Page 59 of Judas

Eliza drew a staggered breath, "Yeah, I do. But, if you don't feel like talking about it, that's okay."

The girl turned her face away, staring into the far wall as a heavy silence fell on them both. Eliza knew if sitting in the quiet was what her little sister needed right now, then that was what they would do, for as long as it took. She had more than enoughtime to just be still with her. Reaching out, she took Neveah's small hand and the two laced their fingers. They sat together, in the calm, for long minutes that stretched into a quarter hour then a half hour.

"I didn't realize what was happening until later," Nevaeh's soft voice broke their meditation. "I'd went by the office a few times, after hours, you know? Just to study or to pick up something for Dad." Turning her face to Eliza, she shrugged, "The internet is so much better at the office than the library at school."

Eliza nodded.

"He told me how pretty I had gotten…how fast I grew up. How much I reminded him of Catherine," her chin dipped to her chest. "Toby and I just broke up…so, it was nice to hear things like that from someone…even if it was just Uncle Paul."

Eliza squeezed her hand. But, while Nevaeh may have taken it as a sign of support for her, Eliza's stomach was churning at the mention of her mother's name and she was only beginning to realize how sick her father really was.

"I went in one night, right before school was out. I needed to get a term paper done for AP Bio, he was there. He told me I could sit in his office so I wouldn't be alone," Nevaeh's eyes filled with tears. "I remember he was drinking something brown…whiskey or something. He asked if I wanted one…I said no, but he said it wasn't a big deal. After a while, I said I needed to go home…I tried to stand up, but—" She looked at Eliza, "I've never drank before…I felt weird and I remember stumbling around. Next thing I remember is being on the floor with my pants down…he was on top of me." The silent tears streamed down her slim face, "I couldn't make him stop…I couldn't tell him no."

Eliza didn't speak and she didn't know if she could. She had watched her father get to the edge of being inappropriate at times, like at the campaign ball, with Georgia, and he’d clearly had relationships with women, but she didn't know that hewould go that far. Or, maybe she didn't want to admit it. If it would have been any other man, she would have seen the signs, but he was in her blind spot.

The young girl's sigh broke their silence, "I missed my period earlier this month…I just knew. I called Uncle Paul and told him…he told me not to worry about it. Gave me Dr. Abigail's number…she was nice. But, I guess there was a complication and I got an infection. That's how I ended up in the hospital."

"I'm really, really sorry, Nevaeh," Eliza couldn't dam the tears any longer. "I truly am so sorry! Sweetheart, I promise you, he will never do this to another girl again." Her anger fused and she lifted Nevaeh's chin to meet her eyes, "Do you hear me? Never again."

Chapter forty-three

Judas stood outside of Paul’s hospital room for hours. He promised Eliza he would be there and he never regretted a second of his duty to her. When he received a text from her that he was safe to leave and meet at her apartment, he hesitated but only for a moment. He felt the momentary grip of fear that she was only trying to get him to leave so that she could slip into the room unnoticed, but then he realized he trusted her more than she trusted herself.

He knew she would never risk her own life and well-being for the scum that was Paul Arthur. He knew that she might want to kill him and he might even deserve it, but she was too good of a person to carry through with it. The entire charade of guarding the room, to begin with, was only for her peace of mind.

Knocking on Eliza’s door, he planned to tell her just that. He wanted her to know that she was never in danger of her own self. She was strong, courageous, and pure. But when she opened the door, all the words left his mind.

She was completely shattered.

Eliza worked for the last several hours to hold herself together, but with Judas in front of her, she felt the freedom to let it all go and finally fall to pieces. The tears began to pour from her face and she fell willingly into his open arms.

He held her tight against his chest and walked her backward into the apartment. Shutting the door behind them, he ran a gentle hand down her back, soothing her like a child. Her sobs vibrate through him and send splintering cracks through his heart. Kissing her hair, he scooped her into his arms, walked to the couch, and sat with Eliza cradled in his arms.

“Ahava, my Eliza,” he cooed against her hair.

She buried her head in his chest, trying to speak, “He’s a rapist, Judas. Paul… he’s… a… oh, god, Judas…”

Her words sliced through him and he held her closer to him, still rubbing her back to comfort her. Though, at this point, he wasn’t sure comfort was possible.

Leaning away from the sanctuary of his chest, Eliza looks into his eyes, “Judas, my father raped Nevaeh. That’s why Chet did what he did. And I don’t think she’s the first one. It goes all the way back to my mother. She learned what he was and she was leaving. She was leaving and she died. Judas, I…” her voice catches on a sob, “It’s so unfair. And I have stood behind him even though I knew it was wrong. Even before I knew how wrong, I knew it was wrong, but I still stood there making excuses for him. Jesus, it’s all so fucking disgusting. He is a horrible, disgusting man and I helped him get to where he is.”

The rage boiling through his veins made it hard for Judas to stay seated here holding his love. He wanted nothing more than to walk into Paul Arthur’s room and tear him to shreds. Not only did he desecrate the bodies of young girls, but he splintered Eliza’s heart into a million tiny pieces. The look of devastation shining from her deep irises was the only thing holding him in place.

Swallowing back his rage, Judas took her face in his hands, “You did nothing wrong, Ahava. You didn’t know. You couldn’t have known.”

Eliza shook her head in frustration, “No, that’s not good enough.” Anger billowed as she pushed herself away from his embrace to stand, “Men get away with shit like this because people in their lives don’t hold them accountable for the shitty things they do. I hate those people!” Furious tears pour from her eyes, “I was one of those people I hate, Judas. I made excuses and told myself he could be redeemed if I just kept trying. I knew he was a terrible person. I knew!”

Eliza stood before Judas, shaking from her indignation. The sight of her looking so ravaged by heartbreak was almost more than he could take.

“Eliza,” he whispered carefully, “You arenotresponsible for the sins of your father. As for the work you have done for him, you can’t take it back. All you can do is move forward.”

His words sank into her and her shoulders shook with another round of tears, “I just keep thinking of what he has done to these poor girls. And all the other women he’s lied to to get what he wants. What he has put them through. What he has taken from them and… Judas, it just hurts so much because I can’t take away the hurt he has caused them. I just want,” her voice cracks with emotion, “I just want to make him pay!”

Standing from the sofa, he walked to her as she dissolved into inconsolable cries. Judas wrapped his arms around her, carrying her to her bed. He laid her down before crawling in beside her to hold her while she cried.

***

Judas had no idea how much time had passed, but eventually Eliza’s tears dried and her body was still. Thinking she has fallen asleep, he gently places a kiss on her forehead. To his surprise, he was greeted with a murmur of acknowledgment andthen a quick peck on the lips before Eliza sat up, breaking their embrace. She rolled to the edge of the bed and sat with her face in her hands.

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