Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
“Okay,” he said as more of a question than a statement. He straightened his back, with his eyes trained on me. I couldn’t keep looking at him, so I inspected my cuticles.
“I was in a relationship with Luther for three years, and it wasn’t a healthy one. I lived with him for one year, and that one year was all it took to realize he wasn’t the person for me.”
Javier tipped his chin, absorbing the information.
“He had anger issues, and I told him to get help, but he never did.” I shrugged, as if it didn’t matter anymore. But it did. It always would.
“When you told me he had hurt you, I wanted to bury him.” Javier’s eyes hardened while his jaw ticced.
“Yeah. I mean, he never, like, slapped or punched me,” I told him, hoping that would calm him down. “But he did grab and shove me a few times. The first time, I confused it for an accident. We had both been drinking, so, you know, you kind of excuse it. But the second time he did it, we were both sober. He grabbed my arms, and I told him to let me go. He shoved me so hard that my arm got cut on the metal plate on the doorjamb.” I lifted my arm and twisted it, pointing to a slightly raised scar just above my elbow. “It was after that when I realized I had to go. If I would have stayed, he would have become much worse.”
Crickets chirped in the distance as I looked away, shame eating me up. Shame because I’d never thought I would become the kind of woman who had endured abuse. I just . . . well, I’d never seen that in the cards for me, and I wasn’t sure how I hadn’t seen the signs in Luther. When people say love can blind you, they aren’t lying.
I could feel Javier’s burning gaze on me.
“Crazy thing is, he’d asked me to marry him right before pushing me.” I huffed a laugh, still remembering that idiot on one knee, acting like I was his world, his precious lady. “When he asked, I told him I needed to think about it, and that clearly didn’t sit well with him. He didn’t like that I didn’t immediately say yes to him. That same day, I packed my shit, took the ring, and sold it at a pawnshop.” I reached outside the hot tub and picked up the can of sparkling water again.
“I am glad you escaped that,” Javier said. “You were smart to leave. You do not deserve that.”
We both went quiet for a handful of seconds. I took a deep gulp of fizzy water.
“Have you noticed the way I sometimes gasp or get startled when you randomly show up?” I asked.
He nodded. “I have noticed and have always wanted to ask why that was.”
“Even though this was years ago, I remember Luther popping up, stomping around, slamming cabinets, and shouting—not that you do any of that,” I added rapidly. “But whenever he’d come around, I always had my guard up. I always felt on edge, you know? Like I would get in trouble just for breathing.
“Sometimes he’d just pop up in the living room after taking a nap or playing his video games. He’d just show up without saying a word. I would be reading or focused on something, with my back to him, so I wouldn’t notice him at first, but when I did and gasped loudly or had a jump scare, he’d crack a smile. Almost like he wanted to see me scared. Like he was glad to have that kind of power over me. It’s different when it’s done as a prank, right? To kind of scare someone just to be funny. I did it with Davina all the time. But there was something about Luther’s smile that was sinister. It just wasn’t right.” I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head. “He was toxic . . . and I thought I had escaped that, but then he showed up here.”
“Wow. I am sorry, Octavia.” Javier’s whole face softened. “Officer Amara said you should file a restraining order on him if you are worried he will hurt you again. I agree with her. I will file one as well. I do not want him anywhere near my family or my property. I will also speak with my manager and see if there is a way he can blacklist him from the stadium. You will just have to provide me his full name.”
“Luther Hall,” I said. He could take his name and report it to the FBI, for all I cared. “And I’ll file one for sure.”
“Okay. Good.” He gave me a soft smile. “From now on, I promise not to come around unannounced,” he assured me. “Especially if you are busy with something. I will let you know I am there.”