Page 22 of I'll Keep Her Safe

“Oh my God, Dad, that’s him! That’s her ex!”

The food lodges in my throat and I choke, coughing roughly until I can breathe again. “That’shim?” I echo, doubtful. “He said heisher boyfriend. Like they’re still together.”

“They’renot,” she says emphatically. “He’s full of shit. Trust me. He’ll say whatever he needs to get to her.God.” Bailey’s breath comes heavy and angry down the phone. “I knew this would happen.”

I set my burger aside as the irritation I felt earlier returns, flaring to life in my chest. That assholelied?

“But… how did he have my address?” I ask, scratching my beard.

“I don’t know. She wouldn’t have given it to him, that’s for sure. He probably hacked her email or something.”

I give a snort of disbelief. “You can’t be serious.”

“I’m dead serious. He’s done it before. Honestly, he’s the most toxic person I’ve ever met.” Bailey’s voice echoes as she speaks. She must have gone into the restroom. “He used to manipulate her by completely stonewalling her for days, then giving her tiny crumbs of affection, to keep her holding on. And I’m sure he was sleeping with someone else. He spoke about this other woman constantly, as if to remind Poppy how lucky she was that he’d chosen her. That he had the option to leave anytime.”

My mouth opens in shock. “Really?”

“Yup. It’s called triangulation.”

Jesus. I thought it was called being a piece of shit.

“Why didn’t she leave?”

“Because he wore her down, made her feel like crap about herself, and anytime it looked like she was going to leave, he’d shower her with love and attention to win her back. She tried to leave him like three times, and every time he convinced her to stay. The only way she managed to leave for good was when Dean and I went around to their apartment in Queens to grab her stuff while he was at work. He didn’t know until she’d already moved in with us.”

“God,” I mutter, glancing at the door. Their voices drift up the stairs, and I wonder if I should go back down and ask him to leave.

“And then he stole like eight thousand dollars from her,” Bailey continues. There’s a clicking sound, and I realize it’s her heels on the tiles. She’s pacing as she talks. “He set up a joint bank account, saying it was for their future, telling her she wasn’t good with money, but all it meant was that he could clean her out when she left. That’s why she can’t afford to get her own place.”

“What an asshole.” Anger floods my veins at the injustice of it. “Why doesn’t she take legal action?”

“I want her to,” Bailey says, “but it’s expensive, and every time I bring it up she says it’s not worth it. She’s worried it will make him do something crazy, and says we should let it go. She seems to think if she does that, he’ll leave her alone, but I knew he was up to something. He was too quiet.”

“Shit.” I grind the heel of my hand into my eye. Poor Poppy, dealing with all of this. “It’s abuse,” I mutter. “Emotional abuse.”

“And financial,” Bailey adds. “I didn’t even know therewassuch a thing as financial abuse, but leave it to Kurt to find a new way to hurt her.”

A tight, hot fist forms in my gut as something occurs to me. “Did he ever hit her?”

“Not that I know of.”

There’s a tiny bubble of relief at this, but if I find out he’s laid a single finger on her, I won’t be responsible for my actions. The sudden primal need to protect her shocks me, and I grind my fist into the comforter.

“This is worse, in a way,” Bailey continues. “I mean, no one wants to get physically abused, obviously, but at least when that happens there are bruises, or scars. This kind of abuse is invisible.”

I feel sick, thinking of Poppy dealing with this prick. All the warnings from Bailey come back to me, and I realize she wasn’t overreacting at all. She had every right to worry about her friend, a fact that’s especially clear after the way he blatantly lied to my face to get inside.

Shit. She can’t move out. It doesn’t matter if I’m attracted to her. I’d never act on my feelings, especially after learning what she’s been through. The most important thing is that she’s safe. Bailey was right. She’ll be safe here with me, now that I know who Kurt is. If she moves in somewhere on her own, who knows what shit he might try, but he won’t get past me again.

“You don’t have to worry about her,” I assure my daughter. “As long as she’s with me, she’ll be fine. I’ll keep her safe.”

Bailey breathes out. “Thanks, Dad.”

I stand from the bed, resolute. “I’ll get rid of him right now.”

“What?” Bailey’s voice rises in alarm. “He’s at the house?”

“Uh… yes. They’re downstairs.” I wipe a hand down my face in shame. How could I have been so stupid as to let him in? I knew there was something off about him from the start.

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