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“I’m not going to pounce on you, Bri.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you looking like that?”
“Because I’m black and blue… And…it’s ugly.”
“Nothing ugly about you, baby. Battle scars tell us how far we’ve come. Nothing about that is ugly,” he says, low and sweet. He moves his fingers to the hem of my shirt and carefully lifts it higher, exposing the skin on my belly. Then higher still, where he sees the bruises. They’re dark and purple and not a pretty sight. There’s a tic in his jaw and a flash of anger in his eyes.
Then he does the unexpected and drops kisses over the bruises, so gently that it makes me want to cry. He removes my shirt, leaving me in my leggings. Chloe and I decided that a bra would be too painful.
Feeling very exposed, I cover my breasts.
His voice raw, he asks, “Can you do the rest?”
I nod.
“Good. I’m going to lock down the house. I’ll be back in a bit.” He pulls open a drawer and takes out one of his T-shirts. “This should be loose enough to make it easier for you.” He helps me put it on and leaves me to it.
Grateful for the time alone to compose myself, I wriggle out of my leggings, then grab my pj bottoms and head to the adjoining bathroom. The T-shirt smells like Alex. I love how it feels against my skin.
* * *
Alex
Lockingup the house is the excuse I’m using to get control of my rage. I knew she was going to be marked, but there’re more bruises than you can imagine. It must be an effort to move, and I don’t want to think about the pain. When Sabrina dropped the plate and tried to get down on her knees, I almost had a fit.
It all makes sense. She had to deal with a controlling ex who beat her if she did anything wrong. Sabrina’s reaction was instinctive. How much can one person take? I caught the look in Caleb’s eyes afterward. We found out about what Cameron had done to Sabrina. He was pissed that we didn’t beat the shit out of Cameron before sending him to prison too. A man who hurts women and children is not a man. That’s been ingrained in me since I was a kid.
My father adored my mother. He was open with his affection for us. He didn’t need to play the tough guy in front of his buddies. We were his world, and we knew it. Losing my parents was horrific. I made out like it was just something that happened that I needed to deal with, but Damian’s father knew different. Kevin and my dad were close. Really close. Damian and I practically lived in each other’s houses. I’d go to Kevin and Sandra’s place one weekend for a barbecue, then to David and Joyce’s another the next week, and then it was our turn to host the week after that.
All our parents held family as their key value. That means that Caleb, Damian, and me, we’re as close as biological brothers. When my parents passed away, both families wanted me to move in with them. Kevin won that battle, mainly because my father made him promise to look after his family if anything ever happened to him. Dad never thought that an accident would take both him and Mom.
Kevin treated me like his own son, but he knew I was burying shit deep. It came to a head one day when I exploded about something stupid, and Kevin knew I needed an outlet. He drove me to a therapist every day. For the first three sessions I refused to speak to her. Kevin kept taking me back and waited patiently for me, no matter whether I spoke or didn’t.
Eventually, I let it out, and when it was over, Kevin was outside the door ready to hug me and let me know I wasn’t alone.
I wanted to become a cop because I didn’t want another kid growing up without their parents. I wanted to right the wrongs of the world. The fact that Kevin was a cop only made me want to become one even more.
I’ve seen a lot of bad shit, but what happened to Sabrina eats at my gut. The guilt of leaving her that night lies heavy on my heart. I keep thinking that if I’d stayed that night, I would have walked her to her car and she wouldn’t be dealing with the pain she’s feeling now.
The therapist taught me to take deep breaths and let it all out when I exhale, and that’s what I do as I make my way back to the bedroom.
The side lamp is lit, but huddled beneath sheets, curled into a ball, is Sabrina. Her long brown hair is spread over the pillow, her features are soft and relaxed as she sleeps. I hurry along and get ready for bed, then slide in beside her.
It’s not long before I pull her closer. Even in her sleep, her body curves around mine. Eventually, we’re spooning, and I’m enveloping her in my arms. The little sigh she expels is so damn cute, I can’t help myself and kiss the top of her head.
Sabrina stirs and mumbles, “Love you, Alex.”
“Ditto, buttercup.”
* * *
Sabrina
I jolt awake,dragging the sheets off me. I feel like I’m choking. I need air. I can’t catch my breath. Suddenly, the lights are on, and Alex is by my side, unraveling me from the sheets.
In his calm, soothing tone, he says, “It’s okay, baby. I’m here. Listen to my voice, and let’s inhale.” He inhales, and I follow. “Slowly let it go,” he says, and I follow. He guides me through a few more until I’m fully alert and able to focus on him.
