Torrid Affair(61)

“I became her power of attorney. I was able to cash out the policy to pay for her medical expenses. Of course, my father was there when I withdrew the money and asked for half of it.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, reliving my darkest moments.

“Oh, Brie.” Delaney held my hand.

“My mother doesn't know how to stand up to my father; she's never been able to. Even when she couldn’t speak or walk, she wanted to give it to him. But Julian stood up to him. He kicked Brian out of the house, and soon he became the man I fell in love with. Our provider.”

Delaney looked at me with her brow furrowed.

“He started working for this man, Dennis. He paid Julian a lot of money, and everything was great. We got married, my mother got better, and Julian paid for her housing in an assisted living home. Dennis bought my mother’s house in cash, and we bought a townhouse in the heart of Chicago. Then Julian changed. There were nights he came home with blood on his hands. He grew angry over the years, and he took his frustration out on me.” I bowed my head in shame. “I don't know why I waited so long to ask for help.”

“Oh, my.” Delaney reached for a tissue and wiped her own tears.

“When he gets really angry, I become his punching bag. Julian was a wonderful husband until he started working for Dennis. “I sobbed.

Delaney hugged me. “Why did you stay? Why did you wait so long?”

I shook my head and looked at their fireplace. “Because I’m my mother’s daughter, and when you’re in, you’re in.” Her eyebrows pinched together. “I gave him ten years. I signed a piece of paper and vowed for better or worse. I can’t turn on him now. If he’s willing to make this marriage work, I am too. I owe everything I am to Julian.”

“You just told me you were his punching bag.”

“Not all marriages are perfect.” I glared at a picture of her and Nate. “I can't live with the fear of knowing my husband might be killing someone in order to make a living for us.”

Delaney heaved a deep sighed. Her manicured nails ran through her hair. “I’ll talk to Nate. In the meantime, you'll stay with us.”

“No.” I shook my head.

“Yes. You’re family, Brie, and there's no way I'll let you go back to him until we have it all figured out.”

“I don't want to impose.”

“You're not imposing.” Delaney held my hand. “You're my sister. I can't let you go through this alone.” A kind smile grew on her face. “So much time has passed. I think you need us now more than ever.”

I wasn’t their charity case. I was here for Julian, not myself. “Really, Del, I don't want to barge into your life. There’s no need to stay here with all my drama.”

“I won’t take no for answer.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “And I know Nate won’t have it any other way.”

“I’ll get a hotel room and then we can figure it all out.”

“Don't be silly. You can stay in the apartment above the garage.”

“Apartment?”

“When we found out I was pregnant with Caleb, my parents disowned me. Daddy hated the fact I had thrown my career down the drain. But Louisa took us in. Nate and Warren built an apartment over the garage so we had our own space.”

“Thank you.” It was all I could say.

A beeping sound startled me. I glanced at Delaney. “That's the oven. I was making dinner. Give me just a few minutes.” She held my hand. “Or you can come with me and we can continue our conversation. We have so much to catch up on.”

“No,” I said sharply. The last thing I wanted was to hear more about her wonderful life with the man I loved. I looked down at my purse. “I probably should turn my phone on and face the world.”

Delaney nodded sympathetically. “I’ll give you some privacy.”

She walked down the hallway, and I tiptoed out of the house to check my cell. Thirty missed messages and twelve new voicemails. Ignoring all of Julian's, I read the messages from Yve, my only friend in Chicago. She was a cashier at the paint store where I worked, but she was also my therapist, my shoulder to cry on, and the only person who had kept me sane for the past year.

Yve: Hey. Are you coming in today?

Yve: Julian just called the store looking for you. Are you okay?

Yve: Now I'm freaking out. Where are you?

Yve: Julian came and yelled at me! He said you left. Seriously, Brielle, if you’re not dead in a ditch, can you please call me!

I moved past the text messages and on to her first voicemail.

“Hey B. I'm only having the world’s biggest panic attack. What the fuck happened? Please call me. Dickwad came by the store three times today. I'm freaking the fuck out!”