Rising (Blue Phoenix, #4)(21)

Towel. She needs a towel.

I grab a grey bath sheet from the linen cupboard and return, handing it over. Ruby stares at it blankly.

“You should get dry.”

“Oh. I should.” She pulls at her t-shirt, and then let’s go, as the damp item becomes part of her skin again.

“I can give you a t-shirt, but I don’t have any women’s clothes.”

Ruby giggles. Then snorts. Gripping the towel, she descends into a cross between laughter and hysterics that blows my mind considering the silence since she arrived. “No, I don’t suppose you do.”

Unsure whether to be insulted or happy she’s snapped back to the living, I rub my head. “I’ll get you a t-shirt.”

I root around in my drawers, pulling out the first one I find then go back to Ruby. What the f-uck happened? I can guess and bet she has more than a cut face. At least she’s upright and conscious because I laid bets the time Ruby fought back that I’d be visiting her in hospital.

“Can I use your bathroom,” she asks, frowning at the t-shirt. “I don’t um…undressing.” Ruby hugs the towel to her chest.

“Oh. Yeah. Sure. Over there.” I indicate the direction she needs.

Ruby disappears and I slump onto the sofa. The nightmare I was on the edge of is replicating itself in front of me and I don’t know how to deal with this.

The girl who reappears in my Guns N’ Roses t-shirt isn’t the Ruby I know. She’s quiet and wary. Bare legged and skinny, the fabric hangs off her slight frame and because Ruby’s tall, the t-shirt isn’t as modest as it could be. As I take in the sight of this broken, frightened girl I ache, confused by the strength of my need to comfort her.

“Did he hurt you?” This is a f-ucking stupid question considering the state of her face.

“I’m okay.”

“I didn’t ask that. I asked if he hurt you.”

She closes her eyes and inhales, before opening an eye again. “I was going to ask if you had anything to drink.”

“Not in this house. Best I can offer is something to warm you up.”

Listen to me, I sound like Bryn. ‘I’ll make you a nice drink and we can chat about how your boyfriend just assaulted you’.

“Water’s fine.”

“Are you hurt?”

“Water’s fine.” She perches herself on my white leather sofa, sitting forward with her elbows on her knees.

In the kitchen, I resist slamming cupboard doors and getting pulled back to the anger over men who assault women. I’ve been a f-ucking *, done some shit stuff around women; but apart from that f*cked up incident with Dylan I barely remember, I’ve never done anything close to assaulting one.

From the doorway, I watch Ruby, her rigid figure and unmoving eyes are those of someone elsewhere. I’ve fantasised about this woman, but now all I see is a lost soul.

“Ruby.” I approach and hold the glass out.

Bruises circle the wrist of the hand she takes the glass with and anger flashes into my mind, ramped up when I see the darkening marks on her neck.

“What the f-uck did he do?” I say, stronger than I intended.

“I can’t go back.”

“You should’ve left a long time ago.”

“I don’t know where to go. I don’t have anywhere. Last time Dan was the place I could go.”

I swallow. “Last time?”

“I could share with Jax and the guys, but Dan will find me.”

Ruby isn’t listening; she’s locked in her place of safety where nobody else is allowed right now, talking through her thoughts. I touch her hand and Ruby jerks it away, eyes growing as she looks at me.

“Do you want me to leave you alone?” I ask.

“Can I stay?”

There’s no way I’ll have a reasonable conversation with her, not until she rejoins the world. “I said yes.”

“Here?” Ruby pushes herself against the sofa arm.

This fragile girl pushes into my past and drags up things I don’t want to think about - not just Liv, but before. Bruised and f-uck knows what else, she came to me. Me.

This isn’t f-ucking good.





Chapter Ten



Ruby



The girl in the mirror isn’t the same as yesterday, and not just because of the bruises and cuts. Dan’s attempt to tear apart the Ruby I created, the one who could walk away, has backfired because now she’s more determined than ever to push out and leave Tuesday behind. I won’t be the frightened mess of a girl who blindly arrived on Jem’s doorstep last night; nobody is going to see her again.

The blackened bruises around my neck and arms are bad enough, but there are dark marks on my legs where he gripped my thighs. The bile edges into my mouth, how close he came to breaking me completely. The person who, three years ago, offered a safe place is the one who nearly ended who I am.

The nausea I feel about last night’s events isn’t just Dan’s abuse, but the vulnerability I showed to Jem. Nobody but Dan has seen me so powerless; and although the barrier is back, Jem has seen behind. Nobody gets to see the reality of who I am or control me again.

Dan failed.

They’ll all fail.

But Jem saw Tuesday. Now he has access to the vulnerable girl, will he try to take advantage too?