Page 5

Elle was a freelance photographer, and for the past four years she’d spent her time on glamorous photo shoots or snapping celebrities on the red carpet.

As a result, she was given a range of PR gifts, including makeup, skincare, gowns, and a personalised KitchenAid.

Of all the gifts, the huge flame-embossed appliance was her favourite .

Her twin with the shoulder-length, blonde curly hair was a newly qualified conveyancing solicitor. After nearly a decade of training, he was currently taking a well-deserved break before he figured out the next steps.

The three of us sat on adjacent faux leather sofas, Elle and I on one and Silas the other while Cain hovered in the doorway.

Elle chatted away – how good it was to see me, it’d been too long, and her excitement about the dresses.

Silas leaning his elbows on his knees, nodded along with her with a small smile to encourage her.

His eyes bounced between the two of us but all I could think about was the green eyes I could guarantee were piercing the back of my head.

My skin bristled with the feeling of being watched, I glanced over my shoulder to find Cain, as expected, shooting daggers at me. His jaw was set and nostrils wide, seething.

“Why don’t you take a seat?” I muttered to him over my shoulder, looking past him to avoid eye contact.

“I’m just fine right here,” he bit out. I returned to Elle and Silas.

It felt as if I was standing, screaming behind quadruple glazed glass, desperate for someone to notice me but everyone passed by, the glass acting as a silencer.

Silas glared at Cain but offered me a soft smile with kind eyes. I had an ally. I wished it was reassuring having people out there to care about me, but it wasn’t.

I refocused on Elle, she was still in her monologue about the dresses. Her tone was higher than normal, like she was nervous. I suspected she was trying to put a front of solidarity.

“—and I’ve brought a combination of lengths.

They’re a few years old from my skinnier years, so I’m sure they’ll fit, though you’re taller so the longer ones might fit you better than me, sometimes they’re dragging along behind me like I’m pulling a rug along and it’s just so fucking inconvenient, but I think they’ll look great on yo—”

She was interrupted by a snort. Her eyes narrowed, her thick lashes making her eyes less visible. She pouted and her chest rose and fell with heavy breaths of rage.

“Ex cuse me ?!” she seethed, and my body started down the path of fight or flight. Behind me, Cain was chuckling to himself.

“No, no. Don’t mind me.”

“Oh no, please share, Cain. ”

She was so angry on my behalf, but I wanted the sofa to swallow me up to live out my days with the loose coins and crumbs.

He continued to chuckle, humour missing from his tone. “I just think it’s cute that you think that those will fit her.” He cleared his throat to dispel the laughter. “There’s no chance they’ll fit. ”

I stared at the old, flattened carpet and Elle shot up, ready to battle with Cain. Silas followed suit, but with his focus on me he pushed her back down. He wordlessly understood any reactivity would make it worse for me later.

Elle sat down with a thump and a loud huff. I looked up at her, she was still glaring at Cain, but eventually returned her attention to me, though her mood was soured.

“Anyway, there’s a floor length gold dress that I think would make your tan pop. You’ll look like a Grecian goddess.” She smiled, a twinkle in her eye. Interrupting the moment, Cain cleared his throat again.

“Appreciate you coming but it’s time to go. Willow will choose a dress and return them at some point, I’m sure.”

I bit my lip, tears threatening to spill as I stared straight ahead at Elle.

She took my clasped hands from my lap and stroked them with her thumb, her eyes saying everything words couldn’t.

Her amber eyes twinkled with her own unshed tears, her lip trembling as she stood with Silas and walked out of the room, leaving the garment bags on the sofa.

Cain stood sideways in the doorway, and as Silas walked through, he slowed, squaring up to Cain as he passed muttering something undistinguishable before Elle tugged him out into the hallway and into the street.

After a heavy silence, I swallowed and blinked tears away before standing, collecting the bags and hurrying out the living room with my head down.

Cain’s piercing eyes watched me as I squeezed past him. One hand slammed into the wood directly next to my head. I yelped. Barely a slither between our bodies, I slowly looked up at him, taking shallow breaths. Leaning into me, he slowly rubbed his nose over my ear, causing me to shiver.

“I don’t appreciate your friends coming to my house and giving me attitude.” He spoke in a low, clear voice, enunciating every word. “I don’t ask much from you, do I?” I remained silent with panic. When I didn’t reply, he repeated himself, inching closer with every word. “Do. I?”

“No,” I whispered. He did. He asked more of me than he ever gave of himself.

“So when I ask you to tell me of your whereabouts or plans, I expect you to respect that. If your little friends can’t play nice when they’re here?

They. Don’t. Come. Understood ? ” He was seething, spittle covered my skin.

I clenched my eyes shut, leaning away, only to push myself further into his arm that was holding the door frame.

“Y-yes— I’m sorry. Please Cain, let me go upstairs, I need to get upstairs,” I begged, barely above a whisper.

“Oh, stop your incessant whining.” He leaned forward into the door frame and further into my face before pushing off and letting me go. “Get out of my fucking sight, Willow. ”

Finally released, I rushed past him, into the hallway and up the stairs, his eyes following my movement.

Entering our bedroom, I dropped the bags on the bed, collapsing beside them with elbows on my knees and pushed my palms into my eyes.

I let out a silent sob and allowed myself a couple of heavy, panicked breaths and tears to drop before pushing my shoulders back and wiping my cheeks.

My phone vibrated the pocket of my trousers, and I pulled it out.

Elle: Hope you’re okay? Send me a picture of the dress you choose. No rush to return the rest. Shout if you need anything from us. We love you.

Elle: P.S. Pick the gold.

I smiled, a renewed excitement building. Hanging the first bag on the back of the bedroom door, I tried each one on.

Elle was right. Where the shorter dresses would be the right length for her, sitting on her thigh, they were close to exposing me.

Elle was 5’2 and I was 5’8. She was curvier where I had the physique of a runner, despite never running.

She was right again when it came to the gold dress – a halter neck, midi-length dress, landing at my calves.

The halter neck held my breasts up, so they gained an acceptable cleavage, an open back stopped just above the curve of my arse. The metallic gold made my skin glow, just as Elle said it would. I looked fucking great.

“Absolutely fucking not.”

I spun on the tips of my toes to find Cain standing in the doorway of the bedroom – he loved to stand in doorways, brooding and blocking exits.

I looked down at the dress I’d grown to love in less than two minutes.

I should have known he’d disapprove. I wished I could be independent in my clothing choices, but Cain always had the final say.

He was never protective out of desire, only to enhance his control.

“You’re not wearing that,” he growled. “Take it off.”

I turned to face the mirror on the wardrobe door and slowly moved to untie the halter-neck.

Before I dropped the dress, I looked over my shoulder to find him watching me with no intention to leave.

I peeled the bottom of the dress down my legs to step out of it.

I held the material close to my body, trying to hide my most intimate parts from him.

He moved to stand behind me, facing the mirror and yanked the gold dress out of my hands, throwing it to the floor

I stood in nothing but basic black underwear. He glared at my body in the mirror, looking it up and down. After years together, you would hope his gaze would be of love – or at least lust – but his was full of disgust.

He gripped my hips, digging his fingers in where he’d had them earlier that evening, the flesh starting to bruise, and I winced at the pain.

“Wear the black. Not up for discussion,” he grumbled in my ear.

The black dress was fine – long sleeves and floor length. The sweetheart neckline was outlined, the chest and arms covered. It was nice, but it felt too boring for the occasion.

I nodded to appease him.

“It’ll cover these ugly bruises,” he said, pressing further into them, smirking as I continued to wince.

He pushed off me and took off out of the room, leaving me almost completely naked, arms hugging around my waist. Goosebumps covered my skin, and not because of the lack of clothing or temperature.

I crawled onto the bed, the side furthest from the door and curled into the foetal position.

Panic released through shakes in my body and tears falling. I rubbed my eyes and felt something just above my head.

My fingers brushed fuzzy fur between the pillows. Tugging at it, I hauled Angus – an orange, soft Highland cow – into my arms, stroking his worn head, horns, and stomach for comfort.

Nana Jean bought Angus when I moved in with her, a source of comfort during a difficult time. He’d been with me throughout every trial and every tribulation and offered me the strength of Nana Jean whenever I needed it.

Pulling Angus to my face I sniffed his fur, curling in on myself and let myself go, sobbing into Angus’ soft fur until I fell asleep.