A Warning: The content of this story has sensitive content. Reader discretion is advised.
There is legal jargon that is used here, but it may not be relevant in all places. I do not work in personal injury but I do work in Real Estate :).
I knew that my boss was terrifying, but I didn't realize just how terrifying he could be. I mean, don't get me wrong, he was drop-dead sexy and had a smile that could make any girl melt like a pile of goo, but he didn't smile often.
I had been on the receiving end of that smile a few times, and each time it was earned by the smallest thing. The first time I earned it was by accident. I had muttered an insult under my breath about a prospective vendor, to which Dimitri cracked a grin before returning to his usually stoic expression.
The second was for something equally as small. A cup of coffee. Our coffee machine broke and I had been dying to have one, but I also knew that Dimitri had been here late going over an agreement and didn't end up going home, he just slept on the couch in his office and used the spare suit he kept in his office. When I set the large to-go cup on his desk with a muffin he looked up from the file in front of him and smirked.
"I don't pay you to bring me things, you aren't a dog," he said.
"I figured that if I was going to make it through the day, you needed the coffee," I laughed before walking out.
The third was at a company dinner that we attended a few weeks ago. I was surprised that I was included on the guest list, but he said that I was just as important as any executive here. I was his right hand and second brain, his words not mine. I dressed up to match the dress code of the restaurant, and when I sat down beside him at the table, I saw that hinted smile out of the corner of my eye.
But that dress caused me more problems than not.
Adrian didn't like that I wore the dress to a dinner he wasn't at. And it cost me a few hours of sleep and the ability to wear short sleeve shirts for a week. It also made me swelter wearing clothes high enough to cover my neck.
But there were more times that I saw Dimitri's furrowed bows than that smile. And it was days like this that I would rather the smile.
You best be home when I'm finished work.
I felt my stomach sink as I read that text. I knew I wasn't going to be home before him, I wasn't going to be home until at least nine-thirty because of the backlog from today. But not being home before him would cause even more pain.
I spun around in my chair and pulled the bottom drawer of my filing cabinet open, grabbing the bottle of pain meds I kept there. I popped two in my mouth and took a sip of my water before turning back around, flinching when Dimitri was standing in front of my desk.
"I put two letters in your file that I need you to execute, and then I need these documents served," he said handing me the file. I nodded and took the file from him, setting it down on my desk and opening it, looking down at the notes before turning to open the file on my computer.
"What happened to your wrist?"
I tensed and felt my heart lurch in my chest, swallowing before I answered him. "I fell off the couch in my sleep," I replied not looking away from my screen.
Dimitri hummed in response before walking away. I let out a breath and cradled my head in my hands with a small groan before spotting my phone on the table, the screen lit up.
If you're not, your wrist will be the worst of your problems.
I swallowed thickly and bit my lip to keep it from trembling. I don't know how I let myself get into this situation. I grew up in a stable, strong house with parents that were badasses. And I was a badass, but now I feel small, like a child. Terrified to go home at the end of the night for the terror that awaited me.
But I haven't seen my parents in almost a year, and my best friend was halfway across the country starting her family. I only had work and Adrian.
I could barely move when I got to work the next morning, and I was certain that my makeup didn't hide as much as I had hoped it would.
Dimitri was in his office with the door shut when I got in, but there was a coffee cup sitting on the coaster waiting for me. I wrapped my hand around it and found that it was still hot and sank slowly into my chair, lifting the cup to my mouth.
This was the best thing that had happened this morning.
I drank most of it by the time I had my computer booted up, and it was all the time I had to myself before Ivan Zeklos walked into my office, hand tucked into one pocket with a file tucked under the other.
"What brings you in this morning?" I asked with a small smile. Ivan was Dimitri's best friend but worked as a detective at the precinct a few blocks over.
"I figured I would drop these off in person," he said with a smirk.
"You came all the way here just to drop off police reports?" I asked with raised brows.
Ivan shrugged. "Is he here?"
I nodded and Ivan strode past, giving a sharp rap to the door before walking in and closing the door behind him. I went through my emails and opened the mail, sorting the mail into piles pertaining to each type of law the file was. I picked up my phone when it rang.
"Hi Sophie," I said quickly.
"Hey, Rose. Um, Adrian is on the phone for you. He sounds agitated," Sophie said with a clearing of her throat. I licked my lips and looked at the letter opener in my hand and the letter in the other.
"Can you tell him that I'm in mediation for the day?" I asked quietly.
"Yeah, sure," Sophie said before hanging up. I sighed and set my things down, tapping my finger against the desk in worry. I couldn't keep going like this, I couldn't keep living this nightmare. I couldn't take a large withdrawal from my bank account without him getting an alert, and I couldn't pack a bag because he was home when I was home.
I didn't have anywhere to go either without him finding me.
I jumped when Ivan closed Dimitri's door and winked at me as he walked out. I sighed and went back to opening the mail and then set the mail in the basket for Dimitri to grab when he came out. My phone buzzed against the desk and I could feel the lead ball in my stomach again. I turned it off without looking at the message that waited for me.
I could hear Dimitri talking on the phone in his office as I scrolled through numbers in his personal contact book, looking for one that I needed. I felt horrible for calling them out of the blue, but they were the only people I could call. I knew that even after not speaking to them and the fight we had, Baba wouldn't turn me away. He would answer the phone. Especially if I called from the office.
I dialled the number and held the phone tightly with both hands as it rang, going to his voicemail after a moment. The beep rang out when Dimitri stepped out of his office and I set the phone back in the receiver.
"I have to step out for a meeting, can you put together the brief for Dickinson?" Dimitri said as he slipped his suit jacket on and then the ridiculous duster he had on top.
"I can do that. Is the file in your office?"
"No, I think you still have it. Coffee?"
"I think the coffee machine is on the frit again," I said glumly, "I'd grab one while you're out."
Dimitri chuckled quickly. "No, I meant do you want a coffee when I come back? I'm stopping at Vincenzo's."
I leaned over to grab my purse to give him money but he waved his hand.
"My treat. Coffee or latte?"
"A latte would be nice. Thanks," I said quietly. Dimitri nodded and asked that I send out a few cheques for accounts as well before he stepped out. I did the cheques first so I didn't forget and got started on the brief. I did what I could before I searched for the file and realized that I didn't have the file.
I grimaced as I pushed off my chair and walked slowly to Dimitri's office, pushing the door open. If I didn't need the information brief finished, I would have curled up on the couch by the window. I was so tired and achy and I just wanted to lie down.
Dimitri's office was what I expected a lawyer's office to look like, but it was also strangely exactly like him. It was dark but warm, books lining the walls of one wall while his desk was covered in neat files in stacks. Everything was in order and alphabetized for easy search.
I found the file I wanted quickly and closed the cabinet behind his desk, moving his chair back into place after moving it out of my way. I glanced down at his desk and stopped, staring at the file on his desk. It was the file that Ivan brought him.
Ivashkov, A.
My fingers trembled as I reached for the file, opening it slowly. Inside the file had a standard information sheet stapled to the front of it but it wasn't that that bothered me. It was the photos directly on top. Mug shots to be exact. I sat down in Dimitri's chair and looked over the file, biting my thumbnail as I did. There was a copy of a medical report from the last time Adrian beat me badly enough that I had to go to the hospital. Adrian managed to weasel himself out of the problem and made everything disappear as usual. I didn't know how Ivan got it, but I was stunned to see that he had pictures of my bruises and x-rays too.
I found an intake form that listed all of the charges that had been laid against Adrian and balked. He had been charged in the part under an alias for assault and domestic violence. He had gone by Alex Indigo then.
I reached up and wiped the tear that spilled over my cheeks and sniffed, putting the documents back in the file. I licked my lips and stood up, tucking the chair back in. I left his office and went back to my desk, mindlessly going back to working on the brief. When Dimitri got back I barely looked up at him, just handed him the brief.
"How was your meeting?" I asked quietly.
"It was fine, went quicker than expected," he said as he set a latte down on my desk. I nodded and watched him walk into his office. I sat there for God knows how long before I built up the courage to follow him, knocking on the door.
He called for me to come in and I opened it, slipped in and closed the door behind me. Dimitri was writing on a notepad when he looked at me.
"Why do you have a file on my boyfriend?" I whispered.
Dimitri crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. I tried not to ogle at how much larger he looked even while I was standing. He stood over a foot taller than me and easier outweighed me by a hundred pounds. He was terrifying and intimidating, but he never made me feel small. Except right now.
"How long?"
"How long what?"
"How long has your boyfriend been beating you?" he asked bluntly.
I crossed my arms over my stomach and looked down at my shoes. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Dimitri sighed and stood up, coming around his desk to sit on the couch. When I looked up he gestured for me to sit with him. I sank onto the couch and crossed my ankles, looking at him worriedly.
"It's just better if you leave it alone," I whispered.
"How is it better when I know for a fact that you have bruises around your neck?" Dimitri retorted as he leaned casually on the couch. My hand brushed against the neck of my sweater and bit my lip. I looked away and toyed with the hem of my sweater.
"What time does Adrian work until?"
"Six," I whispered, "But he might leave work early because he's pissed."
Dimitri nodded and reached for the file he had on his desk, resting it in my lap.
"I wasn't always a lawyer, Rose," Dimitri admitted.
"You weren't?"
He shook his head. "No. I used to work with Ivan. I can't go into detail, but I know that this isn't recent. Why haven't you left yet?"
I chewed on my lip. "Because he'd find me?"
"You don't know that."
"But I do," I sniffed, "He managed to get put on my bank account as a notifier. If I take more than a certain amount out, he gets a notification. I can't use my credit card for a hotel because he would figure it out."
"Is that the only thing that is stopping you? Not having somewhere to go?"
I nodded. "After last night, I want out. I've wanted out for so long. He's wanted me to quit working for months and this is the only thing that's kept me going."
Dimitri nodded and stood up, picking up his duster. "Let's go."
"Where?"
"To get your stuff. It's only two now. We can get in and out quickly."
"And where am I supposed to go?"
"You have options, but I'm not about to stand by and watch you get hurt anymore."
I stood up and followed him, grabbing my purse and coat as I followed him. I turned my phone on and grimaced as I watched the parade of messages and missed calls popped up on my phone screen. Dimitri reached over while driving and took my phone from me, setting it in the console under the dash.
Dimitri asked for directions and I told him where to go, sinking in my seat. When we pulled up to our house and parked in the driveway, I was frozen in my seat.
"Ready?" he asked as he loosened his tie. I looked at him and shook my head but got out of the car, heading for the front door. I unlocked it and let Dimitri in, walking down the hall. I could tell that Adrian had had a fit before leaving for work, glass smashed on the floor. I stepped around it and walked to my room, grabbing my old gym bag. I pulled open my drawers and started stuffing things in my bag, just grabbing the essentials. Dimitri came into the room and set a new duffle bag on the bed. It wasn't mine or Adrian's, but Dimitri didn't speak and started packing things from my drawers into it.
I took care of my personal items and started folding my work clothes into the bag, walking to my jewelry box and taking out the pieces that were important to me. I didn't take any pieces that Adrian gave me, but just things I had before him. I fastened my father's necklace around my neck and went back to packing, stuffing shoes into the second duffle bag.
I went into the bathroom and collected my things from there too, making sure I had all the things I needed before going back into the bedroom. Dimitri was holding a picture when I came back in, turning to look at me.
The photo in his hand was one from our earlier years, years when things weren't always terrible.
"That was taken just after we started dating," I said quietly.
Dimitri nodded and set the picture back from where he got it. He zipped the duffle bag and lifted it to his shoulder.
"Do you have everything?" Dimitri asked softly.
I nodded and zipped the second bag, lifting it as well. I grabbed my purse and walked to the door, looking over the main room one last time. I turned back and left the house, setting my bags into the trunk of Dimitri's car and then climbed into the passenger seat.
I didn't pay attention to where we were going, but the next spot we stopped was the bank.
"How do you know this is where I bank?" I asked surprised.
"I do your payroll myself. I do it for Alberta's staff as well," he said, "We're getting Adrian off your bank account."
It took a bit of time to get Adrian off my bank account. The teller wanted to have his consent, but Dimitri reminded him that I was the primary account holder and that Adrian didn't have access to the funds directly. Once I got him off my account, I made sure that he couldn't get back into it and changed all my passwords.
Once that was done the workday had come to an end, but even though I didn't work for the last half of the day, I was exhausted.
But it wasn't long until my phone started buzzing again, angry messages demanding to know where I was.
"You have two options for now," Dimitri said quietly.
"What's that?"
"I can up you up in a hotel for now, or if you feel safer, you can stay in my guest room until we know Adrian can't find you," Dimitri offered.
"With you?"
"Or, my mother lives a few blocks over if you would prefer to say with her," he added. I had met Olena a few times. She was a sweet woman with a gentle demeanour and always brought me baked sweets when she came to see him at the office.
"I don't want to put you out," I said quietly.
"You aren't. I just want to know that you're safe," he implored as we drove. I twisted my sweater in my hands.
"Maybe with you? Just for a few days?" I said quietly. Dimitri nodded and turned onto the highway, taking us out of the city. I expected him to live in the city but I couldn't assume that he did. We drove for about twenty minutes before turning into a residential area, houses spread out but still a community.
The house we pulled up to was beautiful but humble. It was flashy enough to show that Dimitri had a good job, but it looked like a family home. I got out of the car and grabbed one of my bags out of the trunk while Dimitri got the other. When he unlocked the door, he deactivated the system too and stepped aside for me to come in as well.
I wiped my shoes on the mat and stepped out of my shoes. The front hall was white and clean and as I followed Dimitri into the house, I could see that the style in his office carried into his house. Dimitri directed me off the living room and to a row of rooms, flicking the light on in one.
"This is the guest room. You have your own bathroom connected over there," Dimitri said as he pointed. I nodded and stepped into the room, setting the bag on the bed. I sighed and sat on the edge, closing my eyes and letting out a deep breath. I felt the other bag rest on the bed beside me.
"How about you relax a bit before we eat?"
I nodded before my eyes sprung open. "Oh, God. I left my car at work."
"You left your car key on your desk. Ivan is bringing it over right now," Dimitri said.
I canted my head. "I did?"
Dimitri nodded and dug my keys out of my purse, looking at the keys and noticing that my car key was not there.
"I must have taken it off," I whispered to myself.
"You had mentioned yesterday that the fob wasn't working. Keith in maintenance said he would change the battery for you?"
I nodded and remembered that Keith had done it this morning and I didn't put it back on right away.
"Right. Um, I need to take a shower, if that's okay?"
"That's perfectly fine. Any food allergies I need to know of?"
I shook my head. "No, I'll pretty much eat everything," I muttered."
I followed the smell of deliciousness once I was dressed, twisting my hair into a bun on top of my head. I found Dimitri standing in the kitchen in comfier clothes too, taking out two plates and setting them beside the pizza boxes.
"I haven't had pizza in so long," I moaned quietly.
Dimitri looked up and I got that beautiful ghost of a smile. "What? Am I ruining a diet?"
I shook my head. "Adrian didn't like how much I ate it. He practically banned it," I admitted quietly. Dimitri eyed me for a moment before putting three slices on a plate with some garlic strips. I licked my lips as I took the plate, climbing gingerly onto the island stool.
I took the first bite and let out a moan of enjoyment, barely chewing the first bit before taking a second bite. Dimitri must have found some amusement with my happiness and ate his pizza too, sliding the packet of dipping sauce toward me. I dumped some on my plate and dipped my crust, revelling in the gooey goodness.
"Thank you," I mumbled over a mouthful of pizza. Dimitri gave me a look for speaking with my mouth open, knowing that he hated when people spoke with their mouths full.
I wiped my mouth with a napkin and sighed after I ate the slices, resting my cheek on the cold countertop.
"God, I missed pizza," I chuckled.
"I can tell," Dimitri said quietly. I lifted my head and smiled at him.
"Thank you again," I said quietly, "I feel like a huge weight has already been lifted off my chest."
Dimitri nodded and tapped his fingers on the countertop. "Don't thank me, Rose. I just did what any normal person would do."
I smiled at him weakly. "Regardless, thank you. I can't imagine most bosses would let their secretary stay with them."
"Rose, if I had to rent an apartment for you just so that you were safe, I would. I know exactly what that fear feels like. It's stressful and nauseating and you feel like you're in a hole so deep that you don't know what way is up. So, if it means that my favourite assistant needs to stay hidden in my house until the dust settles, I have absolutely no issues."
I shifted in my chair and rubbed the back of my neck. "You've been through this?"
Dimitri nodded slowly. "My mother was the main target, but I took the brunt from my sisters. I recognized the signs after the dinner."
I frowned. "I passed out that night. He choked me so hard that I passed out and woke up on the living room floor," I whispered.
"My father did that to my mother once, I kicked him out that night," Dimitri said.
"You kicked him out?"
Dimitri nodded and grabbed another piece of garlic strips. "I did. I had had enough. I was taller than him and bigger than him. It didn't take much."
"How old were you?"
Dimitri's lips quirked. "Thirteen."
I grinned and latched onto the tidbit of information. "Get out!"
Dimitri grinned at me and turned back to his food, eating it with ease. I chuckled and picked at another piece of pizza.
"If you went through this, do you have any tips for the bruises?" I asked meekly.
"Like what?"
"Like making them heal faster? Or making it so that it doesn't hurt so much?"
Dimitri nodded and stood up, walking towards the hall of doors and turning into the first one. He rummaged around for a moment before coming back out and setting a few tubes on the counter beside me. I looked at them and read the labels.
"What's this one for?"
"It helps with the swelling but promotes blood flow to encourage the natural healing process. Put it on three-four times a day and the bruises will clear up quicker," Dimitri explained, pointing to the others and explaining how they work or what they did.
I ran my finger over the sharp edge of the tube and chewed on the inside of my lip. I couldn't help but feel grateful in a way I hadn't felt in a long time.
"I might need your help with one," I said, "It's on my back and I can't reach it, but it hurts when I breathe."
Dimitri nodded. "Whenever you're comfortable," he said softly.
I nodded and jumped when there was a loud knock on the front door, whimpering when the bruise on my back hit the chair. Dimitri gave me a soothing look and walked to the door, opening it and speaking to someone. I sat rigid in the chair my eyes trained on the hallway. I could hear two sets of footsteps come back and let out the breath I was holding when Dimitri and Ivan came into view.
"Hey, I put some gas in your car, you were low," Ivan said tossing my keys at me. I caught them and set them on the counter.
"Thanks. You didn't need to do that."
"Yeah, but if he's tracking you somehow, the gas station would have given you away," Ivan said with a slight shrug.
I felt dread wash over me. "Can he do that?"
Ivan frowned. "If he was still logged in, he might be able to track the bank account. I would go into your online banking and see if you can log out of other sessions," Ivan suggested.
I nodded and rubbed my fingers against my forehead. "This is so fucked up."
"This guy has a record, kid. If you're willing, we can put him away with your statement."
I tensed up and looked at the two of them. "Wouldn't that mean that I would have to be around him?"
"No. We would keep you separate, we just need pictures and your statement, and judging by those," Ivan said as he pointed at the bruises sticking out from under my collar, "We can get him on attempted murder."
"Attempted murder?"
"Even in sexual acts, strangulation and choking are viewed as something non-consensual. Even if it happens during sex, you can be charged for it," Ivan said. I frowned and looked at Dimitri.
"Do you think I should do it?"
"It's not my decision to make, but I'll support your decision either way," Dimitri said gently, "If you want to do this, there's a record. You can make a statement and have a medical workup. The last time was last night, wasn't it?"
I nodded and chewed on my lip. "I don't want him to get away with this anymore," I said quietly.
Ivan nodded and sat on the stool beside me. "He doesn't have to. If you want to press charges, you can, and I can guarantee he can't worm his way out."
I looked at Dimitri again before nodding. I wasn't going to be his punching bag anymore, and I didn't want anyone else to be it either.
