I should have known I wouldn’t be able to get away with dropping something like that in his lap and not have to explain. The more I talked about it, the more I hated what I’d let Knox do to me. But I hadn’t let him, had I? He’d done it, and I had no say over it. I could have hit him back, but I knew if I had, it would have ended up ten times worse.
Elodie: Fine. What do you want to know?
Leo: How bad are you hurt?
My ribs ached from where he’d kicked me a couple of times, but it was my face that took the brunt of the hits. I hadn’t looked in the mirror, too scared to really see what was really there. But I needed to confront it. I needed to see exactly what he’d done.
I lifted my cell in the air, clicked the camera app, and turned it to selfie mode. My eyes closed as if my brain was trying to protect me from the image, but I didn’t need protecting, not any longer. It was time I faced it head-on, and this was the starting point.
Slowly, I opened my eyes and snapped the picture.
Elodie: *sent an attachment*
I reopened the image and stared at it, not recognizing the girl in the photograph. Her eye was almost swollen shut with green and purple bruising. She had two cuts on her face and scrapes on her forehead. Her top lip was twice the size with a cut extending into her skin. She was a mess.
But her eyes. There was something in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. Relief.
She was relieved.
Leo: Fucking hell. You need to see a doctor.
Elodie: I’m good. Promise. Besides, I’m still in bed.
It was the truth. Sure, I was in some pain, but it was nothing compared to the emotional pain I’d been through almost every day. And what would a doctor have done that Asher hadn’t already done last night? I didn’t need strong painkillers, not that I could afford them at the moment anyway. I’d push through it all like I always did.
Leo: Why am I getting the feeling this isn’t the first time this has happened?
I glanced away, scared that if I kept looking at my cell, he’d know I was here still. I didn’t want to admit it had happened over and over again. Maybe not to this extent, but the violence had slowly creeped in a few years ago and become worse and worse. At first, I’d thought it was a one-off, the apology the day after and the groveling which commenced. But I should have known from the first time that it wouldn’t end. I’d showed him I was weak the moment I’d forgiven him, and he’d taken advantage of it.
Leo: Elodie? Don’t go quiet on me.
Leo: Elodie?
Leo: Fine. You don’t need to tell me, but damn, you know I’m here if you need me, right?
I didn’t intend to tell Leo about the past. I’d told him enough already.
Elodie: I know. Thanks, Leo.
I was about to lock my cell when another message popped through.
Leo: And now this makes sense.
I frowned and regretted it right away as pain echoed over my face.
Elodie: Why what makes sense?
Leo: Why my uncle asked for your number earlier.
I sat up straighter, sure I’d read that wrong. But, nope, his uncle had asked for my number. As in Asher. Asher had asked for my number. Holy shit.
Elo
die: What?! Did you give it to him?
Elodie: Leo?
Elodie: Leo?! I swear to god…