Lexi had got up and dragged herself in the house after Jamison had left. Her body ached all over. She looked in the mirror; she had a good black eye going on. Lexi was used to Jamison's beatings, but this one had been pretty bad. She hadn't thought he would ever stop hitting her. She looked at the time. Oh no, it was after 5:00PM. She would never have dinner ready on time. She went back out to the truck and brought the groceries in. She rushed around to get dinner started. Her body protested but she ignored it. She got the pork chops going and started peeling potatoes. Hopefully Mark wouldn't have to wait to long for dinner; she didn't want him to be mad at her.
Mark walked in the door a few minutes later. It had been a long day and he wanted nothing more than to have a hot bath and eat. The first thing he noticed is the house looked and smelled clean. Mark guessed you didn't notice dirt and dust till ya cleaned it up. Mark headed into the kitchen. Lexi was over at the stove dumping potatoes in a pot.
"Dinner's going to be a few minutes late." Lexi said.
Mark grabbed a beer out of the fridge. He was leaning against the counter.
"Lose track of the time shopping?" Mark asked.
Lexi hadn't turned around yet. She knew it Mark was mad. Tears came to her eyes.
"I'm sorry Mark, it won't happen again." Lexi said her voice choking up with tears.
Mark frowned, damn was she that scared of him, she acted like he was going to beat her or something. Mark grabbed her arm and spun her around. Lexi gasped in pain, she was still sore from her father's beating.
"Lexi…" Mark started and then stopped when he seen her eye.
"What the hell happened to ya?" Mark bellowed.
"My father, he tried to make me go with him, but I wouldn't and he hit me." Lexi said quietly.
Mark was enraged. He turned and headed for the door.
"Mark, where are you going?" Lexi asked following him.
Mark didn't answer and slammed out the front door. Lexi sighed and wiped the tears from her eyes. She went back and finished getting dinner started. She hoped Mark didn't find him, from the look on his face he would kill him if he did.
Mark drove to Jamison's house, but all he found was a sold sign up, looks like he sold the house and split. Mark wasn't without resources. He would call a private investigator tomorrow and have him tracked down. There was no way Mark was going to let him get away with this. He swung by the airport just to take a look around, but he found no sign of him. Mark then started to realize he had left Lexi alone, vulnerable, and hurt. He had been so angry he hadn't been thinking. He hadn't even checked to see if she was okay. He hit the steering wheel with his hand. And after everything she had been through, she had been worried about his dinner being late. She must think he was a cold hearted bastard. Well wasn't he, that's how he acted. Mark hurried home; he wanted to make sure Lexi was okay.
Mark walked in the house. He went to the kitchen. She had finished dinner and cleaned up. His plate was sitting covered on the table.
"Lexi!" Mark bellowed but there was no answer.
Now he was starting to panic. Where the hell was she? He rushed upstairs. She wasn't in the bedroom or bathroom. He checked every room upstairs. What if Jamison had come back? He swore he would rip the man limb to limb if he touched Lexi again. He went back downstairs tearing through the house. He opened the door to the den and stopped short breathing a sigh of relief. Lexi was curled up on the couch fast asleep. He walked to the couch and knelt down beside her. Her hair had fallen in her face. He reached out and pushed her hair back gently. He seen the black eye and had the urge to kill something, mainly Jamison. Lexi's eyes fluttered open. She found Mark's intense green eyes staring into hers.
"Are you okay?" Lexi asked.
Mark just shook his head, she was worried about him. She was something else.
"You need a bath." Lexi said smiling.
Mark looked down and realized he was still covered in grease from work.
"Lexi I'm going to find him and make him pay, I'm sorry. I should have figured he would pull some shit like this. I should have been protecting ya." Mark said.
"It's not your fault." Lexi said.
"Let me go run your bath and I'll heat your dinner up." Lexi said.
Mark put a hand on her arm to still her.
"I don't think so." Mark said.
He swept Lexi up in his arms being careful not to hurt her.
"What are you doing Mark?" Lexi asked.
"You can take a bath with me. I want to check ya out see how bad you're hurt?" Mark said heading up the stairs.
"I'm fine Mark." Lexi protested.
"Hush." Mark ordered.
Mark walked in their room and went straight into the bathroom. He set Lexi down and began running a bath. Mark turned and made quick work of removing her clothes. Mark was angry all over again when he seen the welts from her latest beating. She was going to have some awful bruises. Lexi hung her head in shame she knew she looked awful. Mark checked her from head to toe. He saw the awful scar on her right leg that must be from the dog attack. He lifted her gently and set her in the tub. Mark stripped his clothes off and climbed in behind her. He turned on the hot tub. This tub was both that's what he liked about it. He gently washed Lexi from head to toe taking care not to hurt her. Then he washed himself. He got through and pulled Lexi against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. Lexi leaned back against him and rubbed his arms with her small hands. Mark knew he was breaking his own rules. He was holding her, but the little thing had been through so much. He figured she needed some comfort. As long as he kept things in prospective he could keep a clear head about him, at least that's what he kept telling himself.
