As I made my way down the hall, I paused outside his bedroom. The door sat wide open, and my eyes immediately drifted to the floor. The image of Rowan collapsed by the bed came back sharp and fast. His body crumpled at an unnatural angle, the sickening stillness, the rasp of his breath barely audible.
I reached out and pulled the door closed. If I didn't want to look at it, Rowan sure as hell wouldn't want to, either.
In the sitting room, I found him pretty much where I left him, slumped awkwardly against the armrest of the sofa. He wasn't asleep. His face was too tense for that. But he looked worn straight through.
I made my way across the room quietly and crouched in front of him, gently tapping him on the knee. "Come on, Ro. Let's get you to bed."
His eyes fluttered open, slow and heavy. He tried to sit up more, but the movement must have pulled on something. His face tightened, and his jaw clenched against the pain.
I reached out to steady him. "Don't rush it. Take it slow. I've got you."
He nodded without a word and let me help him up. Every movement was slow and deliberate, his body stiff with pain. It mademehurt just to watch him. This time, he leaned into me without hesitation once he was on his feet.
In the spare room, I helped him ease down onto the mattress and adjusted the pillows behind him until he was as comfortable as he could get. He watched me with that same worn out, distant look as I pulled the quilt up and draped it over him, then sat down beside him.
My hand came up almost on instinct, brushing against his cheek before settling there. His skin was warm beneath my palm, and when his eyes met mine, something in them softened.
"I won't be far," I said quietly. "And I won't let him get to you again. You're safe now, Ro. I promise."
His throat bobbed with a silent swallow, and he gave the faintest nod.
"I'll be back in the morning to check on you. Try to get some rest, okay? Ring me if you need anything."
Reluctantly, I stood. My hand drifted away from his face, and I took a step back to leave him to sleep. But before I could go anywhere, his fingers caught mine in a quick, deliberate squeeze.
"Thanks, Eli," he murmured. "For... For not letting me push you away."
My chest tightened as I forced a smile. "Not a chance."
I gave his hand one last squeeze before slipping free of his hold. He didn't protest and instead settled back against the pillows with a visible effort to relax. Almost immediately, his eyes started to drift shut. I stepped out quietly and pulled thedoor mostly closed behind me, but I left it open enough so he wouldn't feel trapped.
Back in the sitting room, I hovered at the front door and glanced around the flat. It didn't feel quite so heavy in here now. This wasn't over by a long shot, but we were moving through it. Together.
Rowan
20
The cursor blinked steadily on the screen. It didn’t care that I’d been staring at it for at least ten minutes without typing another word.
Everything was filled out for my new bank account – the name, the address, the security questions. Just one more step, and I could call the bank to transfer over whatever was left of my money. I'd be free of the quiet dread that twisted in my gut every time I remembered that his name was still attached to mine.
Damn it... It shouldn’t be this hard.
I fidgeted on the sofa, the laptop balanced on my legs as I read over the information for what had to be the fifth time. For God's sake, it was just a form. I’d done this before.
My fingers hovered over the trackpad. Just a click. Just finish it.
I couldn't. As soon as that transfer cleared, Marcus would know I was still alive.
My chest tightened. I pulled in a breath, slow and shaky, and let it out through my nose. I had to do this. Ihadto. He still had access to everything. I couldn't leave things tangled like this if I ever wanted to break free of him. And yet here I sat, frozen, letting that control slip through my fingers all over again.
I closed my eyes and let my head fall back against thecushion. I didn’t know what I was waiting for. A jolt of courage? A voice in my head telling me it was safe?
I was supposed to be taking my life back, but it didn't feel like I was getting anywhere. I hadn't left my flat in days. Every sudden noise made my heart leap into my throat and sent my mind racing to the worst-case scenario.
As if to prove my point, a sharp gust of wind rattled the window. The sound made me jump and snapped me out of the fog in my head.
I sat up and forced my fingers back to the keyboard. One last click.
