I step out of the car, preparing to walk the rest of the way. My arms wrap around my body, wishing I’d picked up my coat from the hall. The cold January night clings to my skin. Icy fingers run up and down my spine with ghostly whispers on the wind, howling around me and blowing my hair. Right now, the moon is my only friend, guiding my path like a beacon of hope as I walk down the country road towards town.
Traffic is sparse out here at this time of night, but I cower into the hedge with each passing vehicle, hiding from their headlights. Fear that they’ll come for me claws at my back, causing me to walk faster. Coming onto her road, I search each drive for her car. The houses look different under the veil of night.
When I’m sure I see her Audi, I know I’m at the right house and I say a silent prayer when I see her light on. With a deep breath, I knock on the door and wait. My fingers pick at a loose thread on my t-shirt.
The white door opens. Lilly pulls a dressing gown over her chest. Her eyes widen, taking in the sight of me, and a shiver racks her body. “Violet?” She drags me inside. “What on earth happened? Have you been in an accident?”
She closes the door behind her, and I’m thankful the blood has stopped running from my nose. The last thing I want to do is ruin her cream carpets.
“Come through into the kitchen.” She sits me at the kitchen table and turns on the big light, then rummages through her cupboards. “Are you going to tell me what happened?”
I clear my throat to speak, trying to focus on where to start. Everything playing on repeat in my head, like a bad movie.
“Was anyone else involved? Do I need to call an ambulance?” She pulls out a large first aid box from the back of her cupboard and sets it down on the table.
She thinks I was in a car accident. “Gareth.”
A wrinkle appears between her perfectly shaped eyebrows. It’s the only wrinkle on her beautiful face. The bright kitchen light shines behind her head, giving her a halo. “Is Gareth hurt?” She reaches for her mobile, plugged into a socket on the kitchen worktop.
“He beat me.” I manage to get the words out before a sob racks my lungs. It’s like that one sob was acting like a dam, holding my emotions at bay, and now it’s broken. A wail pours out of me. Warm tears spill onto my frozen cheeks. My numb fingers wipe them away, but all I do is mix them with the blood staining my hands and cheeks.
When I look up through my blurred eyes, Lilly is on the phone. “She’s been beaten to a pulp.”
I reach for the phone, frantically clawing at it. “Don’t tell Kane. He can’t know. Please.”
Lilly steps away. “It’s Shane.”
I let out a breath and slump back into the chair.
“Violet. Where is Kane?”
“At home. He can’t know. It’s a trap.”
She repeats my words to Shane. “Just come now. You’re gonna need to take photographs of her before I clean her up. She might need the hospital.” There’s a pause. “Bye.” She sets the phone down and holds my hand. “What happened?”
I tell her about the beating. She pours me a drink of neat gin. I lift the glass, shaking the liquid as I bring it to my bruised lips.
“He won’t get away with this. It’s not the first time he’s hit a woman. His ex filed a report a few months back.”
Red and blue lights flash through the curtain. A minute later, Shane walks in dressed in full police uniform. A police woman follows. They sit at the table, and Lilly puts the kettle on.
The woman takes my statement and photographs of my face from various angles, but Shane seems more interested in Kane than Gareth. “When was the last time you heard from him?”
I reach in my pocket and pull out my phone. “He’s texted me.” A smile breaches my swollen cheeks as I read his message from earlier.
Hey, petal. How was your day?
More tears leak from my eyes. This time I think they’re happy tears, despite my really shitty day. Happy that he’s blissfully unaware of my assault and isn’t going to retaliate. He’ll find out eventually, but hopefully when my face doesn’t look like I’ve been run over, and I can play it down.
I swipe my phone down to take off the do not disturb feature I use at work. About ten missed calls from Kane pop up in my notifications. All from the last thirty minutes. The tracking app. He knows I’m here.
Bangs on the door cause my bones to jump out of my skin. Lilly slides her hand up and down my back, but it does nothing to steady my breathing.
Shane stands. “Wait here.” He walks down the hallway. The door clinks open.
“Is she here? Her car’s abandoned on the country road. I can’t get in touch with her.” Kane’s rough, broken voice travels down the hall.
“Kane. You need to calm down. She’s safe.”
