Page 72 of Resisting the Lawyer (Dirty Hot Resistance 3)

“So, you’re going to run away and hope that he’ll leave you alone?” I reach out gently to cradle her sling and rub my thumb over it. “What happened to your arm?”

Elise’s eyes are haunted as she looks at me. “He tried to break it.” She takes in a heaving breath, “Fortunately, it’s just heavy bruising, but the doctor made me put it into a sling.”

My heart aches and I brush the hair from her face again. “You went to the hospital all alone?”

Elise gives me a small smile which is quite sincere. “I’m used to doing things alone. It’s not a big deal.”

But her words do nothing to ease my pain. In her parents’ attempts to make her independent, they isolated her and taught her to accept loneliness as a companion. “What are the police doing to find the man?”

“They have nothing to go on. I changed the locks though. Tonight, I’m going to have dinner with my parents.” She sees the look on my face and gives me a tiny grin. “I’m telling them I walked into a door and then punched myself in the eye while panicking.”

“And the bandage on your head?”

“Fell down the stairs while panicking.” She sounds rather proud of herself.

I don’t have the heart to tell her that her story is full of holes. The sight of her battered form makes me want to break something.

Maybe she sees the darkness in my eyes because she grabs my hand. “You can come with me.”

I see her trying to make amends between us and how I could I say no to that. “I’d love to.” With an afterthought, I ask, “Are we really okay, Elise?”

She nods, smiling. “I don’t think I can ever be mad at you for more than a few days. I’d miss you too much.”

I don’t smile as I reply, “But even if you are mad at me, if something like this ever happens, always call me! Don’t go through life alone. I want to be there with you at every step, standing next to you, supporting you.”

Her smile falters and she swallows. “Okay. I’ll try.”

I realize this is the most honest response she can give me. “Now, why don’t I order us something and we can discuss the contract.”

As she leaves the room to find some pamphlets, I send off a discreet email to an old friend of mine, attaching some documents pertaining to information about the man that’s becoming a thorn in my side.

Dinner at Elise’s parents is a tense affair.

Her parents are horrified at her injuries and it’s clear that they don’t buy her excuses. The suspicion jumps to me for a while until I’m absolved of the guilty when Elise insists on it.

Her father is pale throughout dinner, glancing at her, his hands not steady.

Her mother’s eyes are shimmering.

“Maybe you should spend the night here,” I suggest. “I think your parents need to be around you right now.”

Elise is about to protest when she casts a look towards her father and then sighs. “Maybe you’re right.” Then, she asks loudly, “Father, would you mind I spend the night he—”

“Yes!” Her father’s voice booms loudly, almost desperately. “Stay here for a week or more. As long as you want!”

Her mother nods, eagerly. “I’m getting old and it would be nice to have you around for some time. Besides, you’re leaving your job. You need a break.”

This is a far cry from the overbearing parents I had heard about but the look of surprise on Elise’s face shows how shocked she is. Their concern though, isn’t entirely unwelcome to her. “That would be nice.”

Of course, she doesn’t want to go back to her apartment.

“Have you sent in your resignation letter yet?” I ask, softly.

“Not yet. I was going to do it tomorrow.”

I see the sadness in her face and I want to kiss away her troubles. I clasp her hand. “Put it off for a few days. For me?”

“Why?” She sounds confused.

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