Ash's Darling | ✔

Chapter 40

His reaction could go one of two ways; either he becomes furious at my mother for laying a hand on me or he thinks I'm just doing this for attention and doesn't believe me. A little part of me knew, or at least hoped, that he wouldn't blame me or think I was doing it for attention. He knew me better than that, I was sure.

I thought about his reaction when he found bruises on me last time. He had been angry even then. Even before he knew who it was that was hitting me. I made up my mind, telling myself he wasn't going to blame me. He wasn't like that.

I was shoved out of my thoughts when Ash pulled into the parking lot of his apartment complex and laid his hand on my thigh after parking. He shifted his body towards me and watched me for a minute or two as I messed with his rings. He didn't wear them everyday but when he did I always thought his hands looked even more attractive. What can I say, hot hands are my weakness.

"Come on, we'll talk when we get inside." His voice made him sound like he was trying to be understanding but he also wanted me to tell him everything.

I nodded and let go of his hand, stepping out of the car and shutting the door behind me. I watched Ash do the same before taking my hand in his and walking towards the building. We walked towards the elevator and stepped in with a few other people. Ash pulled my back against his chest so we could give the other people more room to stand.

He wrapped his hand around my stomach just like he normally does, unknowingly hitting my bruise. I winced but quickly tried to hide it from him. I knew I had failed when his arms loosened and he leaned down to my ear, whispering loud enough only I could hear him. "I'm sorry, darling. I didn't mean to hurt you."

I titled my head towards him just enough to see his face but still keeping mine hidden from him. "I'm okay." I whispered, turning around and leaning my head against his chest as we rode the elevator the rest of the way to the third floor.

We stepped off the elevator hand in hand when it stopped at Ash's floor. He led me towards his apartment since I had only been here once before and hadn't memorized which door was his yet. He took me to the third door down on the left side and opened it, letting me walk in before he followed me and let the door shut behind us.

He didn't waste time making small talk once we were both inside. "Show me your stomach, Mae." I didn't argue since I knew it wouldn't get us anywhere. I would say I'm fine, he would insist I'm not and in the end I would end up showing him my stomach anyway. So instead, I walked into the kitchen and jumped onto the island while Ash walked in behind me and stood in between my legs.

He lifted up both my sweatshirt and my t-shirt enough to see the bruise which was slowly healing. I kept my head down as he stared at it and I felt his body tense before he spoke. "Was this caused by the same person who hit you last time, Esther?"

I wanted to tell him that it wasn't. I wanted to tell him it was an accident and I caused it by myself because I'm a klutz. I wanted to tell him he doesn't need to worry about me and he shouldn't stress about it but I reminded myself of the promise I made earlier. No lies.

So instead of telling him it was nothing, I nodded and watched as his jaw clenched. He still hadn't taken his eyes off the large bruise still on my stomach, only glancing up to watch me nod before bringing his gaze back to the bruise.

He stood, holding my hips and staring at it for a minute or two, seemingly lost in thought before his head snapped up to look at my face. He slowly lifted his hand and cupped my cheek gently before taking off my hood, exposing the black eye I had been hiding.

Anger filled his eyes as soon as he saw my face and softly ran his thumb on top of the bruised eye, clenching his jaw as he did. "Who?" He gritted out, his teeth still clenched.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself for any way he might react. "My mother." I whispered it so softly I was surprised he even heard it but there was no mistaking the way his body froze at my words.

"Your own fucking mother." He scoffed, disbelief lacing his tone and I immediately thought his disbelief was targeted to me.

"I swear, Ash, I didn't do any-" I tried to convince him it wasn't my fault but before I could finish my sentence he caught on to what I was trying to say and interrupted me.

"Esther Mae Harlow, I am not blaming you. Don't ever think I would blame you for something like that. No matter what you did or didn't do there is no fucking reason she should've hit you. Do you understand me?" His voice was firm when he spoke and his hands cupped my cheeks lightly, keeping my gaze on him.

I nodded again. "I'm sorry."

Ash shook his head as his eyes scoured the rest of my body, looking for any other bruises. "You have nothing to apologize for, darling. I should be the one apologizing." I looked at him with my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

What does he have to apologize for? He didn't do anything wrong. I'm the one that's been hiding all this from him. "For what?" I asked quietly.

"For letting you go back to that house. I should've seen all the damn signs like when you spent the night with me and ended up being late to get home. You seemed almost scared that day but I brushed it off. I should've made you talk to me when I saw how you seemed to walk on eggshells around your mother when I came over for dinner, it was like you didn't want to make her mad and yet I fucking let it go. I never should've let it go and I should've asked more questions when I saw the bruises on you last time and I'm so damn sorry I didn't, Mae."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me, resting my forehead on his. "None of that is your fault, love. None. I don't think I would've told you even if you had asked. I don't want you blaming yourself, okay?"

"If I hadn't let it go you wouldn't be bruised right now." He mumbled, his voice sounding disappointed in himself. "Did she hurt you anywhere else?" He easily changed the subject before I could comment on it again.

"She broke my nose but Josie helped me realign, now it just hurts if I touch it, I don't think it looks too bad." Ash shook his head as if he still couldn't believe my mother did this to me. Like he couldn't believe the very woman who gave me life also gives me bruises when she's having a bad day.

He picked me up and carried me to his bedroom without saying anything else. I held onto his shoulders while my legs wrapped around his waist. He opened his door with one hand while still holding me with the other and walked in, laying down on his bed with me on top of him. He tried to pull me close without hurting me and it melted my heart at how gentle he was trying to be.

I laid my head on his chest, snuggling as close as I could to him without hurting myself and it was silent for a minute. Ash ran his hands through my hair, kissing me on the head every few seconds.

"How many times has she hit you before?" He spoke, his voice quiet yet loud enough for me to hear it.

"Only once, other than this time. The first time was a few weeks ago, the day you found the bruises. Before that she'd just yell about things and she still does, now it's just a mix of both." I explained, tilting my head up to watch him as I spoke.

His jaw clenched and I could tell he was trying to control his anger towards my mother. "I want you to call me next time when she starts yelling, okay?" He continued running his fingers through my hair softly while he spoke. I nodded in response but Ash wanted more. "Promise?"

"Promise." He leaned down to give me a kiss after hearing my answer and we stayed wrapped in each other's arms for the rest of the night with Ash comforting me while I tried to convince him I was okay.