Christian
When I reach my parents living room, my father is handing Anastasia a bottle of water that she reluctantly takes.
"Thank you." Her voice is soft and she places the bottle down on a coaster, leaving it unopened.
I clench my jaw, keeping my mouth shut. I want to tell her she needs to stay hydrated, but she's already pissed at me about barking orders, so I refrain.
"What is going on, Ana?" My father looks so worried for her. He's already accepted her as part of the family and it's bittersweet to think about, but it's something I know I need to get used to.
She folds into herself and crosses her arms. "I- I just..." We watch as she chews her lip and we stay stone still and quiet, giving her time to answer. Finally, she sighs. "I made a mistake and told a colleague at work that our boss was making me feel uncomfortable. It upset him."
A shiver runs down my spine. "You mean your coworker did this to you?"
She sniffles, but won't look away from a spot she's found extremely interesting on the wall. "I shouldn't have said anything, but he made me feel so uncomfortable. She told HR. And then he found out. He was so upset, he showed up at my door last night-"
"Your home? He came seeking you out?!?" I move, pacing the living room. I have too much pent up energy to stand still.
"Christian! Let her talk." My father gives me a warning glare and I shut my mouth quickly. I do want to know what happened and me interrupting is not helping. "Go on, Ana. What happened."
I watch as she wipes at her eye with one of her hands and I'm to her with my handkerchief quickly, comforting her the only way I know how. I've never hated my haphephobia more than I do right now. My core is screaming for me to comfort her, but I can't bear for her to touch me. So fucked up.
"Thank you."
I squeeze her shoulder lightly, worried I'll hurt her more. "Keep going, angel."
She uncrosses her arms and plays with the handkerchief. "It's soft."
I cock an eyebrow at my father and he puts a hand up to me, motioning for me to give her a minute.
"Jack showed up at my door, so angry... and I think drunk. He was slurring his words. He asked me-he asked if it was true. If I really did tell her that and when I said yes, he just lunged. When I was on the floor I noticed a pair of scissors on my coffee table. Well, when he leaned over to hit me again..." She sighs and wipes her nose. "I just... I got him. I was so scared he was going to hurt me more or even... even kill me, that I stabbed him. I actually stabbed him. I can't believe I did it." Shaking her head, she looks up at my father then at me. "You have to understand. I'm not a violent person. I would never hurt anyone! But-but-" She begins to sob into the handkerchief and my body aches to hold her. The best I can do is wrap my arm around the front of her shoulders from behind and press my forehead against the top of her head. It isn't much, but it's something.
"We know that, angel. We know." One of her hands reach for my forearm and she holds on while she tries to calm herself.
"I-I-I called the police, but he ran. I told them what happened. That he attacked me... but, but while they were there they got notice that he went to the hospital and pr-pressed charges against me." She sobs. "I was just- I just... I asked what to do and the police man told me to get a la-lawyer. But he hurt me first! What am I go-going to do? What if they pick me up?"
"Jesus, Ana." My father looks in shock and I'm sure he is. "He doesn't have a leg to stand on. I don't want you to worry about that."
I nod against her hair. "My father is right. We'll take care of it."
Elliot
"Take care of what? Ana? What's wrong? What happened?" I hear my girl crying and when Christian releases her and turns to look at me, I get a glimpse of my girl.
"Elliot." Christian gives me a warning, but I push him to the side and take her face in my hands, looking her over. Tears are already forming in my own eyes as she tries her best to keep her sobs from wracking her body.
"Hyde." I already know. She doesn't need to tell me. That disgusting mother fucker has been creeping around for weeks.
She bursts into tears all over again and I scoop her up, letting her wrap her arms and legs around me while I hold her securely to me. I caress her hair and sway us, doing my best to keep myself from crying anymore.
"Christian." I give him a look and he nods.
"Taken care of."
Giving him a nod, I swallow back tears.
"When?" I choke out and wince, realizing. Clearing my throat, I ask again. "When did this happen? Why didn't you call me?" My legs are shaking in anger and upset for my girl. My whole body seems to be vibrating.
"Elliot, why don't you have a seat." My dad urges. I have a seat with Ana still clinging to me and I run my hands up and down her back, letting her relax against me.
"There-there wasn't any time, El! It all happened so fast. I didn't mean to do it! I can't go to prison, I can't!"
What the hell?
I give Christian a look and he explains what had happened so she doesn't have to.
"So the fucker came to beat the shit out of her and when she fended him off he pressed charges on her?" I shake my head, disbelieving. "This is so fucked up. I want the fucker myself. I want to torture him with my bare hands and break each bone in his body one at a time until the pain kills him."
"Elliot!" My father raises his voice, which he rarely does and it gets our attention, making Ana startle in my arms. I hold her tighter.
"It's okay. You're safe now. Never again, do you understand? Never again will anyone touch you." I smooth the hair on the back of her head while she relaxes against me again. It isn't long before her body slumps and her breathing evens out.
"She's had a long night. Why don't you lay back with her? Go on and lay down." Dad lays the couch pillow at the end so I can turn and lay down with her and she mumbles something when I do, but quickly falls back to sleep when Dad places the throw blanket over us.
Christian hasn't moved from his spot and I can see his jaw muscles tightening and relaxing. He's struggling with all of this. I know it.
"Come sit next to us, C." If my force can calm and comfort her, both of ours will just be that much stronger. And maybe hers will calm him, too.
With a resolved sigh, he makes his way towards us and has a seat on the floor beside us, his hand resting on her back. When she lets out a soft little happy sound in her sleep, it makes us laugh.
"See, boys. She needs both of you."
Christian
Anastasia has woken up with a dozen apologies, which we've all waved off and my mother has the two of them locked in my parents bedroom while she looks over her. We've agreed that for documentation we need pictures of each bruise and mark even though police took some last night. It feels as if it's taking an eternity and I'm on edge. The longer it takes, the worse it could be.
I stand at the mouth of the hallway where my parents room is located while I sip on a whiskey to try to calm myself. Elliot is wearing a hole in the carpet where he's pacing and my father seems to find us a little entertaining while he sits on the couch with his leg crossed.
"Boys, you've got a long lifetime of worrying ahead of you. Try to take some deep breaths."
Elliot makes a grunting noise and I shake my head.
"Nothing like this is going to happen again. She'll be safe. I don't care what I have to do. I'll have a man on her 24/7."
My father gives a disapproving click of his tongue but I ignore it.
"Christian. You can't stifle her. She needs her independence to grow. You can't lock her up for your own sense of peace."
"Like hell, I can't! She can be happy under observation!"
"I'll watch her myself." Elliot pipes in.
I snort. "Like you watched her so well at work?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Elliot comes stomping towards me and I stand up straighter.
"You knew this man was a threat and you did nothing!"
He shoves me. "How the fuck was I supposed to know how far he'd go? How did I know he was any different than any other fucker wanting in her pants?"
I shove him back. "You should be putting any fucker who wants in her pants in their place! Use those ape fists for something other than your prick!"
"Enough! Enough!" Father is between us, shoving us apart. "You two know you cannot scare men away from her. You can't keep her from having a normal life. You don't get to dictate who she sees! You know this. When she's 21 and knows, then you both can act like apes. Until then, you two need to stay composed, do you understand me?"
I huff, but I know he's right. It'd be different if she grew up knowing, but she's clueless. She doesn't know where she came from. Who she came from.
That won't keep me from keeping her safe, though.
Mom and Anastasia emerge from the bedroom while Dad still has a hand on each of our arms and the three of us must look like three deer in the headlights.
Anastasia's jacket is off, giving us a perfect view of her arms and the skin above her v-neck t-shirt. Her soft, pale skin is marred with red marks, scratches, and purple bruises.
"Jesus Christ." I rip my arm out of my father's grasp and meet her halfway so I can get a better look. Reaching up, I trace the linear scratches along her neck that are below the obvious strangle marks from his disgusting hands. She was trying to claw him away. She was clawing to get free and hurt herself. "Jesus Christ."
"Christian, give her some room." My mother places a hand on my elbow to steer me the other way, but I stick in place and meet Anastasia's eyes that are watching me.
"I will never let anything happen to you again." My voice is quiet, but it's a promise. "He will never touch you again. I promise you."
Her eyes search mine, but she gives me a short nod before I let my mother pull me away.
"Let's get something warm and comforting to drink and settle a little bit."