Her heart began to thump. “I went to pay the rent. I told you this morning.”
“I tried calling you.” His tone was accusing.
She could feel his glare burning its mark into her, the walls felt like they were closing in on her, and she was finding it difficult to breathe. She took her phone out of her pocket, looked at it and put it on the coffee table. “Shit! It was on silent.”
Justin stared at her, his face expressionless. “So did you pay all of it?”
Mia was not really looking at him. “Yeah, that’s us out of debt.”
He put his can down and smirked. “How did you manage to pay it all off?”
“I told you, Jenny lent me $500.” Her chest started to hurt, she felt hot and clammy. “What’s wrong now? Why are you smoking that shit again? You promised you were going to stop,” she said, barely above a whisper.
His face went red, he breathed loudly in and out of his nose, his eyes unblinking as he watched her. “So what if I am? I’m sick of you trying to rule me just because you bring in the money. You always try and lord it over me.”
“I don’t but I know you think it makes you less of a man because I have to pay everything. But to me it doesn’t.”
Justin clenched his teeth. “You always throw that in my face.” He looked at her as if everything now fit into place. “That’s what you do. You try and put me off the scent. I know you’re cheating on me. If I see you with someone else I’ll kill him.”
Feeling scared, she said, “Justin, stop this! I would never cheat on you.” Her hand shook as she picked her phone up and put it in her pocket.
His eyes narrowed. “Scared I’ll go through your phone?”
She bit her lip and shook her head. And she put her phone back on the table. It clattered a couple of times as her hand trembled. “I’ve nothing to hide. I’m not cheating on you.”
He grabbed the phone, stared at it for a few seconds. His lips curled down and his jaw twitched. He raised his eyes up at her without lifting his head.
Mia began to shake and her throat became dry. She tried to swallow as she looked at the floor. She screamed as something smashed into the side of her head.
Then he jumped up. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. Let me look at it?” He went to move her hand away from her head.
She pulled away. “Don’t touch me.” She looked at her fingers. She was stunned at the sight of the blood.
“Mia, I didn’t mean it. I meant to throw your phone at the wall. I didn’t want to hurt you. I’m sorry.” He put his arms around her. “It won’t happen again, I promise.” She didn’t move. “Hold me, please.” Her body felt rigid in his arms. “Please.” The tears now flowed freely down his face. “I’ll kill myself before I hurt you again, I swear I will.”
She put her arms around him and tried to calm her ragged breaths. “I know you didn’t mean it. It was an accident.”
***
Mia had just finished her shift when Jenny came rushing over to her. Her face was positively glowing. But she turned serious when she neared Mia. “You look awful! What’s up?”
Mia shrugged her shoulders. “Me and Justin had another argument. It’s nothing. But you look like you have some news. What’s happened?”
Jenny laughed. “Yeah, I do. I’ve just quit this job.”
Mia stepped back, her mouth agape. “Why? I thought you liked this new one?”
“Lee’s just been promoted. His dad is retiring and he made Lee the manager of the garage. So…we are going to try for a baby,” Jenny squealed.
Mia attempted a smile, but she was unconvincing. “I’m really happy for you.”
“Well, you don’t look it. Come on, tell me what’s wrong.”
“It’s just that last night was the worst one yet. I was so scared. I thought he was going to hit me. He threw everything he could pick up at me. He was drunk and high, as usual.”
Jenny put her arms around Mia. “What an asshole. You have to leave him before he does something really bad to you.”
“He’s not like that all the time.”
Jenny raised her eyebrows. “He’s a drunk and a bully, Mia.”
“Last week when he got some cash he bought me roses and made dinner. He can be really loving and romantic.” She wiped her moist eyes then grabbed Jenny’s arm fiercely. “And he does loves me, I know he does, and he’d do himself some dreadful harm if I left him.”
Jenny stood back and put her hands on Mia’s shoulders. “Bottom line is you’re scared of him. You shouldn’t feel scared in a relationship. And I’m scared for you. Come and stay with me.”
Mia hugged her tightly. “He needs me more than ever. He’s got no job and gets so depressed. He doesn’t mean to lose his temper. He really does love me. He’s just under a lot of stress at the moment. Anyway you’re going to start a family soon.” Her phone started to ring. She took it out of her pocket and looked at it. “It’s Justin.” She answered the call.
“I’m still at work…. No, I’ve just been talking to Jenny. I won’t be long.” Mia scoffed as she ended the call. “He thinks I’m seeing someone if I’m a minute late getting home. He’s so paranoid.”
Jenny crossed her arms and stared at her. “You need to get out of this relationship.” Mia’s eyes were fast filling up. “What do you say we have a drink? Come on, it’s the last time I’m going to be able to.”
“I could do with one.” Her phone rang again. “Hi, Justin?”
Jenny grabbed the phone from her. Mia tried to get it back, but Jenny was too fast. “Justin, it's Jenny. Me and Mia are going to have a little drink to celebrate Lee’s promotion.” Mia was waving her hands at her to stop. “She’ll be home in an hour or so. Do you have a problem with that?” She smirked. “Okay. I’ll put her on.”
Mia snatched it off her. “Hi…. An hour? Okay, bye.” She put the phone away. Jenny was staring at her. “He said not to be too long and to bring some wine home.”
“Well, now he knows you’re with me he might give you some space. Turn the phone off because if he calls again I’m gonna tell him straight.”
Mia gave a feeble smile and put her phone on silent.
***
Cain was in New York on business when he saw her. It had to be Mia, but she was so thin and pale, dark circles around her eyes and dressed in a way he had never seen her dress. She looked unkempt in a short skirt, high heels, and a short jacket that could do with a good laundering. There were two bottles of wine in her arms, and then she tripped.
One bottle of wine smashed and she sat there, balanced on her knees. All she wanted to do was cry. Her life was a mess and she didn’t even know if she had the strength to get out of it. She had reached rock bottom. People walked past her and never even looked at her; it was as if she deserved to be in the gutter she was now kneeling in.
Suddenly there was a hand on her elbow, pulling her to her feet.
She looked up and hope struggled with disbelief. “Cain?”
“Mia. Oh, Mia! What happened to you?” She started to cry. “Come. Let’s get you some coffee and food.” She stank of the alcohol soaking into her clothes. “When was the last time you had a decent meal?”
Mia wanted to yell ‘Don’t start!’ but the flood of emotions coursing through her kept her silent. She wanted to refuse his offer, but she had nothing left in her. She felt broken now he was there.
In a nearby cafe, Cain ordered her a coffee and a sandwich. She eventually found her voice. “What are you doing here?”
“I am here on business, but what about you? What happened to you?”
“I really don’t know how I ended up like this. After Mom…. Well, you know how that went.” She saw the hurt in his eyes before he lowered his gaze. “Everything has just got out of control. I didn’t want to face up to reality.”
Her voice was devoid of feeling, somehow dead. He didn’t know what to think. He needed to get her away from this place and make her well again, but would she allow him to do that?
> “Will you stop looking at me like I’m some kind of injured pet?” she snapped.
“You look so ill. Are you taking drugs as well as drinking?” How dare she let herself go like this? What happened was horrendous, seeing her mother die at my hands, but that’s no excuse for her to give up on life.
“It has nothing to do with you. I’m a grown woman and I make my own choices, and if that includes drink and drugs then it’s nobody else’s business. I don’t go around killing people.” She noted the pain in his face, saw his jaw tense and watched as he closed his eyes. To her surprise she also felt his pain, and felt mean-spirited for having caused it. No matter how much she hated what he had done, she could not hate him. Why can’t I stand up to Justin like this? She did not want to hurt Cain anymore. “I’m sorry, honestly. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No, you are right. I am the only monster here.”
“You’re not a monster, Cain. I know you just want to protect me.”
“That’s all I ever wanted to do.”
“I’ll never be able to forget what happened.”
“I understand. But, Mia, please let me help you now. I cannot turn my back on you, not when you are like this.”
She saw the silent pleading in his eyes. He looked as broken as she felt. “I need to do this on my own,” she whispered.
Cain shook his head. “Let me help you. I’ll beg, if that’s what it takes.”
“I don’t want you to beg!” How dare he feel sorry for me! Her body tensed as her warring feelings did battle. She sat up straight, needing to be strong. “I can’t listen to this any more, did you not hear me? I need to do this on my own, for me, not you or anyone else. I am sick of being pushed around. It’s going to stop!”
He stared at her, not saying a word, which annoyed her even more. She stood, and as he went to speak, she cut him off. “I have to go.” She almost ran out of the door and Cain went after her.
“Stay away from me, Cain! Just leave me alone.” Her feelings for him were rushing back, but she couldn’t allow herself to love him, not now, not ever. How could she allow herself to still be in love with the man who had killed her mother? So wrong! Every time she looked at him she would see her mother dying. I wish Peter were here.
Cain watched her walk away. He was going to follow her, find out where she lived, but then he felt the presence of another vampire. He scanned the area. Sure enough, Vasile was across the street watching them.
Vasile had seen the girl the day before and recognized her from the ranch. He’d decided to follow her and find out if she was still in contact with the vampire, Cain; the one who had tried to kill him. So, yes, she was still in contact with him! He watched them go into the coffee shop, but it was different this time. While she wanted nothing to do with him, Cain was clearly in love with this human. Now Cain had spotted him, but what could he do on a crowded New York street? Vasile smiled at him and made his escape into the crowd.
Cain stepped back and away from Mia. He checked up and down the street, feeling total frustration—and fear. Vasile was still faster than him and now he had lost him, and did not know which way Mia had gone. What was Vasile doing here? Was he after him? Or worse, Mia?
***
Mia looked at her phone as she stood outside her apartment door. There were seven missed calls. I can’t do this any more. I shouldn’t have to live in fear of my boyfriend. I miss Cain. I miss how things used to be before Mom died. Her eyes started to sting, so she took a deep breath and walked into the apartment. Justin was sitting on the couch in just his boxer shorts, swigging on a can of beer.
“Where have you been? You said you were only going to be an hour.”
Mia threw her jacket onto a chair. “I met an old friend.”
Justin threw a half empty can of beer at her. “Male friend, I bet, you whore.”
The can just missed her head. It bounced off the wall and warm liquid splashed onto her face. “Yes, he was male.” Mia wiped the beer from her face with her hand.
Justin jumped up off the couch and grabbed her by the hair.
Mia’s head jerked back. “You’re hurting me!”
“You’re a bitch! I ought to rip your head off.” He swung Mia around and she shrieked in pain. When he let go of her hair, long strands of it were wrapped around his fingers.
She landed on her knees and her hand crept up, tentatively touching the side of her head. She slowly got to her feet. “I’m leaving you!” she screamed and turned toward the bedroom.
Justin bellowed, “I’ll fucking kill you first,” as he ran at her.
Mia felt a sharp pain as Justin’s fist connected with the back of her head. The force threw her forward and the side of her face slammed against the doorframe. She crumpled to the floor, blood dripping from her mouth and nose. Her face started to throb.
Justin stepped back; a look of terror etched into his face. Mia curled up into a fetal position with her head in her hands.
She heard his trembling voice. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”
“You didn’t mean it?” She slowly climbed to her feet, steadying herself against the wall.
He approached her, almost whimpering. “I’m really am sorry. Here let me help you to the bed.” He put a hand either side of her waist. She placed both hands on his shoulders then brought her knee up as hard as she could into his genitals. He screamed before he keeled over. She then brought her elbow down hard between his shoulder blades and he dropped to the floor.
“I’m sorry, Justin. I didn’t mean it. But don’t you ever, ever put your hands on me again.” Calmly she walked over to her jacket and took her phone out. She shook her head at him as she dialed the number. “I’m leaving him.” Her words were steady. “Yes, I’m perfectly fine.” And she asked if Lee could pick her up. She’d wait outside.
After a hasty pack of her few belongings, she was wiping the blood off her face when the tires of Lee’s car screeched to a halt in front of her. Lee rushed out of the car just as Justin appeared in the doorway.
“Mia, let’s talk about this! Just come back inside. I swear it won’t happen again.”
“What did you do to her? You’ve beaten her up?” Lee shouted, clenching his fists at his sides.
“Can’t we just go?” Mia asked Lee.
Lee looked at Justin. If his look could kill, Justin would have dropped dead on the spot. “If you come near her again, you’re dead. Do you hear me?”
Mia grabbed Lee’s hands. “Come on. He’s not worth it.”
Lee opened the car door for her, and then walked around to the driver’s side of the car.
“Stay away from her. Actually, stay away from all of us.” He looked Justin up and down. “Next time I set eyes on you, I’ll leave you in a much worse state. Do you understand?”
Chapter 40
It had been nearly a month since Mia left Justin. The frequency of his phone calls was less. They were always the same, him begging forgiveness, promising to stop the drinking and drugs if she came home. Each time he called, he was either drunk or high.
It was now a week since his last call.
Jenny was yelling in the bathroom.
“What’s wrong?” Mia tried the handle but the door was locked. She banged on it. “Jenny, are you okay?”
The door opened and Jenny stood there with a plastic stick in her hand. “I’m pregnant!”
Mia clapped her hands. “What, so soon? That’s great.”
“Yeah, I have to call Lee,” she said and fairly skipped past Mia.
Just as Mia was about to speak her phone went off again. Damn it, Justin! Just leave me alone. She ended the call.
The house phone started to ring. Mia was fairly certain it would be Justin and stood back, watching Jenny answer it. “Hello…? What do you want?” Mia walked closer and Jenny started laughing. “Do you really believe that? Just leave her alone!”
“Justin. Again.” There was no emotion in her voice.
“Yep. He thinks I’ve turn
ed you against him.” Jenny laughed. “He has really lost it.” Mia was still concerned. Justin was unstable. “I’ll get Lee to have a word so don’t look so worried.” Jenny gave Mia a big hug and rubbed her back briskly. “It’ll be fine.”
***
As the weeks passed, Justin seemed to get the message; the phone calls stopped. Life was gradually getting back to normal. Mia went back to work and Lee and Jenny had finally stopped chaperoning her everywhere she went.
She was about to leave for her late shift at the bar when Jenny walked into the living room.
“Will you give me a lift to the shop? I want to get something special for Lee tonight.”
“Of course. I’m so happy for you guys.” Mia had a mischievous glint in her eyes. “What is it they say about pregnant women? You look radiant.” They both laughed.
Mia held the car keys out and pressed the button to unlock the car. Jenny walked around the front toward the passenger side. When they heard a loud squealing they both turned toward the direction of the noise. All they saw were headlights heading toward them. Mia desperately reached for Jenny, trying to pull her back out of harm’s way, but the racing car was on them too fast, bucking up onto the sidewalk, sending Mia flying through the air.
Cain had followed Mia and found her living with her friends. She was looking better, and happy. This was her night for working the late shift and he intended to follow her again to ensure she was safe. He had just turned onto her street when he saw Mia and her friend a second before the car hit them a glancing blow. He slammed his foot on the gas as Mia was thrown into the air. She landed on the screen and rolled down onto the hood of her car.
***
Lee walked unsteadily into the white, sterile private hospital room. Cain was sitting beside the bed. The only noise was the beeping of the machine Mia was hooked up to. “Any change?”
Cain turned his head and looked at him. “No.”
“I wanted to thank you for paying for all this. Jenny’s doing a lot better.”
“I’m happy for you. Have you told her yet?”
Lee winced and closed his eyes. “No, not yet. She keeps asking.”
Behind Blue Eyes: The Good The Bad & The Blood Page 28
