“I can’t let him go.” I’m so afraid that if I do, I’ll never see him again. “I have to protect him.” Aria ignores my protests, though, and gently slips her arms around Sawyer. “Please don’t hurt him,” I nearly beg.
“I would never,” she promises.
“Noelle?” King’s voice interrupts, but Sawyer remains asleep. “What are you doing-” His voice fades as he gets closer and sees the swelling on my cheek and jaw. “Call Holden!” he yells back to the house. Lilith appears with a smile on her face until she sees us. Desolate and beaten.
The tears I’ve tried so hard to keep at bay fall freely like a torrential storm. I’ve worked so hard to keep the fragmented pieces of our broken lives together, and now they’re on display for everyone to see.
“Come on. Let's get you inside.” Lilith links an arm through mine as Aria walks beside me, holdinghim. Sawyer.
My son.
“Oh god.”
It’s the first time I’ve allowed myself the thought.
“It’s going to be okay,” Lilith reassures.
Leading me inside, we go straight into an office where Lilith insists I sit. “Aria and the boys will take Sawyer and your bags up to Holden’s old room. I’m sure he’ll be here soon, and then we can put a plan together.” I nod, feeling like I’m in a daze. I don’t know right from left, right now.
“Daniel will be here soon,” I hear King tell Lilith.
“We need to take pictures, Noelle.” I stare up at the older woman and blink slowly. “You’re going to want this documented.”
Clearing my throat, I mutter, “I have a video.”
The couple shares a look. “You planned this?” King asks, and I nod.
“Not Sawyer.” My voice cracks because he was never supposed to get hurt. “I always tell him to hide. To stay out of sight no matter what he hears. What happens to me doesn’t matter as long as he’s safe. Why did he do it?” I don’t expect an answer.
“Me.” At the certainty in King’s voice, I gaze up at the man, who looks ten years older.
“What?” I shake my head, trying to clear the emotional fog bogging me down.
“Last night, he asked a million questions about when he was older. Like, isn’t he supposed to protect the woman he loves? I told him when he was old enough. Strong enough. Then his number one duty would be to protect those he loves.” His eyes darken, and his jaw locks. “If I thought for a minute that he was talking about you and now, I never would have said anything.” Lilith wraps an arm around his waist in comfort. “I’m sorry, Noelle. I’ll make this right.”
“I don’t blame you, King. I blame myself. I should have risked running sooner. I should have protected him better.” The guilt is mine to bear. I’m the one who was too afraid to do what was needed to keep him...us...safe.
“Out,” Lilith orders as Aria enters the room with a robe and camera. King leaves, shutting the door behind him. “I know you have video and maybe pictures from last night, but you need them from today too. The bruising will be more pronounced.” I nod but don’t move.
Aria hands the items to Lilith and kneels on the floor at my feet. “I know you’re scared, terrified probably. But today is the first day of the rest of your life. We’re going to help you get through this. One step at a time.” Slowly, she begins to untie my shoes, sliding them off and placing my socks inside of them before putting them to the side.
Helping me to my feet, I stand still as my body shakes and tears continue to stream down my cheeks. They’re going to see everything. The bruises, the scars...all of my imperfections will be on display for judging.
Closing my eyes as Aria slides the soft denim of my jeans down my legs and helps me step out, I hear their intake of breath from the bruises that stand out from earlier in the week. Lifting my arms, she pulls my shirt over my head, and I hear them cursing. Aria twists my long hair up into a clip on my head to keep it out of the way.
Leaning her head on my shoulder, she says, “You cried for me in my time of strife; now it’s our turn to be there for you, Noelle.” Her fingers trace the scars from a belt whipping on the backs of my thighs. They should have been stitched; instead, I laid in bed for a week with the open sores until they healed enough that I could move. Even now, I can feel the remembered tearing of flesh.
The click of the camera makes me flinch with each new photo taken as Aria moves me into the best light, ensuring the old and new are cataloged. By the time they’re helping me into the enveloping robe, there’s a commotion on the other side of the doors.
“Noelle!” I can hear Holden’s angry voice call out, but someone must be stopping him from coming in.
“Oh no,” I murmur. I came here because I knew they could help us, but I never thought about having to tell Holden the truth about Sawyer.
“Don’t think about it right now,” Lilith says and smiles at my shock. “It's written on your face. We’re waiting on Daniel to get here with some paperwork. Holden will only be angry that you’ve been mistreated so savagely.” The words are barely out when the man in question barges in.
Rage is evident in the way he storms towards me. Cupping my neck and hip in each hand, he pulls me forward. My hands move to his muscular chest, where I can feel the intense beating of his heart, the pulsing anger rushing through his veins.
“I’m going to kill him,” he vows, and I believe him.