Page 27 of Love in Pieces

Shane takes another step toward me, and I lift an arm, preparing for the first hit, but it doesn’t come. Instead, I hear the door. Shane turns around just as Dallas clocks him in the cheek, sending him stumbling backward toward me. “Get the fuck out of here!” Dallas yells.

Shane laughs. “So, this is your new pet, huh? Your knight in shining armor?” He wipes some blood from his nose, streaking it across the back of his hand.

“I said get out before I call the cops!” Dallas points to the door and takes a step toward him.

Shane stands, squaring up with Dallas. No one makes a move. Shane is a few inches taller, but Dallas is built better. Far better.

Shane’s jaw clenches repeatedly before he shakes his head and starts toward the door. “I won’t hurt your pretty boy face tonight,” he addresses Dallas, then turns to face me. “This isn’t over, Abby. Sam will not be happy to hear about this.” He turns the corner, slamming the door behind him.

Dallas runs over to me, hands gripping my shoulders. “Are you okay? Did he touch you? I swear to God if that motherfucker touched you—”

“He didn’t touch me,” I cut him off, looking to the floor. Dallas hangs his head as he lets out a long breath of relief. His brown hair hangs in his face, slightly damp. “Thank you,” I muster, as a tear escapes. He looks up, worry staining his expression. His eyes trail to where I’m sure the bruise is quite prominent now. I can see the anguish all over his face. A thumb meets my cheek, wiping the tear away. My eyes close as I feel the warmth of his hand move to cradle the back of my neck, fingers entwining in my hair.

“I got here as soon as I could.” He seems disheartened like he’s afraid he did something wrong.

“I know.” I pause, looking at those warm brown eyes. I bury my face into his shoulder, clenching the back of his shirt as tightly as I can. The pain in my cheek screams, but I don’t care. I press harder, forcing my mind to relax. His hand moves to brace the back of my head, the other now wrapped around my waist. For the first time in a long time, I realize I feel safe. I don’t remember the last time someone held me like this. Dallas’s hot breath on my neck sends a shiver down my spine, but I don’t move. We stay like that for a long time. Embraced in endless security. I feel weightless.

When I finally pull away, Dallas moves us to the couch. Neither of us says anything for a moment. “Are you sure you’re okay? You’re not hurt?” His voice is soft.

“I’m okay. I promise.” A hand still rests on my back, softly caressing up and down the length of my spine.

“We need to call the cops,” he says, reaching for his phone.

“No!” I yell, stalling him. “Please, don’t call the cops. I don’t want to get anyone else involved. Sam is already upset. I don’t need another reason for him to be mad at me. It wouldn’t end well.” I look down at the bruises on my arm and feel the light throbbing of my cheek, a reminder of last night.

“Abby, you’re not safe here. The cops can help you find this guy. I got a good look at him. I can relay the information.”

I take a deep breath. “I already know him. He’s a friend of Sam’s. But you don’t understand, Sam will have my head if he finds out the cops got involved.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

“You don’t know Sam. He knows people. Too many people.”

“I know people, too. My mom’s an attorney and a pretty good one at that.”

“Please, don’t call the cops,” I plead. “Please.”

He sighs as if finally accepting my answer. He looks around momentarily but I’m not sure what he’s looking for. “You can’t stay here,” he asserts firmly.

The lump in my throat builds as reality sets in. “I know.”

Dallas helps me put together a duffel bag of my things before we walk out the door. I glance behind me through the open door. “We can come back for more. But at least for tonight, it would be best if we get you to a safer place.” He shuts the front door but stops short in the dimly lit hall. “One more thing. Does Sam have your location?”

“Yeah. He uses the same app everyone does,” I admit.

“Can you turn it off? I don’t want him finding you.” Dallas says sternly.

“I ... I don’t know. He gets really mad when he doesn’t know where I am.” The thought of disobeying Sam sends my heart racing, but I remind myself this is simply my body's gut reaction.

“He’ll have to go through me if he wants to get to you.”

I sigh but pull out my phone. The location setting in my phone hasn’t been touched in who knows how long. I hesitate at the simple click of a button while memories of that last time I turned it off clang through my head.

“Do you want me to do it?” Dallas offers with an outstretched hand.

“No. I need to do this.” I stare at the screen. One tiny button. That’s all it takes. So why am I struggling with this? Deep breath in, deep breath out. I hold my breath and click the button. It gets shoved back into my bag before I have a chance to change my mind.

By the time we arrive back at Dallas’s apartment, it’s nearly four in the morning. He unlocks his front door, guiding me in with a soft hand on the small of my back. It’s dark save for a small glow of the light over the stove. “My sister is asleep on the couch,” he whispers, nodding toward her. He pauses in the kitchen. “Do you want anything to eat or drink before we get you back to bed?”

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