Page 10 of Brutal Mate

“You know, your daddy doesn’t mean to upset you,” she said, squeezing just a little harder, “He isn't a bad man. He's just been so stressed lately.”

Miley struggled to bite back angry laughter. She had never heard such bullshit in her life.

No matter how her mother tried, she could not hide the bruises that her husband had left her with. Her pale foundation did little to hide the black eyes and burst lips.

At least Miley could say he had always refrained from hitting her in the face. As he said, it was something to do with keeping her pretty for whoever the mayor chose to marry her off to. He couldn't mar the prize. That didn't stop him from bruising her elsewhere, though.

And Miley knew her mother was either a liar or a goddamn fool to believe the words coming out of her own mouth.

Yet, she had learned long ago it was best not to argue. And so, she nodded. “I know, Mom.”

Smiling, her mother reached out and took hold of her hand. “Why don't you get washed up and I'll meet you downstairs? Daddy will be waiting.”

At that, Miley bit the inside of her lip.

“Actually, I'm not hungry,” she admitted, dropping her gaze. “If you don’t mind, I think I'll just get an early night. Daddy wants me at the store bright and early to finish reorganizing what I started today.”

Her mother squeezed her hand and smiled softly. Miley forced herself to mirror the expression as her mother leaned forward and stroked back her hair behind her ear. “Well, you wouldn't want to disappoint him, would you? You get some sleep and I'll save you some in case you get hungry.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Miley said, and her heart ached as her mother leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

For just a second, she could imagine she was a little kid again, a kid with no understanding of what abuse was. And she almost felt loved.

A lump formed in her throat. If her mother loved her, she’d have taken her far away from her father years ago.

“Sleep well, sweetie,” her mother said, rising to her feet. She blew another kiss in Miley's direction before she left the room.

Miley bit back a groan and leaned over to turn off the lamp on her bedside table. It probably was best to get some sleep.

But no sooner had she done so than she heard a familiar clicking sound on her bedroom window. Why did her best friend always insist on throwing stones?

“Lauren,” she groaned under her breath as she slipped off the bed and hurried to the window to open it. As soon as she did, she hissed down at her friend, “Would you stop that? You'll get me in trouble!”

“Can't get into trouble if you aren't here,” Lauren laughed back at her, waving her out the window. “Come on. Come out!”

Miley gritted her teeth. Her friend wasn't likely to take no for an answer, and the longer she stood their caterwauling like that, the more likely they were to get in the exact trouble she hoped to avoid.

“Hide,” Miley hissed down to her friend. “I'll be out as soon as I've freshened up.”

“Yes!” Lauren exclaimed, doing a small victory dance that made Miley smile. Lauren was the only thing in Nightstar that made her life just a little more bearable.

Being tired tomorrow was a small price to pay for a couple of hours in the woods with her friends. Maybe if she got drunk enough or breathed in enough second-hand smoke, she might actually be able to forget for a while. Besides, her parents thought she was getting an early night, so what harm could it possibly do?

Quickly, she ran a comb through her hair and wrapped up the red curls in a messy bun. Several strands fell loose, untamable, but it would have to do.

Changing into a cute little summer dress and her matching blue Converse trainers, she hurried on with a little mascara and some lip gloss before expertly scaling down the side of the house with only the trellis to hang onto.

Many bad things could be said about her father, but one good thing was that he truly did know hardware and DIY. She had climbed that trellis more times than she could count, and it had never failed her.

Hopping down onto the lawn, Miley peered into the dining room window to find her mother sitting alone. It was a pitiful sight that tugged at Miley's heartstrings, but it was better than the alternative of finding her arguing with her father over why she hadn't come down for dinner.

He was likely already set up with his tray on his lap, watching whatever sports game was on tonight. Though her mother looked upset, if she was anything like Miley, she would be relieved inside.

Why can't you just leave him? Miley thought, wishing her mother would hear. It was the very reason Miley had never plucked up the courage to leave. She wasn't sure she could leave her mother, even if she did hate her guts for staying and even more for standing idly by.

“Miley? Are you coming?” Lauren whispered from her hiding place in the bushes at the end of the garden.

With one last glance at her mother, Miley stalked down the lawn to where her friend was hiding.

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