Page 17 of Brandishing Betrayals

I heard Marcos’s heavy boots before I saw him. “Luke, go finish that level for me, alright? I’ll be right there,” Marcos said.

He walked over, turning so he was in front of me and looked me over. His eyes widened when he took in the tears. “Fuck,” he gasped, reaching out for her neck.

I flinched away, bringing my arm up to block his touch.

He immediately backed off, raising his arms in surrender. “Shit Maya. I’m not gonna hurt you,” he said softly. “Just let me see.”

My body shook as more tears leaked out of my eyes. I didn’t move when he lifted his hand again. I squeezed my eyes shut as he curled his finger under my chin and gently lifted my chin up so he could look at my neck.

“Motherfucker,” Marcos growled, his voice low.

I flinched away again, jerking out of his hold and backed away.

“Maya,” Marcos breathed.

I shook my head and turned away from him, b-lining for my bedroom. I prayed on everything I was, that Luke would stay in his room for a while.

Once I was in my room, I shut the door behind me and leaned back against it taking a shaky breath. It took me several long minutes before I felt steady enough to walk into my attached bathroom.

I turned on the light and flinched when I saw the damage Stone had inflicted. Tears fell freely down my face, as I leaned in closer to peer into the mirror. My neck was bright red and already bruising in spots.

I gasped at the damage. How was I going to explain this to my mother? Luke? How the fuck was I going to go to work? I couldn’t, not looking like this. Fuck. It was Sunday. I didn’t have many sick days. I was still new on the job, and between my parents’ appointments and Luke’s schedule, I wouldn’t have many days left.

I had to worry about the fall flu season once Luke was back in school. I needed to save a couple days in case he got sick. Tears poured down my face as a sob broke out of me. My throat was on fire, my neck ached. I turned away from the bathroom and went back into my bedroom. I curled up in bed, pulling a pillow over my face to stifle my sobs. I couldn’t let Luke hear me, or my mother.

Thankfully my parents’ bedroom was on the other side of the house, off the kitchen, while the other three bedrooms in the house were in a hallway off the living room.

I heard the front door close and the house fall silent. I wondered what it meant. Did Marcos leave? Would Luke come looking for me? I needed to get up and pull myself together. I couldn’t let Luke see me like this; it would freak him out.

I was stronger than this.Time to put on your big girl panties and pull yourself together,I thought.

I slowly pulled myself out of bed and into the bathroom again. I turned on the shower, and slowly undressed. I would take a hot shower, cry some more, thenbitch the fuck up and get my shit together.

I was in full on pity session, tears mixing with water, while I sat on the shower floor, hugging my knees to my chest, when my bathroom door opened slowly.

“Little Dreamer?” Nico asked softly, knocking as he walked in the steaming bathroom.

I watched Nico’s beautiful face as he walked in the bathroom. With his chiseled cheekbones and shining blond hair around his shoulders and bright blue eyes, he looked every bit of the avenging angel he often aimed to be.

A sob tore through me at the sight of him.

“Hey pretty girl,” he murmured as he squatted down outside the shower, pressing his hand to the clear shower door.

“Where’s—” I broke off when I started coughing again.

“Easy now,” Nico said. “Marcos took Luke with him. They’re out seeing a movie. We’ve got a couple hours.”

Another sob tore through my chest, racking my body. I squeezed my legs tighter and buried my face into my knees. Thank fuck Marcos had the decency to take care of Luke and call Nico to take care of me. He knew I wouldn’t turn Nico away.

A moment later I heard the shower door slide open, before the water shut off. “Come here, Dreamer,” Nico murmured.

I looked up to see him holding out a towel, spreading it wide for me to step into once I climbed out of the shower. I stared longingly at it a moment before I finally reached a hand out to him.

He let go of the towel with one hand and reached in the shower to help me to my feet. I didn’t even care that I was naked before him—he’d seen it all already, anyways. I stepped over the bath edge and into the cool bathroom. Nic was quick to wrap me up in the white fluffy towel. He wrapped it tight around my body before he pulled me tight against him.

He rubbed my back as held me snuggly.

I sniffed as I breathed in his spicey scent. The cologne he wore, the same he wore back then, was a welcome hit of Novocain straight to my battered soul. I rested my head against his chest and let the sobs consume me.

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