March 2018
The night had been a rough one, Stevie had tossed and turned after Neil had left. Smithy had been amazing, he had cuddled her and held her tight as she had sobbed. He had made her a coffee and some toast before heading out for a run. Stevie had eaten, had a quick shower before dressing. She had rested down in front of the TV, watching day time TV had become an occurrence she loathed. Hearing her phone beep, she checked the text before heading out and unlocking the door. "I'm home now, you can go" Smithy was half way through a conversation with Jo
"What's going on?" she asked
"Nothing" Smithy spoke before walking past her and into the kitchen, he flicked the kettle on. Stevie entered the room, Jo close behind her.
"Smithy?" she questioned
"Stevie, it's nothing" he replied
"Nothing?" Jo laughed sarcastically "He has got himself put on a disciplinary and if I hadn't of been there, he would be looking at an assault charge"
"Are you done?" Smithy asked
"You know what no I'm not Smithy, do you think this is what Stevie needs?" Jo shouted "Another violent man in her life"
"Stevie" Smithy moved towards her, suddenly noticing the tears streaming down her face.
"No" she stepped back "Please don't touch me"
"Stevie, come on, you know I would never ever hurt you"
"I need to go, I need to be away from here, from you, you are violent just like him".
Jo had caught her up outside the flat and pulled her into a hug. They had walked to a nearby cafe and rested down in a booth. Stevie had ordered a tea, Jo a full English, having just come off shift. "What did he do?" Stevie asked "To Dec, what did Smithy do?"
"Called him every name under the sun, pinned him against a wall and he was going to hit him"
"Why would he do that?"
"Stevie, I don't want to put this on you but he has been holding you together through all of this, he has watched you fall apart time and time again and Dec stand by and rub salt in the wound"
"I have pushed him to this haven't I?"
"No Stevie, this is on Smithy, but the bloke adores you and he knows what Declan has done, of course he is angry"
"He has told me he is in love with me" Stevie couldn't contain the smile on her face "Smithy, he is in love with me"
"Yeah, I kind of figured, how do you feel?"
"He is a pretty amazing the bloke"
"Yeah, but the question is, do you want to stick your tongue down his throat everyone you see him?"
"Well, I kind of, already have twice"
"Stevie Moss, anything else you need to own up too?"
"I've seen him naked" she giggled, she felt so relaxed when she spoke about Smithy, when she thought of him. "But that doesn't change the fact he is violent"
"Oh come off it Stevie, Dale Smith is many things but violent is not one of them, he has a temper, which he lost because of how he feels, in all honesty I'm surprised he held it together this long"
"You think I should forget about it?"
"Give him the benefit of the doubt Stevie, he is trying to protect you".
Arriving back at the flat, Stevie found him sat on his bed looking sorry for himself. He was tapping away on his phone, he hadn't even noticed her in the door way. When he did eventually look up, he pulled his ear phones out and smiled gently "I'm sorry Stevie"
"Smithy"
"No, please let me say my bit Stevie" she paused to listen "I would never hurt you and I hate the fact you are thinking I'm like that scum"
"I don't" she interrupted "Smithy, you are nothing like Declan, you are kind and sweet and funny" she moved over and rested on the end of his bed "You are loving and gentle. Declan is none of them things. Smithy I care for you so much but I won't he the reason you are getting yourself into trouble"
"I'm sorry"
"Just promise me, this is it, you will stay away from him?"
"I'll stay away Stevie" he pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head.
A few days had passed and their trysts had been forgotten. She wanted more from him, she knew that but she wasn't prepared to push him to violence, to lose his job. Waking early on the Sunday morning, Stevie headed into the kitchen, her ruined dress in her clutches, Mother's day, a hard day for so many people for many different reasons. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she sat down with her coffee. He kissed her head as he sat down beside her, he opened his arms which she instinctively moved into, resting onto his lap, his arms wrapped round her. He held her tight for several minutes, he didn't say a word, he just held her, his hand gently rubbing the small of her back as she cried on his shoulder. He had made her breakfast, she had attempted to eat it but couldn't find it in herself. He had offered to take her out for the day of sightseeing, she had politely declined. Walking into the living room after lunch, he looked like the cat that got the cream, "I have an idea" he beamed "Let's go up the shooting range, I'll teach you how to shoot"
"Yeah" she responded "That actually sounds fun and you have been promising me the power".
Less than an hour later, she stood aiming a small pistol at a paper silhouette. Smithy wrapped his body round hers and held her close as he showed her how to aim, it was a thrilling experience to shoot a gun. Watching him had been as equally thrilling, there was something sexy about a man who could handle a weapon as skilfully as him. "Do you ever think about going back into the army?" she asked as they left the range
"Nah, I do miss it but I want different things now, I want to settle down, maybe start a family one day"
"You want kids?" she asked
"Maybe, it's something I have thought about but then I think about my dad, how he changed when me and my brother were born, I don't want to be like him, like Declan"
"Smithy, you aren't like them, I trust you with my life, you will never be like them"
Thanks for reading
