“Get out,” I whispered under my breath.
“You can't tell me what to do. This isn't your home. Remember, you ran to my brother for safety.” His eyes locked with mine.
I’d never confronted him before. For years I took his abuse and ran away crying until he eventually apologized. But enough was enough.
“I swear to fucking God, Julian, get out.”
He scoffed. “Or what?”
“I'll fucking scream. I’ll scream bloody murder, and everyone will know what you do to your wife!”
He huffed. “Fine. I need pussy anyway. You're a lousy lay.”
I held my head high, straightened my shoulders, and not until I heard the door slam behind me did I crumple and cry.
How much longer could I continue to live like this?
Nate
The house was empty Sunday afternoon. After a round of golf with a few coworkers, I came home to find a note on the dining room table.
Having lunch with my mom and Caleb. Will be home soon. D
Though Delaney's father never cared for what I did to his daughter, her mother had reached out a few years back and rekindled their relationship. I guessed the grudge she was holding for her only daughter began to eat away at her.
Delaney and I never asked her parents for a single cent. I remembered when she called her mother to tell her about the baby, and Caroline insisted that she'd wire the money to take care of the situation. But there was no way in hell I would let that happen. I made a promise to Delaney that I’d take care of her, and shortly after we found out about her pregnancy, I made an honest woman of her—even though my heart belonged to someone else.
I tossed the note in the trash and pulled the refrigerator door opened. Starved, I made a sandwich and turned the kitchen TV on to ESPN. I was mid-bite when I spotted Brielle's car rolling up the driveway. She looked gorgeous in her yellow diner outfit. Her hair was tossed up over her head, and a pencil held it all together. She parked the sedan and trudged toward the apartment. There were nights I hoped we’d bump into each other alone. I wanted to hold her. Tell her that I still, despite everything, loved her, but she didn’t even glance in the direction of my house. Her head hung low, and with a few short strides, she was gone.
Shaking my head, I turned back to the television. A few minutes passed and I got lost in the commentary of the upcoming NBA championship game. Then I noticed Julian out the window. His fists were balled at his sides, his eyebrows pinched together. He stomped over to their car and tried unsuccessfully to yank the door open.
“Fuck!” He cursed as he slammed his palm on the hood. His mouth moved, and I knew he was saying a few more choice words. He glanced back at the apartment and then stalked down the driveway. Clearly, he was pissed.
I should have stayed put, but Brielle had driven all the way here for help with Julian, so when she didn’t come after him, I decided to go see her.
First I paced the kitchen debating what to say, but after I cleaned up my lunch, I knew there wasn’t any other option but to see how she was. I took the steps two at a time. Leaning my ear to the door, I listened for any movement before I knocked. A few seconds passed before the door handle turned and she opened the door.
“Hey—
The smile I had plastered on my face to greet her vanished when I looked at her face. Not only was she crying, but her cheek was bruised and a small cut split her lower lip.
A nervous hand rushed to her face. “It’s nothing.”
“Don’t make excuses for him.” I walked through the door and framed her face. Anger, regret and pain coursed through my body. “How long has this been going on?”
Brielle closed her eyes as her head shook slowly.
“Answer me.”
Her voice was hoarse. “A few years.”
Years?
Fucking years?
He’d been hitting her for years.
My breath came out in spurts as I tried to calm myself. Clearing my throat, I counted back from ten before I opened my mouth to speak. But when I did, my thoughts were halted by Julian’s voice outside. Infused with rage, I shook my head at Brielle and headed down the stairs.
When I was a kid, I fought Julian’s fights because he was a scrawny kid. I protected him from bullies. But never did I imagine that he’d become the bully.
“What are you doing?” I heard Brielle’s frantic voice directly behind me. “Confronting him.”
“Nate, don’t. Please!”
Shocked, I turned to face her. She stood a few inches above me, and I could look her square in the eyes. “He’s hitting you, and you want me to stop?”
Brielle hesitated a moment before she answered. “It’s complicated. He’s drunk.”
“Fuck this.” I ignored her request and jetted down the remainder of the stairs.