AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And she told you to cut yourself?”
Layla nods.
“The next time she tells you to hurt yourself, I want you to come to me. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, you call me.”
“You don’t want to be subjected to all my drama.”
“I’m here to help you, Layla. You don’t need to suffer alone.”
Slowly, she leans against my chest.
As I tighten my hold on her, I do my best to ignore how good her warm weight feels in my arms. “I want to help you, but you’ve got to let me.”
“It’s not easy for me to let people in. I hate when others know about the chaos inside my head.” She turns to look up at me with a frantic gaze. “You’re not going to tell my parents, are you?”
My heart stops in my chest. I knew this was coming. “Layla.” The tone of my voice says it all.
She slides off my lap and kneels beside me to grasp my forearm. “Please, Jason, don’t. They’ll be so disappointed.”
“Layla, I don’t have a choice. It would be unethical of me not to report this. Your parents need to know. They’re counting on me to do the right thing, and that includes letting them know of any potential risks. They’re not going to be disappointed in you, I promise. Theyloveyou. They only want to keep you safe.”
Seeing her in so much agony hurts, and knowing that I’m about to cause her even more pain guts me. I brush her tears away. “Layla, you have to trust me. I wouldn’t tell them if I didn’t have to.”
As she looks away, the tears keep coming. She’s still shaking, and I can’t bear it. I rise to my feet and pull her up onto hers. “It’s getting late, and you’re exhausted. Why don’t you get in bed?”
She still won’t look me in the eye. “I won’t be able to sleep.”
“How about you lie down and rest? I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep.”
She nods grudgingly, and I follow her out of the closet. While she goes into the bathroom to get ready for bed, I retrieve the knife and take it to my room. I’ll deal with it as soon as she’s asleep. I’m not looking forward to telling her parents, but I meant what I said. I don’t have a choice. I just hope Layla will eventually understand and that it doesn’t damage our fledgling relationship.
I return to Layla’s room just as she emerges from the bathroom dressed in her pajamas. The good news is she has stopped crying, although her eyes are rimmed in red. The bad news is she looks like she expects the sky to fall in on her at any moment.
“It’s going to be all right, I promise,” I tell her as she heads for her bed.
While she crawls beneath the covers, I pull an armchair up to the side of her bed and sit. My gaze lights on what looks like an antique book lying on her nightstand. “What’s this?” I pick it up and glance at the front cover.Jane Eyreby Charlotte Brontë. There’s a bookmark sticking out of it.
“It’s a first edition copy that Ian gave me for my birthday. I’m reading it for English class. I have to write a paper on it this term.”
I get up to turn off the chandelier and switch on the lamp on her nightstand. Then I open the book to the spot where she left off. “How about I read to you?”
Her eyes widen. “Really?”
“Sure. I used to read to my little sister when we were kids. Our mom had to work nights, so I was the one who always put her to bed. I’d read to her every night until she fell asleep. I’ll probably suck so bad you’ll fall asleep out of boredom.”
She cracks the tiniest of smiles. “I doubt that. You have a nice voice.”
I laugh. “I’m not sure I’d agree with you on that. But hey, let’s give it a try.” I start reading about Jane and Mr. Rochester in their old, dark, drafty house, and the things that go bump in the night.
Twenty minutes later, Layla’s fast sleep.
I tuck the bookmark in its place and lay the book down on the nightstand. Then I lean back in my chair and watch her sleep, mesmerized by her beauty. Despite the many bruises, she looks like an angel.
I hate leaving her, but I need to go talk to her parents now, before it gets any later.
After I let myself out of Layla’s room, I head down the hall toward the parents’ bedroom. I hate disturbing them at this hour, but it has to be done. I knock quietly on the door and wait.
The judge opens the door dressed in a dark blue robe. “Jason.” He sounds surprised. “Is everything all right?”
