Always There

Chapter One Hundred and Nineteen

I've just begun to unscrew the tube of concealer when my bedroom door is flung completely open and Mac strolls right into the room wearing a pair of plaid pajama pants and a thin white T-shirt.

"Hey, Lex. How was your d—"

He catches sight of me in just my bra and underwear, my hair pinned back and my body on full display, and he gasps.

"Oh fuck no!" he hisses as his eyes scan my body. "James! Wake up and get the hell in here!"

Mac hurries over to me and drops to his knees in front of me. He turns my stool around so that I'm facing him and his eyes focus on my raw knees, flushed cheek, and bruised neck from today as well as my scratched thighs and bruised hips that still haven't faded from a few days ago.

James rushes into the room wearing boxers and a tank top, and as soon as he catches sight of me and all my wounds, he curses under his breath and drops to his knees beside Mac.

"This was Liam, wasn't it? He's been doing this to you?" Mac asks me in a hushed tone.

I gulp. "Yes. He started after we had been seeing each other for two months. He started to shove me and yell at me when he was mad about something. He's never slapped me before today, and he's never choked me and left marks like this before either."

James reaches for my hands, but I flinch and pull away from him. He frowns, but doesn't comment on my reaction and instead says, "And you kept seeing him even though he's been abusing you?"

A sob bubbles up from my throat. Tears are stinging my eyes when I say, "He always apologizes afterwards. Even today. And he always holds me afterwards. I missed having someone hold me like that. No one has since Bryce. It was worth the pain to have someone love me again."

Mac's face is crestfallen. "Lexi, no. No, no, no. If he hurts you like this, he doesn't love you. Not one bit."

I sniffle. "He promised me he does. And I don't love him back, but I missed being somebody's whole world." I bite my lip. "I miss Bryce."

James and Mac both push to their feet and are about to pull me between them for a hug before I squeak and shoot up from my seat on the stool.

Mac blinks at me for a moment.

And then he slaps his forehead in recognition and says, "Jesus. We should've known. You don't let people touch you anymore. Whenever they try, you jerk away, and it started a little after you began seeing Liam. How didn't I figure this out sooner?"

I take a hesitant step towards him before wrapping my arms around his waist and hugging him tight. "It's not your fault. Not at all. I should've told you guys. I just really don't want to end things with him. I like how he makes me feel a small fraction of the time."

Mac runs a gentle hand through my hair. "You can't see him anymore. Let's delete his number off your phone, okay? And block him on social media. James and I will keep you safe. You never have to worry about him ever again."

I squeeze him tighter. "He knows where I live. He won't leave me alone. I can feel it. It's not that easy."

James reaches for my hand. "I think we need to get the police involved, Lex. This isn't okay."