What other choice do you have?
I may have lost my way and become his doormat, but I refuse to let it continue. He took it too far tonight, and I’ll be damned if I do nothing.
“Rox, where are you?”
Sammie’s voice pulls me from my thoughts, and I try to sit up. “On the couch,” I call out when I can’t stand.
She rushes around the sofa until she stands in front of me.
“Motherfucker,” she breaths. “You’re leaving him, Rox. I don’t care how much you love him, but there’s no excuse for this.”
I nod. “I know.”
“I’m here!” Greg calls out from the entryway.
“We’re in the living room,” Sammie replies. “And brace yourself because it’s not pretty.”
I wince at her words, knowing I have to look terrible. Shit, I feel terrible.
“Oh my God,” Greg mutters when he sees me. “Jace did this?”
“Of course, Jace did this,” Sammie snaps.
“What did Jace…” Melody’s voice trails off when she joins the other two in front of me. “That’s it, you’re leaving… tonight.”
“I know,” I repeat. “But I don’t think I can drive.”
My three friends exchange a look, but it’s Sammie who offers an alternative. “I’ll drive you a few hours away and get you settled into a hotel. You could come to one of our houses, but he’d find you there.”
“I can’t ask you?—”
“You’re not asking,” Melody snaps.
I release a breath and nod. “Yeah, okay.”
“My SUV can fit quite a bit, so let’s get everything we can and load it up,” Sammie states. “You’re not coming back for anything.”
More tears fill my eyes. “I… I don’t think… I don’t think I can help pack anything,” I admit.
“That’s fine,” Greg says with a sympathetic smile. “Just tell us what to get, and we’ll do the rest.”
Melody lifts her hand like she’s a student in class. “Uh, any clue when Jace’ll be back?” I shake my head. “Then let’s make this quick.”
Thirty minutes later, Greg is helping me into the passenger seat of Sammie’s vehicle, and the back is loaded down with my things. Once I’m settled, he kisses me on the cheek.
“I’m gonna miss you,” he tells me. “But as long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters.”
My throat clogs with emotion. The pain is now bearable thanks to the pain pill Melody gave me. Fortunately, she had a tooth pulled earlier in the week and had one to spare. She put the rest of her prescription in my purse despite my protests, insisting that I needed it more than she did.
“I can’t thank you enough,” I say to Greg and Melody, who’s now standing next to him.
“I hate to break this up, but we should go,” Sammie says as she slides into the driver’s seat and starts the engine.
“Right,” Melody states. “Maybe this would be a good time for you to reconnect with your family.”
“Maybe,” I whisper, knowing the last place I can go is to my brother. At least, not until I’ve healed.
“Be safe,” Greg says as he closes the door.
