Overdraft | SEQUEL

eighteen

jack moretti

I hardly slept last night. There was no sleeping when the only thing I could think about was Selyse and whether she was comfortable. When I wasn't thinking about Selyse, I was thinking about who I would make suffer for this. Someone would be held responsible.

My head turned when Selyse's hand searched the bed for me. I interlocked my fingers with hers, seeing the wave of calmness come over her.

"I'm right here, amore," I whispered, pulling her small body closer to me. I brought her onto my lap to straddle me. She was wearing far more clothes to sleep than she ever has. It was a hoodie and sweatpants, so I didn't get to see much of her last night. My hands went under her hoodie, lightly brushing them along her back. "I think you should see the doctor." The last thing I wanted was for anyone to see her in this state, but I needed to make sure she was physically okay.

"No," she held onto me tighter while her head rested on my shoulder. I wasn't going to fight her on it, but I did need to make sure she was okay.

"Will you let me look?" I hesitantly asked and she remained quiet for a bit before getting off of me. She laid on her back while looking up at me. Even with this event that happened, she trusted me and I didn't want to take it for granted.

I pulled her sweats off before helping her remove her hoodie. Then she let me look at all of her and I felt defeated. Both her breasts were bruised from how hard he squeezed. She's a fighter and it was evident throughout her entire body. He had clawed at her legs and knowing what he did to her made me angry all over again. I'm supposed to keep her safe and protect her. This man got his hands on her and I felt like I let her down. I should've gotten there faster. She screamed for me and the genuine fear in her voice absolutely broke me.

"I'm going to make you breakfast," I pulled the sheets over her body. She sat up to hug me before I could go. She smelt like flowers and pomegranate. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right downstairs," I whispered into her ear.

"I know. I just..." she trailed off, not having the words to finish. I knew she was worried to admit that she disliked being left alone. So I let her hold onto me. I knew every time she shut her eyes she was brought back into that room. "I saw him when I woke up. His hands were around my neck and...I'm still scared."

Even though I had the power to completely end this man, I knew he'd never leave her nightmares. That fact broke my heart because I hated the power he'dcontinue to hold over her even when he's dead.

"He'll never touch you again. No one will ever touch you again, Sely," I promised. There was only so much I could say. It would take time for her to work through things and I wanted to be with her the whole time. "If you need someone to talk to and you don't want it to be me, we can find someone. Let me know whatever you need."

She nodded before I placed soft kisses along her jaw then left the bedroom. I brought my phone with me and immediately called Aiden.

Taking everything I needed from the fridge, I began making the breakfast.

"Hey," Aiden answered with a large sigh. I knew he was going through something similar to myself.

"I'm...fucking angry," I confessed while working my way through the kitchen. All I kept replaying was Selyse's first words being an apology. She apologized for not listening to me and her actions were the least of my worries. If anything, I felt that I was the one who owed her an apology. An apology that I have a long list of people who hate me and that she'd likely suffer because of that.

"She's not even crying. She just stares at the fucking wall and she won't get out of bed and I don't know what is going on."

I could tell he was panicking. Aiden has never been an emotions type of man. Neither am I, but everything Selyse feels, I feel. When she's happy, I'm happy. When she's sad, I'm upset. Aiden on the other hand, is a rock through and through. Chloe bleeds emotions and the fact that she was emotionally clocked out was concerning.