Zosia rushed into the nearest room she could find, luckily for her, it was the locker room. Somewhere safe. She tried to calm down, her breathing unsteady and her hands shaking violently. She stood in the corner of the room trying to get her bearings. She couldn't believe what had just happened. What Tristan had done. She knew he was bad and it was very rare that her first instincts about a person were wrong. She knew her suspicions about the older man had been right, that he'd been abusing his mistress and then to find out that he'd stopped the poor woman from leaving. It really got to her and she had to help, in any way that she could.
She thought if she'd just be quick then she could get in and out of the office, find Jemima and give her back her passport. She would be able to leave and be free from the horrible man that was Tristan Woods. But of course, nothing every goes according to plan. She took a deep breath as the scenario replayed itself over and over again, it took everything in her not just break down and cry then and there.
The way Tristan's hands grabbed her, the way he pushed and pulled. The fear that ran through her body, that she still felt now even though she knew she was safe. She brought her hand up to her mouth and stifled a small sob. She looked up sharply as she heard the door push open, terrified that it was Tristan coming back for more. She felt a small flutter of relief that it was, in fact, Jac Naylor.
Zosia looked like a deer caught in headlights as she found her cowering in the corner, her brows furrowed with confusion and worry at the sight of her her F1. She had gone looking for her as she noticed she had slipped out of the function after only a half hour of being there. She was about to say something when something caught her eye, Zosia's dress was ripped. She thought aloud, her words coming out in a statement. 'Your dress is ripped.'
It wasn't an accusation, it was an observation.
Zosia let out a small gasp as she looked down and now noticing that her dress was indeed ripped, that must have happened when she fell over or pushed over by Tristan. She hadn't noticed it at the time most probably because she was more focused on trying to escape the evil hands that kept coming towards her. To punish her for trying to help out Jemima Chase.
Zosia quickly moved her dress around, as if to veil the obvious rip that rippled the material. She looked back up at Jac, swallowing thickly. How was she supposed to explain this? She knew it was almost impossible for her to lie to Jac, she saw right through her with her piercing eyes.
Jac watched Zosia's movement and could instantly tell there was something very wrong here. The erratic movements of the woman's hands that were still shaking, the way her eyes kept darting around, refusing eye contact for more than a couple of seconds. She pursed her lips and walked further into the room, determined to find out what had happened to render Zosia to this state.
Zosia looked away and inhaled a deep breath, forcing down the tears that were brimming in her eyelids. She would not cry. Especially not in front Jac bloody Naylor. She was stronger than this, she could do it. She would not allow Tristan Woods to get to her.
'Zosia... what happened?' Jac spoke softly, standing just about an arm's length away from her now. She really took the time to take in Zosia's appearance now, she noticed a few scratch marks and the beginning of bruises forming on her bare arms. Her brow raised as she waited for a reply from Zosia when after a few moments nothing came from the younger girl she began to get frustrated.
'Zosia.' She spoke more firmly this time. 'Tell me what happened.' She wasn't asking this time, she was demanding to know. She needed to know who had done this to her, who had upset her, she needed to know so she could fix it.
She felt they had more of an understanding relationship now, she had watched and cared for as much as she allowed herself to for the woman standing in front of her. She could see that Zosia had been breaking down and no one was offering to help, not even her own father or her best friend Dom. So she decided to take the leap and offer her hand.
Zosia looked up at Jac finally with wide eyes and Jac could see the pain and worry immediately. It almost took her breath away.
'Zosh...' She reached out and gently took Zosia's wrist, pulling her closer. She tried to ignore the involuntary flinch at the first touch of skin on skin contact, pulling her close enough that she could rest both her hands on Zosia's shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. 'Talk to me.' It came out in almost a whisper, so close now that Zosia didn't need to strain her ears to hear it.
Zosia swallowed thickly, her eyes falling down to the floor. She thought about lying, about making some stupid excuse up but knew that anything she said wouldn't get past Jac. Nothing but the truth. She knew she could trust Jac now, the last few weeks had shown her that. When she felt that she was completely alone, Jac was surprisingly the one person that was actually there for her.
She looked back up at her, opening her mouth to speak. 'I...' She breathed in a shuddery breath, determined not to break eye contact with the redhead. She could do this, she was strong. She could do this. She tried to speak again but the words got stuck in her throat. She reached a hand up and covered half her face as she breathed out a shaky sob.
She took a few moments to collect herself before trying again. 'Tristan. It was Tristan.' She finally managed to get out, her voice hoarse and full of emotion.
Jac clenched her jaw as soon as she heard the name, she could feel her fingers clenching just slightly against the girl's shaking shoulders. The surge of anger that suddenly coursed through her veins was almost overwhelming. How dare he. How dare he go anywhere near Zosia March.
Jac blew out air between her lips, trying to calm herself down now. 'It's okay, Zosh. You're okay now.' She pulled her forward the final few steps before wrapping her arms around her neck and holding her tight, she could feel Zosia's whole body shaking against her as she finally surrendered and allowed the tears to fall from her eyes. She didn't want to admit how scared she had felt and she also didn't want to admit how safe she felt standing here in Jac's arms in the low light of the locker room.
After a few minutes of Jac quietly shushing her and rubbing a smooth hand down her back, she pulled back and moved her hands to cup her face, forcing Zosia to look at her. 'Go and call yourself a cab and get yourself home. I will meet you there in an hour. I'm going to go sort this. I will sort this.' She affirmed with a steely look in her eyes.
'Get yourself home safe, okay?' Her words were softer this time and she leant forward to press a gentle kiss against Zosia's forehead in a rare moment of displayed affection.
Zosia tried to open her mouth to speak again, to protest against Jac's words but before she could say anthing the door was being slammed shut as Jac Naylor stormed out of the room. Zosia let out a heavy sigh. She really didn't want Jac getting involved in this but she knew whatever she had said wouldn't have strayed Jac in the slightest anyway. She found herself feeling lucky and grateful for having Jac in her life at this very moment. She took a few moments to wipe at her eyes and to straighten her dress once more before finally getting the courage to leave, following Jac's orders.