Her hands shook as she unlocked the front door, Mark crowding her, breathing down her neck. She squeezed her eyes closed before flicking on the hallway light. When he still stayed silent, she hurried towards the kitchen. “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“No.”
She stopped. If he wasn’t having one, she couldn’t either.
He slammed the door and stalked towards her. She tensed but resisted the urge to back up. There was nowhere to go.
He grabbed her arm, fingers digging into her skin and dragged her into the lounge room, pushing her towards the couch. “What the hell were you doing tonight?”
It didn’t matter what she said, it would only enrage him further, but so would silence. “I helped in the kitchen like you asked.” Her gaze didn’t leave his, waiting for the first hit. “When I came out, there was only one spare seat.”
“So it’s my fault for not saving you a seat?” he growled.
She swallowed. “No, of course not. I should have arranged it before I went into the kitchen.”
“You should have.” He slapped her face. The sharp sting caused tears to blur her vision. “That’s for being too stupid to think of it.” He brought his hand up and hit her again. She tasted blood as her lip split, the pain making her wince. “And that’s for sitting next to Kim.” He punched her in the stomach, knocking the air out of her. “You are not—” Punch. “seeing—” Punch. “him—” Punch. “or that Asian chick—” Punch. “again.”
Alyse huddled over, protecting herself as much as she could, as her stomach convulsed in pain. She gritted her teeth to stop from crying out, tears leaking from her eyes. His last hit knocked her to the floor. She curled into a ball. The fury in his eyes made her heart stop. He was just getting started. She whimpered. She didn’t want to die.
A single night of friendship had given her hope. Life could be better. She could learn to laugh again, could have friends. All she had to do was escape Mark.
“I hope this hurts you as much as you hurt me.” He kicked her hard and pain flooded her. She cried out. “Good. That’s better. Cry for me.” He kicked her again. “You laughed with them. You don’t laugh with me.”
She couldn’t talk through the pain. She prayed for it to be over soon. But this was calm Mark, not enraged, knee-jerk reaction Mark. He’d been simmering for hours. Which meant the abuse would keep coming. Her heart raced and she fought to stay conscious, fought to think of something that would make him stop.
His next kick bruised her ribs. She wouldn’t be able to walk tomorrow and it was his father’s funeral. Hope flared. She was expected to be there.
“Why do you make me do this to you?” The hint of real pain in his voice made her look up. Tears glistened in his eyes, but so did satisfaction. He didn’t care.
“Your father’s funeral is tomorrow,” she choked out. Her breath hitched and he stepped back, shaking his head and swore. Instantly his expression morphed to concern.
“Did I hurt you?” He crouched, brushing her hair off her face. “I’m sorry, Alyse. You shouldn’t make me so mad.”
She fought not to cringe away. “I’m sorry,” she gasped. “Why don’t you go to bed? I’ll be right after a cup of tea.”
“You will.” His tone contained a threat. “You need to be at Dad’s funeral.” He caressed her cheek. “Princess, you know I love you. I’m only trying to take care of you. I’ll put the kettle on.” He walked out of the room and Alyse exhaled. She lay there as he clomped down the hallway to his bedroom and slammed the door.
So much for the kettle.
Gingerly she shifted, wincing at the agony coursing through her. Part of her wanted to stay on the floor, curled in a ball until the morning, but experience had taught her it hurt far worse if she did that.
Slowly she moved, using the couch next to her for support to get to her knees. She breathed shallowly, the movement painful. Were her ribs broken? It didn’t matter. There was nothing that could be done. After she stood, she’d clean herself, examine the damage. Warm blood dribbled down her nose and she wiped it away. She climbed to her feet, squeezing her eyes closed. She swayed, giving herself a moment to get used to the pain and stop her head spinning before she shuffled out of the room, heading for the kitchen. They didn’t have enough ice packs in the freezer for all her injuries, but she’d make do.
She dampened a tea towel and washed away the blood, using the window above the sink as a mirror. Her cheek was swollen, her eyes darkening with bruising. Her stomach would be a lot worse, but at least it was easily hidden. Mark must have forgotten about the funeral, otherwise he would have left her face alone.
Wrapping the ice packs in tea towels, she then lowered herself onto a chair, placing a larger pack on her stomach and holding one against her cheek. Her makeup skills had improved over the years, but no amount of makeup would hide her injuries tomorrow.
But she would go to the funeral. The family expected it, and Mark’s mother had been kind to her over the years. Alyse would support her and Mark’s teenaged nephews, no matter how much pain she was in.
Richard’s death had come as a shock to them all.
As the cold of the ice soothed some of the aches, Alyse breathed out. It hurt. Would Mark have stopped if the funeral wasn’t tomorrow? She couldn’t go on like this, fearing for her life. She shifted and her body throbbed. Could she risk calling an ambulance? Mark should have passed out by now, and if she asked them to come without using sirens, she could sneak out, get some scans to make sure she had no internal bleeding. But then she had no one to bring her back before he woke in the morning. She couldn’t call Zamira, she barely knew the woman.
No, she’d patch herself up as she always did and hope there was nothing more serious.
When she had healed, she would explore how she could escape Mark. She’d thought losing the property was the worst thing that could happen. Now though… she knew better.
Mark had to be stopped. Her life wasn’t hers, hadn’t been in a long time.
The only way she’d be safe was if Mark was behind bars. Maybe, just maybe, she could prove Mark was involved in the criminal activity occurring around Blackbridge, prove he was laundering money through her apiary accounts.
She smiled and then grimaced at the pain.
As of tonight, she was fighting back.
Chapter 6
Kim shrugged his black jacket onto his shoulders and smoothed down the lapels. He sighed. He hated funerals, and he particularly didn’t want to go to this one. Not when he could clearly visualise Richard’s limp and battered body as they’d pulled him from the ocean. It was a part of the Marine Rescue role he hated. He shivered and pushed the thought away. This wasn’t about him, he was going for Alyse. She might have been close to Richard, and he wanted to show her she wasn’t alone.
Not any longer.
The memory of her laugh washed the cold from him. Last night had been fun.
Though she hadn’t said a lot, she’d smiled and laughed, and having her next to him had soothed a missing part of him. It was a shame the night had ended so soon. Then Mark had laid claim on Alyse, groping her. She’d cringed away from him for a split second which had confirmed Kim’s assumption she no longer had feelings for Mark.
At the knock on his door, he grabbed his phone and wallet, and answered it. His older sister, Mai stood there. “Ready to go?”
He nodded, locking the granny flat behind him and following her through his parents’ backyard to the car out front.
“I’m surprised you wanted to come today,” Mai said as they got in, her fiancé Nicholas behind the wheel.
“Alyse will be there.” He greeted Nicholas and settled on the back seat.
Mai frowned. “I didn’t think you were friends with her anymore.”
“I rescued her on Friday. We reconnected.”
“How does Mark feel about it?” She glanced at him.
“I don’t care.”
Mai sighed. “Be careful, little brother. I don�
�t want you to get hurt.”
“I won’t talk to her if Mark’s around,” he said. “I just want her to see me there, know she has someone to turn to.”
She nodded, but her forehead remained furrowed.
When they arrived at the cemetery, a large crowd, mostly dressed in black, had already gathered. Alyse was probably with the Patton family.
He spotted Jamie and Elijah and joined them.
“Didn’t think you’d be here,” Jamie said.
Kim shrugged. “I thought Alyse might need some support.”
Elijah glowered. “She needs more than that. Her makeup’s not hiding anything.”
Tension gripped him. “What do you mean?”
Elijah jerked his head over towards the hearse and Kim clenched his hands. Alyse wore a black pant suit and her red hair fell loose below her shoulders. It didn’t hide her black eye, the bruises on her cheek or her split lip.
Dread filled him. Had she been punished for talking to him last night?
Fury simmered as Mark said something to Alyse and she nodded. How dare he touch her, how dare he treat her like this?
The funeral director spoke to Mrs Patton and gestured towards the hearse. The family fell in behind it and Alyse flinched as Mark took her hand. She moved slowly, in obvious pain.
Kim took half a step forward only for Mai to stop him.
“Going over there isn’t going to help matters,” she said. “Wait until after the ceremony when people are giving their condolences. Then you can talk to her.”
Mai was right, but it hurt not to whisk Alyse away to safety.
Instead he hung back with his friends and waited until the majority of the mourners went into the building. Next to him Jamie squeezed Elijah’s hand and murmured, “You all right?”
Kim had forgotten Elijah had seen Richard fall from the cliff, had tried to save him. Kim squeezed his eyes shut as the image of Richard’s broken body floating in the water came to him.
Elijah nodded and let out a shaky breath. Mai touched Kim’s arm, her eyes asking him the same question. He nodded.
He’d had little to do with the Patton family and while he was sad for them, his only reason for being here was Alyse.
The service dragged on. People in the community spoke about how generous Richard was and how much he’d done for the town. Photographs of family life were projected onto a screen and in the front row, Mrs Patton wept. Her three children were dry-eyed, but the Pattons didn’t usually show their emotions. Mark was the exception with his temper.
Finally, the celebrant announced an end to the ceremony, and the family moved into the sheltered courtyard. Alyse struggled to stand, gasping in pain as Mark jerked her to her feet.
Kim ground his teeth. Bastard.
Mai gripped his knee, keeping him in place. As much as he hated it, now wasn’t the time or place to make a scene.
He waited, his eyes on Alyse through the windows where she stood next to Mark. She spoke to two teenaged boys, hugging them gingerly and then spoke to people who came to talk to the family. Every now and then her face screwed up as if she was fighting the pain. Kim murmured to Mai, “Do you have any painkillers in your purse?”
She handed them to him. “Drinks are on the table to the left.”
He moved outside, pouring a glass of water and then hesitated. How could he get Alyse the pills without Mark seeing?
The last people spoke to the Pattons and then Mark and his siblings, Craig and Kay, encircled their mother. Alyse moved away from them, heading for a corner. Kim didn’t hesitate. He strode to her and handed her the water. “Do you need any painkillers?” He showed her the two packets Mai had given him.
Her eyes widened and she checked over his shoulder for Mark and then sighed. “Please.” She popped out two tablets, swallowing them quickly. “Thank you.”
She didn’t even deny she was in pain. “Let me help you.” He sent her a text. “That’s my number. Call me anytime.”
“Thank you.” Another look in Mark’s direction. “Can you ask Mai over here? If Mark sees you talking to me alone, he won’t be happy.” Quickly she saved his number, putting it under the name of Beatrice’s Beekeeping Supplies. Clever.
Before he could gesture to Mai, Elijah and Jamie walked over.
“How are you?” Elijah asked, kissing her cheek.
She winced. “Coping.”
“Honey, we’re here for you, if you need help,” Elijah said.
Kim wanted to hug his friend. Maybe the more people who told her, the more she’d realise it was the truth.
Alyse opened her mouth to say something and then closed it again. Finally she nodded.
Mai and Nicholas joined them, and they gave Alyse their condolences. The whole time Alyse kept glancing to Mark. Kim hated her fear.
When Kay stepped away from her mother, Alyse interrupted Mai. “I’m sorry. I have to go.” She hurried over to the Pattons before Mark looked for her.
Mai lay a hand on Kim’s arm. “Maybe Lincoln has some contacts who can help her.”
Kim nodded. One way or another he would ensure Alyse had a safe place to run when she needed it. “Let’s go.” The Pattons were holding a wake but only for invited guests.
“Is it too early for alcohol?” Elijah asked as they walked out of the crematorium.
“The pub will be open by the time we get back to Blackbridge,” Jamie said.
It sounded good to Kim.
“I’ll tell Adam and Jeremy to meet us there,” Elijah said.
Mai nodded. “And I’ll call the musketeers. Between all of us, we’ll figure something out.”
Kim smiled. He hadn’t even had to ask.
Alyse would have more support than she knew what to do with.
***
Alyse’s mind whirled as she re-joined Mark and his family. She had a whole group of people who wanted to help her, but what would Mark do to them? When Mai’s bakery had burned down earlier in the year, Mark had commented that she’d got what she deserved for poking her nose into other people’s business. Alyse hadn’t asked what he’d meant.
Bringing others into this mess wasn’t her preference. There was no guarantee they would stick with her, especially after they realised how dangerous Mark was.
Alyse closed her eyes.
She could do it on her own. She’d gone through her options last night while applying the ice packs to her bruises. Changing the locks wouldn’t keep him out for long, and she’d heard too many stories about how useless the domestic violence laws were for protecting victims. The only way to be free of him was if he was behind bars. Which meant she had to gather evidence about his crimes.
Mark’s eyes glistened as she moved next to him. Her heart clenched. She’d forgotten for a moment that this was his father’s funeral. She might hate him but he was grieving. Losing a parent in a tragic accident threw your whole world upside-down.
Craig turned to her. “We’re heading to the winery,” he said. “Can you drive?”
Every movement was torture. Simply shaking someone’s hand or being pulled in for a hug hurt every single bit of her body. Still she couldn’t refuse. Mark had started drinking before they’d left the house. “Sure.”
Craig put his hand on the small of her back and pressed her forward. “After you.”
She winced and moved slowly out of the building. Behind her Craig hissed to Mark, “What the fuck did you do to her?”
Mark grunted.
In the past Craig’s outrage would have given her hope, but not anymore. The Pattons might tell Mark off, but they did nothing to offer her any help, nothing to stop him. Outrage didn’t stop the bruises or the beatings, and sometimes they caused the next ones.
She gritted her teeth as she slid behind the steering wheel of Mark’s ute. Exhaling, she braced herself before shifting into a more comfortable position and then she followed the convoy of family cars out of the car park.
Mark was silent the whole way, staring out the window. Alyse let him b
e.
She hoped her injuries would stop him from hitting her again until they healed, but she was never sure.
A sign at the entrance to the Vale winery said it was closed for a private function. She used to love coming here with her parents, seeing the treehouse-like restaurant on stilts and the quirky fantasy creatures inside. She parked next to Kay’s four-wheel drive and waited while Kay’s sons climbed out before she opened her door. Don, Kay’s oldest son, glanced at her. “Do you need a hand?”
She shook her head. “I’ll be fine.”
He frowned and stayed with her, offering her an arm to lean on. Love and gratitude filled her. She had a soft spot for Don. Kay wasn’t the most mothering person and Alyse had watched Don grow from a sweet young boy to a surly teen who barely said a word. But he always sat next to her when they had a family dinner and occasionally told her about the ag college.
She took her time, hoping slow steps would reduce the pain. They didn’t. Mark had already gone inside by the time she reached the bottom of the steps to the restaurant. Who built a damned restaurant on stilts? Right now she didn’t care about the spectacular view over the vineyard, or the fact that underneath the restaurant made the perfect shady place to sit and eat on a hot summer’s day. There were twenty or more steps to the top.
This was really going to hurt.
Alyse inhaled and moved one step after the other. She didn’t lift her gaze to her destination, it would only show her how much further she had to go. Instead she tried to find a way to move that wouldn’t pull on her ribs.
“What happened to you?” Don asked.
Alyse hesitated.
“Were you in an accident?” The concern in his eyes touched her.
“Yeah, your uncle accidentally hit me a dozen times.” The words were out before she thought about the consequences. But did it really matter? The whole town already knew Mark beat her.
Don’s eyes widened and he lifted his gaze to the entrance of the restaurant. His hands clenched. “Why?”
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