She sighs as she rests her head against my shoulder once more.
Her door is ajar when we get there, so I kick it open and march inside. I don’t bother looking around at her space; I’m too concerned about the girl in my arms.
Lowering her to the bed, I place her on the edge and drop to my knees before her, taking her hand in mine.
My breath catches when I finally get a good look at the side of her face that was hidden from me in the car.
“Baby,” I breathe, freeing one of my hands to gently cup her wounded cheek. It’s already swollen, dried blood covering the small scratches caused by the rough brickwork she was shoved against.
The heavy makeup from her shift is smudged all over her face, darkness streaked down her cheeks from her tears.
“Don’t,” she whispers, twisting her face away from me and lowering her eyes to the floor.
“What do you need?”
“You to leave,” she confesses.
“I can’t do that right now, Demon,” I tell her honestly, my hand slipping around the back of her neck and my other squeezing her hand lightly. “I’m sorry, but I… I just can’t.” I close my eyes tightly, the image of that cunt with his hands on her body filling my mind as rage courses through my veins.
“I need a shower. I-I smell like—”
“Okay. Where’s the bathroom?”
“Across the h-hall,” she says sadly, her voice cracking with emotion.
“Hey,” I say, lifting my hand from hers and turning her back to face me. “It’s going to be okay. I’ve got you. I won’t let you fall.”
Her whole expression softens with my words and tears fill her eyes.
“Shit, that wasn’t meant to make you cry.”
She shakes her head lightly. “T-thank y-you… for saving me.”
“I’ll always save you, baby.”
Footsteps race up the stairs before Joanne’s concerned stare lands on us.
“I’m okay, Mum. Promise,” she assures her, even managing to smile a little bit. “Some guy after work. He got a little… But I’m fine.”
“And you’re okay with Toby being here?” she asks, making my spine straighten.
Panic rushes through me, because I know that if Jodie says no right now then I’m going to have no choice but to stand up and walk away from her.
All the air rushes from my lungs when Jodie nods once, giving Joanne her answer.
“Sit with her,” I say, reluctantly releasing my hold on Jodie and standing. “I’m going to get the shower running, okay?”
Jodie nods again, and I back out of the room while Joanne rushes to her side.
Joanne pulls her daughter into her body and holds her tight as Jodie’s sob rips through the air and my chest squeezes hard.
Maybe Jesse was right. Maybe I shouldn’t have let her step foot in that place tonight. One thing is for fucking sure though.
She’s not going back.
If she still wants to dance, strip, whatever, then I’ll find somewhere safe for her to do it. Although something tells me any ideas she might have had about what the job entails have been shattered by how her first night ended.
It makes me want to go back and kill that motherfucker all over again.