Page 19 of Falling For Liam
“D…D…David,” he stutters, petrified. “Is she…is she…okay?”
“FUCK YOU,” I roar. The situation we walked into suddenly slams into me. He may not have been the one to hit her, but he knew. He knew, and he didn’t stop it. “It was your job to protect her,” I seethe.
Dec walking into the room distracts me from the piece of shit on the floor. “Let’s go.”
Looking over, I see he’s got his hands full of black bags. “What’s that?”
“Her stuff. Now, let’s get out of here.”
BJ pushes me forward and, without so much as looking back, we make our way to the van, towards the woman we did this for.
Chapter Six
Olivia
I wrap my sore body in the giant fluffy towel Nic left for me and risk my first look in the mirror. My left eye is almost swollen shut, the blue and purple bruise angrily staring back at me, and my cut lip has just about stopped bleeding. Running my eyes down the rest of my exposed body, I see his fingerprints on my upper arms and marks wrapped around my wrists. My stomach turns over at the thought of him having his disgusting hands on me. I hoped having a hot bath would not only soothe my muscles but also help rid myself of his putrid smell clinging to the inside of my nose, but it’s still there.
“Liv?” Nic calls softly.
“I’m okay,” I whisper, so quietly there’s no way she’ll have heard it.
“I’ll be downstairs when you’re ready. I’ve made you some pasta and I have wine, if you want it.”
Tears sting my eyes at the thought of someone looking after me. I’ve spent months trying to be the strong one, looking after everyone else, being the crutch they needed to make it through the day. Giving up that stress is a bigger relief than I expected.
After pulling on a pair of pyjamas Nic left for me, I open the door and peer through the opening. My mind is still back there, in the flat, with him. It’s going to take me a while to stop looking over my shoulder.
I slowly make my way downstairs. The sounds of mellow music come from the living room, along with the soft flicker of candles, and I continue making my way towards my friend. The one person I should have come clean to months ago. I’d allowed her to see tiny parts of what my life’s been like. That was enough for her to demand I leave and move down here with her. If she only knew the truth…
“Hey,” she says softly as I enter the room. “Come and sit down.”
Once I pulled myself together after she made the guys leave, I was expecting her to start with the questions, but to my surprise, all she did was lead me up to the bathroom and help me get rid of the visible evidence of today. But the look in her eyes right now tells me that my time’s up. The questions are about to come.
“If it’s too much, then just say, but please, Liv. Tell me what’s been going on?”
Letting out a long breath, I nod at her. When I don’t start talking right away, she leans forwards and grabs both glasses of wine off the coffee table. Shaking my head, I ask for a glass of water instead. After everything I’ve been through I’m not sure I can face it.
After being handed a fresh glass, I take a deep breath and let the whole story spill from my lips. She already knew about David’s alcohol problem and Griff’s drug addiction, but she didn’t know what a threat he was and how he basically controlled our lives through fear.
“Holy shit, Liv. Why the fuck did you stay there? I told you so many times there was a place for you here. What were you thinking?”
I shrug, because all the reasons I stayed there suddenly seem so stupid. My misplaced loyalty to a relationship that has long been over. His family who had no one else to turn to. It’s only now I’m beginning to see it was never my job to try to hold them all upright when they were dead set on falling, on falling into depression or addiction, anything to dull the pain they were causing each other. They were toxic.How did I manage to stay there so long?I wonder as I stare into the kind eyes of my best friend.
“I don’t know what I would have done it if wasn’t for you,” I admit.
“Me?” she asks pointing at herself. “I haven’t done anything. You didn’t give me the chance.”
“You were there when I needed you. You’re here now,” I say, my chin trembling as tears fill my eyes.
We’re deep in conversation when the sound of the front door and footsteps heading our way stops us in our tracks.
Nic’s eyes snap to mine, I guess she wants to see what my reaction will be to seeing the guys. Before I can respond to her silent question, Dec’s stood in the doorway looking between the two of us. His eyes full of concern, he stands as if he’s about to be sent away.
“It’s okay. It’s your house.”
“Uh…the others are outside. We’ve got something for you.”
“Okay?” I ask, my eyes narrowed at him in confusion.
