I got up from the armchair, and my napkin fluttered to the floor. I bent down to get it, and when I did, my mom gasped. I got back up and gave her a weird look. She was staring.
“What?” I asked.
She was looking at my legs, “You’re hurt,” she said, the worry obvious in her voice and I winced at her words.
I didn’t even know which part of me she meant. Of course I was hurt.
“What do you mean?” I asked her, and she got up from the sofa, came over to me, and lifted my skirt over my ass.
“Mom!” I cried out, but she ignored me, looking at my exposed butt.
“Your… behind.” She gasped again, a hand flying to her mouth. “I saw when you bent over… Your skin, Sapphire! What on earth happened?”
I tried to remember.
I’d been spanked a few days earlier. He didn’t want to, even though I’d misbehaved on purpose. So I’d begged and begged and cried and cried until he’d turned my ass black and blue.
“Oh, Mom.” I gave her a big smile and pulled my dress down. “It’s nothing, I promise.”
Dad was staring at me and Mom burst into tears.
“What the hell, Sapphire?” he said, his voice shaky. I tried to ignore the fact my dad had seen my butt. “Did that man hurt you?”
“Of course not,” I said. “He did nothing I didn’t ask for, Dad.” God, I was burning up here.
“What on earth…” Mom cried harder.
“Calm down!” I giggled nervously, realizing I was only making things worse. “Mom, Dad, seriously. I deserved it.”
“What?” Dad glared at me. “Are you kidding me? You let that man hurt you?”
“It’s not like that at all,” I stuttered. I really was getting us both in trouble now. “I… You just wouldn’t understand, I’m sorry.”
“Understand what?” Mom wheezed through the tears. “That the man you’re seeing is beating you?”
“He’s not,” I insisted. “I asked for this! I swear, he never meant to hurt me.”
Dad came up to me and gripped my forearm tightly between his fingers.
“You’ve fallen down a rabbit hole,” he said. “The one your therapist talked about, remember, Sapphire?”
“Don’t talk about that,” I hissed.
“I have to!” Dad insisted. “We were told this would happen again. We knew it would! We’ve been worried sick!”
“I’m fine,” I said, but my voice was shaky, and I felt tears pricking my eyes. “I swear, Dad, I’m totally fine.”
“You’re not,” Mom said. “You’re bruised. I’m going to report him.”
I reached her in two steps, grabbing her hand. She gave me a hurt look.
“Don’t,” I told her pointedly. “Don’t tell anyone. King hasn’t done anything wrong.”
“I thought he was a good man,” Mom whispered, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes.
“I’m going to call the police,” Dad spoke up. “He’s abusing you.”
“Please don’t,” I begged. “You don’t understand at all, please. Let me explain.”
“There’s nothing to explain,” Dad said darkly, and Mom nodded.
“I agree,” she said. She made me look at her. My bottom lip was quivering. “It’s okay, Sapphire. We always knew you were broken.”
“What?” I choked out, staring at her.
“It’s okay,” she repeated. “We’ll get you the help you need. We’ll get that man away from you.”
“You can’t,” I hissed. “King’s the only one who’s helped me. The only one I feel close to!”
“Close enough to call him by his last name,” Dad scoffed.
“Close enough to let him treat you like a piece of meat!” Mom howled. “That’s it, Sapphire. You’re moving back home, and cutting off all contact with that man.”
“I will do no such thing,” I told her coldly. “No fucking way.”
“It’s not your choice,” Dad argued, “and mind your language!”
“We’ll get you the help you need,” Mom said. “We’ll get you back to your therapist. We’ll make sure you’re okay. You should’ve never stopped going.”
“Don’t,” I whispered. “I’m not doing this. I’m leaving.”
I ripped my arm out of hers and took my purse, nearly stumbling on my way to the door.
“You’re not leaving, Sapphire!” Dad called out after me. “Get back here!”
Mom was on my tail, desperately grabbing at me to stop me from leaving.
“Let me go!” I screamed. “I don’t want to be here.”
“You won’t let me help you!” she sobbed. “I want to help you!”
Too.
Fucking.
Late.
“You’re not really going to choose that man over your family,” Dad got out through gritted teeth. “Are you, Sapphire?”
I hesitated and he laughed.
“Brilliant,” he said. “Some loyalty, Sapphire!”
“I always knew this would happen,” Mom muttered. “Always knew you’d get in trouble! Since you were a kid, Sapphire.”
“Stop,” I begged her. She was hurting me. “Please, don’t talk about it.”
“It’s true,” she hissed, giving me a hurt look. “You were trouble since you were a child.”
I felt tears pricking my eyes. “Mom, please. You’re making me feel terrible.”
“How do you think we felt?” Dad argued. “We lost you for half a year, Sapphire! You’re barely eighteen!”