Page 49 of Falling for the Forbidden
“It’s okay, as long as you’re okay.”
“I am.” I ignore the throbbing that comes from the purple bruise on my temple. Bringing that up would only anger her more.
“What the hell happened?”
I recount everything from the night before, much to her horror, although I omit the bit about Dad’s fist colliding with my head and focus on him attacking Ben.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, honey.”
“I know, I know. It was inevitable. It’s just what happens next that I’m freaking out about. If he’s capable of doing that in the middle of a busy restaurant, what’s he going to do in the solitude of his own home?” I hate to say the words aloud, but I’m scared for Ben. Something tells me that what we experienced last night was only the tip of the iceberg.
“It might not be as bad as you think.” She’s trying to be supportive, but I can hear the quiver in her voice loud and clear. “Now that he’s had time to calm down, he might see things a little differently.”
I have to bite down on my lip to stop myself from asking if she’s joking or not.
By the time I walk back up the driveway, the sun’s starting to set. Ben rushes from the kitchen, looking harassed as I toe my shoes off.
“Fucking hell, Lauren.” The second he’s in reaching distance, he pulls me into him. I stiffen the second I’m in his arms, aware that we’re standing in the middle of the hallway for anyone to see. “It’s okay. He’s not here.” His words do little to relax me.
No, he’s not here right now.
But he’s coming.
For the first time since I moved in, we spend the evening like a normal family. Jenny cooks and the three of us sit around the table, chatting. It’s weirdly enjoyable, even with the huge elephant in the corner of the room. She shows no sign of knowing anything about us or last night, so I can only assume she really believes that Dad’s on a golfing weekend and not banging the red-head from the restaurant. I feel for her, but my sympathy only goes so far because I’ve got enough of my own problems to worry about.
Once we’ve all cleaned up, we make our excuses and disappear off in different directions. I head up to my room, hoping that in a few minutes Ben will follow. I’m not disappointed. We spend the whole night on my bed watching crappy Saturday night quiz shows and continuing to ignore the inevitable.
After hearing Jenny come up to bed, Ben turns the TV up a couple of notches and sets about making me scream, albeit quietly.
I’m sure it’s just everything fucking up my head, but I swear there’s something different about him when he slides into me. His eyes lock with mine and it’s like he’s trying to tell me something that he’s not brave enough to say out loud. It makes my heart constrict and I have to remind myself that he’s here.
And I just pray that everything’s going to be okay.
We fall asleep wrapped in each other’s arms, just as it should be, but I can’t shift the feeling that something’s very wrong.
I wake up a couple of times in the night and snuggle tighter against Ben’s warm body, knowing that as long as he’s here with me, everything’s going to be okay.
* * *
I wake with a start.Sitting up, my heart races from a nightmare that seemed so real only moments ago. The image of Ben’s back as he walked away from me is burned into my mind. The look in his eyes that screamed that he didn’t want this but had no choice has a lump growing in my throat.
Reaching out, I expect to find him sleeping next to me but all I find is a cold, empty bed. When I turn to look, dread settles in my stomach.That was just a nightmare, right?I soon get my answer though, when I find a Post-It note on his pillow.
I promised to protect you, and this is the only way I know how.
Forever yours, Ben x
A tear splashesagainst the paper, making the ink run.
No, no, no.
This must be a joke. My heart thunders in my chest as I drop the note and scramble from my bed. Pulling on one of his t-shirts, I open my door and race towards his.
I tell myself that he’s going to be there. He’ll just be in the shower and this is all one very bad dream. But as I push the door open, I’m greeted with silence and I know it’s wishful thinking. All his stuff might still be here, but I know the truth.
I feel it in my heart.
He’s gone.
