Page 54 of Mace

Is she…scared of him?

“Ivy, please. Just come home so we can talk about this.” I try to appeal to her, but I notice his fingers tighten around her arm. “If you don’t take your hands off her, I’m going to break every single one of your fucking fingers,” I hiss, finding an anger and strength I didn’t know I possessed.

I am the mama bear protecting her cub, and I will go down fighting for her, but if I expect Ivy to be on the same page as me, I’m mistaken.

“Go home, Maylie.”

“No, you’re in a dangerous situation here, Ivy. I’m not going to leave you in a toxic relationship.”

Her eyes widen a fraction before the hardness seeps back into them. “What would you know about a relationship? You’re a fucking pathetic virgin who hasn’t even been kissed before.”

I flinch. Not at the accusation—that’s all true—but at the acidity of her words. There is so much hate in them, but I refuse to believe she feels that for me.

“You’re a virgin?” Link snorts. “What are you, like twenty-five?”

“Twenty-two,” I correct. “Ivy, I can help you. You don’t have to suffer in silence?—”

She steps out of Link’s grasp, and my heart surges.Have I gotten through to her?

Oh, thank you…

She moves closer and then she shoves me so hard that I jolt back. I don’t expect the assault, so I don’t have time to stop the force as I bounce off the wall and fall forward onto my hands.

My knees burn as they hit the tile, and I let out a cry as sickening pain vibrates through my wrists. Bile coats my throat, and I swallow it down as I draw in a ragged breath.

That hurt so badly.

I slowly lift my head to look at my sister, and I note the wide-eyed terror on her face at what she’s just done. She’s not gloating or happy she’s hurt me, and even though Iknow it shouldn’t, it gives me hope that my sister is in there somewhere, fighting.

She licks her bottom lip, lifting her chin. “Please, for your sake, stay away from me.”

Those words are odd, but before I can question her further, he steps into her space, his fingers wrapping around her shoulder as he steers her back to the door.

“Ivy’s made her choice. Respect that. You come back here, I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

Tears prick in Ivy’s eyes as he gives her a push into the apartment. My throat is clogged as I sink back onto my heels, trying to find the strength to rise and fight him, but her frightened face is the last thing I see as he shuts the door and takes my sister from me.

FOURTEEN

MAYLIE

I barely sleepfor the next two nights. All my thoughts are locked in an endless loop of my sister. There’s something really wrong in her relationship with this man.

I have to believe she is pushing me away to protect me.

For your own sake…That is what she had said to me. For my sake.

I read through pages and pages about interrelationship violence, and I’ve come to the only conclusion I can—Ivy is being abused by this man, and I have no idea how to get her away from him.

I want desperately to go to the flat and drag her out of it, but every instinct tells me that will only make the situation worse. I have never felt so helpless in my entire life, so it’s little wonder I’m barely sleeping.

When I wake on the third morning, my eyes are gritty and tired. I pull the pillow over my face, resisting the urge to scream into it, before I force myself out of bed and make my way out to the kitchen.

The flat is quiet, so I grab the kettle. Caffeine is theonly way I am functioning right now… lots and lots of caffeine. I swear, the bags under my eyes have their own bags. I hate being stuck in my thoughts and having time to dwell on what’s going on, but the bruising to my wrist means I’ve had to take the last few days off. I can barely lift a mug, let alone a tray of drinks.

Another problem to be added to the list.

My rent arrears are getting bigger and bigger.

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