Free Serial by Lily White, Jaden Wilkes

him.
    “I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t be. Just remember what I tell you in the future.”
    The tension in my body caused more pain to radiate from my injuries.
    “As I was saying, I’ve decided to keep you here for safety. Word on the street is that Billy is looking for you. I knocked him out before he saw me so he doesn’t know to look for me. Either way. It won’t be safe for you to return home or to work. Especially in your condition.”
    “I could call the cops. Report Billy, for fucking once.”
    He was silent for a moment before saying, “Yes. And they could put him in jail, he could get bailed out and you’ll be dead within hours. You could get a restraining order, but what good is a piece of paper when you’re up against a fist?”
    He leaned into me and I swear I could feel the heat of his body against mine.
    His voice was softer than it had been before. “You’ve lived life in the gutter for some time now. Do you really think the cops will be able to protect you if Billy wanted you dead bad enough?”
    He was right. Nothing would be able to help. Women living in the center of the poorest area of town weren’t exactly high priority.
    “So, I can stay here?”
    “Yes. You’ll be staying here.”
    I felt torn apart, confused as all hell about what happened, but slightly relieved to know I could just stay in this bed and recover. It was as if the fantasy had become real, but that couldn’t be true. It was never true.
    Not in this case, either.
    “I have to go to work. I can’t afford to lose my job.”
    “You won’t be working there again.” He paused, speaking quickly to add, “It’s not safe.”
    Panic erupted inside me. Where would I go when he asked me to leave? Where would I work to support myself? It was like my entire life had been ripped apart in the course of several hours. I had no home and no money. Not even two dimes that I could rub together.
    “I’m going to tend to your injuries now that you’re awake. I want you back in perfect health as quickly as possible.”
    “No.” I jumped away not able to let him touch me while I was like this. I felt dirty and disgusting and I was sure he would notice. “Just – Can you bring me some medical supplies so I can tend to myself? When you’ve been beaten for so many years, you become an expert at first aid.”
    I thought he was going to argue, but he simply answered, “I can do that.”
    Standing up from the chair, he crossed the room, placing his hand on the knob before turning back to me. My vision was still fuzzy, but I could still make out the strong cut of his jaw and the way his dark hair contrasted against the light blue of his eyes.
    I felt naked in front of him, despite the shirt. I was ugly, beaten, swollen and bruised, and he was standing there as polished and perfect as ever.
    “There’s a bathroom through the door over there. I’m sure you’ll like it and appreciate that it has a separate shower and bath. While I’m gone, you should get cleaned up. There are clothes you can wear in the drawers in the closet.”
    He opened the door, walking through and was gone when it closed behind him.
    The sound of a lock sliding shut could be heard, throwing me deeper into a state of confusion than I’d been before.
     

Chapter Eight
    Jude
     
    She was here, she was mine.
    At last, she was here with me.
    I felt like an inexperienced schoolboy who had just told yes, the hottest girl in school would go to the prom with him.
    I wanted to do the old fist pump, but couldn’t bring myself to act so undignified in front of…Ronnie….no, Pet.
    She was so confused. I thought it was best to leave her for the moment. Her weakened state and ethereal beauty have had a strange effect on me.
    I wanted to kill, fuck, maim, hurt…but I wanted to love, only her, but I wanted to make love to her, touch her softly and speak kind, whispered words to her.
    I wanted to make her happy, and this was entirely new to me.
    I shut the door behind me, left