Cora frowned as she sat next to Ella. “Well, it’s the truth. No one here is going to judge you.” She gave Ella a look. “I mean, he’s the asshole.”
“You know, it just never felt like that,” Ella admitted.
“Why?” Cora pressed.
Ella heaved a shrug. “Because all his friends—who I thought were my friends—turned their backs on me after it happened.”
“Because you left him?” Presley asked with a gruff voice.
Ella nodded. “They’ve all known Rory since they were kids. And they know—as well as I do—that it’s the booze that makes him so violent.” She shuddered at the look in his eye when he stood at her door.
That same look had haunted her for months, until she’d finally stopped thinking about it. “They all thought I should help him get sober and forgive him.” Before anyone jumped on her, she added, “Of course, I didn’t agree, which is why I left. But when you have no one who understands that and simply thinks you should give him another chance, I was left feeling like I’d done something wrong.”
Cora’s eyes became sad. “I think that’s really understandable. Anyone would feel that way. I’m sorry you had such shitty friends.”
Kenzie returned with tea and offered it to Ella. “You did the right thing by leaving that sad excuse for a man. What’s the saying? Once an abuser, always an abuser. And him showing up tonight only proves that. Anyone who says you should have stayed with him is fucked up, as far as I’m concerned.” She smiled, warm and without sass. “It’s good Kyler was here to deal with him.”
“Yeah,” Ella muttered.
Though would having the abuse thrown in his face make things between them even tenser? She wanted Kyler to forget about Rory—hell, she wanted to forget about Rory. She craved for Kyler to treat her like a woman without the past she had. She didn’t want to be a victim—she’d been that for far too long.
Presley nibbled on her lip, then finally asked, “Did Kyler know about him? He didn’t seem too shocked to see him tonight.”
Ella scraped her hands across her tired eyes. Inside, everything ached. “He knew about Rory, but I’ll tell you, it seemed like Kyler had met Rory before or something.”
All heads nodded agreement.
Cora asked, “I take it that you didn’t know he planned to approach him?”
Ella shook her head, trying to rummage through her feelings. Did that touch her or simply anger her? She had yet to decide. “No, and I would have told him not to. I don’t need help with Rory. He would’ve eventually given up and jus
t gone home.”
Kenzie snorted. “Yeah, but when, after he came to your house and possibly hurt you again?”
Ella couldn’t deny the statement, but she wasn’t quite ready to accept it, either. Kyler’s approaching Rory had brought him to her doorstep.
Before she could say as much, Cora said, “You have to understand, it’s just the Club Sin way. It wasn’t like Kyler was being nosy to be a prick. He was doing it because he was worried about you.” She hesitated and then smiled gently. “Kyler is a really good guy. Believe me, if he went to Rory it was because he wanted to help you.”
“I didn’t want or ask for his help,” Ella retorted.
Presley laughed without amusement. “Sorry to break it to you, but you signed up for that when you walked into Club Sin. Dmitri was the same way. Our Doms don’t like us being threatened in any manner.”
Cora agreed with a nod. “Kyler probably wanted to make sure you’re safe.”
While Ella appreciated it, she also wondered what that protection cost them. Kyler was restraining himself toward Ella before he’d even met Rory, not even hearing the whole story. How would he be now that he’d seen firsthand what she’d gone through?
Distant?
Concerned?
She hoped not.
Before she could reply to Cora, her front door opened and then he was there. Tall, gorgeous, and damn near perfect. Her world narrowed on Kyler. His eyes were soft, yet hinted at tension. “Ella, come to me.”
Pushing off the blanket, she rose from the couch. Once in front of him, he slid his hands down her arms. But his gaze was exactly what she feared: focused elsewhere. Not on her.
He said with a tight voice, “I need to leave you tonight and go deal with Rory, but I’ll be back in the morning.”