Page 133 of Cry For Mercy

Fuck me. I took the door handle, and stepped inside, my eyes reaching Julie immediately. She looked so delicate, and fragile, and pale, and I felt my eyes tear up again. My god. My little angel.

She reached out a hand to me, and I found myself going straight to her, grabbing it with both of mine. We stared at each other for a long minute, both of us leaking tears, our hands squeezing together.

“I’m so sorry, little angel.” I whispered, and she smiled, just a tiny bit.

“Thank you. For calling me that.”

“Always. You’ll always be my little angel. I’m not afraid to say it now. I’ll never be afraid to say it again.”

She pressed her lips together, but I saw them trembling. She was so pale. She looked so young and helpless. And there was nasty bruising on her face. That bastard. I wanted to kill him all over again.

“I’m so sorry he hurt you. I should have been there.” I dropped into the seat beside her, but I never let go of her hand. I couldn’t.

She watched me sadly. “You couldn’t know he’d do that. He seemed safe.”

I felt another sharp wave of anger, because she was right. He did. He should have been. And I should have seen that he wasn’t.

“Adam, don’t keep blaming yourself. It’s written all over your face.”

I stared at our hands. “If I’d just stayed, if I’d just stayed right beside you and, didn’t… Jesus. I should have been there. I’d have stopped him getting anywhere near you.”

Julie sighed. “Honestly, I wish you’d been there, Adam, but maybe it would have been just as bad. Or worse. What if he’d killed you? Then I’d have wanted to die anyway.”

I kissed her fingers.

“Nothing is worse than what he did to you. He was a monster. He had no right to do that. I hate that he hurt you like that.”

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