want to disrupt the flow of her story. “Charles is a lawyer, and he’s intent on making partner. His father is a judge, and they have this whole career planned out for him.”
“His dad is a judge?” Kat asked, echoing Tione’s disbelief.
Megan nodded. “Of the variety you can have in your pocket if you’re rich or powerful enough.”
Elliot clucked his tongue. “It’s not right, people in positions like that thinking they’re above the law.”
“I know,” she agreed. “Anyway, it soon became apparent that I was part of their plan.” She snorted derisively. “The firm he works for has old values. They prefer their partners to be in settled relationships. I suited nicely because I didn’t say anything I shouldn’t, and because my mother and brother are both respected lawyers in their own fields. On top of that, I overheard his boss telling Charles not to let me go. He said that the ability to hold onto a good woman was an indication of a man’s potential.” She shook her head. “I think it was a bunch of bullshit. The old creep hit on me every chance he got, and he knew that Charles would never call him on it. Charles had no problem lashing out at me because of it though.”
Tione’s gut clenched. Regardless of the audience, he reached over and patted her hand. She intertwined her fingers with his.
“After one party, he got upset because he believed I’d been flirting with his boss. In reality, I was just being nice, because he asked me to, but Glenn is one of those men who can’t keep his hands to himself, so it looked like there was more going on. The next day, Charles actually thought I’d set up an assignation with the guy because I went to visit my sister and Glenn happened to be out of the office at the same time.” Her throat worked as she swallowed. “He hit me, and I was so shocked I didn’t know what to do, but he seemed so sorry about it afterward. I slept in the spare bedroom and figured we’d talk about it later, but we never did. It was like he’d completely forgotten.”
“What was the date when he first hit you?” Elliot asked, pen moving furiously.
She cocked her head, considering. “I couldn’t say for sure. A little after new years, I think.”
“Would you be able to find out the exact date?”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
“Good.” He stopped writing and looked up. “Please, continue. How many more times did he hit you?”
“I don’t know,” she said, and damned if that didn’t make Tione want to break the dickhead’s face. She’dlost countof how many times he’d hurt her?
“After the first time, he didn’t hit me again for a couple of weeks, but then I wore a dress to a dinner party that he’d picked out for me but later decided was too revealing. From then on, it seemed like I did something to set off his temper most weeks, although he didn’t always hit me. I was walking on eggshells. I never knew what would upset him. One night I ran out of wine when he had guests over, and he pitched a fit. He… uh…” Her voice cracked, and she lowered her gaze to the table.
“When they’d all left, he grabbed me and shoved me into the wall. I bashed my head and I think I must have been knocked out. I don’t think he meant to go that far because when I woke up in the morning there were flowers on the pillow beside me, and pastries from my favorite cafe in the kitchen. He’d left a note for me to treat myself at the spa. Despite all that, I realized that his apology was an empty gesture. He wasn’t truly sorry, and by staying with him, I was putting myself in danger.” She shook her head. “The trouble was, I didn’t have money to leave him and I didn’t know how to ask for help and admit that I’d been so fucking stupid.”
They all flinched at the curse word coming out in her soft, sweet voice.
“Sorry,” she muttered, looking contrite.
“You’re entitled to a swear word or two,” Kat replied.
“Damn straight,” Elliot agreed. “And you can’t blame yourself.”
She shrugged, looking so helpless and ashamed that Tione ached to gather her in his arms and shelter her.
“Why can’t I?” she demanded. “My mum is an attorney and she’s worked with women in abusive relationships. I should have seen the signs and known better, but I was so caught up in the fairy tale I’d woven for myself that I missed it all. But that wasn’t the only thing that stopped me leaving. Charles’s dad could cause a lot of professional problems for Mum, and she worked really hard to get where she is. I couldn’t bear to ruin it for her just because I’m an idiot when it comes to men.”
“So when did you decide to go, regardless of your financial situation?” Elliot asked. “Did something in particular happen to push you over the edge?”
Squeezing her hand, Tione did his best to silently remind her that he was there for her. He wished there was more he could do.
“I’d started taking on baking jobs behind his back to make money. It was difficult because the apartment was wired with cameras, but not impossible with a bit of planning. Then, around two and a half weeks ago, at another of his work events, the senior partner groped my thigh beneath the dinner table. I’d had enough and I made a show of pretending to think it was Charles, and being confused when it wasn’t. I wanted him to realize that it wasn’t okay, but then later on, Charles was furious because I’d embarrassed him. I asked if he expected me to sit there and take it, and he said yes, if that was what it took for him to get his promotion. He said I should support him in every possible way.”
Tione thumped the table. “That bastard!”
She raised her eyes to his, and it pleased him to see the spark of anger glowing in them. Her ex hadn’t taken away her fighting spirit.
“Yeah, so.” She held his gaze, as if pretending it was only the two of them in the room. “That was the final straw. I used the money I had to buy a car, and decided to stay long enough for one more job so I had a little more padding in my wallet.”
“Couldn’t you have gone to your family?” Elliot asked, more gently than Tione had heard him speak in his life.
