Rise [Bruno Mars]

Chapter seven

Chapter seven

The moment I came to, Bruno stopped in his tracks and our gazes clicked. I was aware of the blue sky behind the curtains, and the bitter smell of burnt metal and plastic in the air, and the yellow sick staining the rug beside me. I felt drained of all things except shame.

“Adrian. Adrian?” He knelt beside me and gently took hold of my arms. I shook him off, craning my body towards the fireplace. My insides sunk. It was all ash now.

“Who did this to you?” He succeeded in pulling my body back to his. Supporting me with one arm around my lower back, he cupped my face with one hand, thumb trailing the spot where my jaw throbbed. My right shoulder throbbed, too.

“I'm so sorry, Bru.” He hated the nickname. He was not something you made with hot water. He let me place my face in his neck, even though I was sure he was aware of the crusted puke on the corner of my mouth just as I was. “But I had to.”

He withdrew so he could look at me with knitted brows.

“I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you.” I curled my palm over the back of his neck. “Never.”

“What are you talking about?” His eyes were wide, warped with confusion and concern, and mostly fear, which struck me as odd. What was he afraid of as he looked at me?

I shoved away from him. “I have to find my necklace and your ring—damn it,” I cursed as he yanked me back to him and I felt a headache bloom behind my temple.

“Look at me,” he gritted out. “You're all right, right? You're. . . Dri.” His eyes flicked across both of mine, seeking. “Dri,” he said again. “Please. You're all right.”

What did he see that I did not feel that made him desperate like this? “Yes. I'm fine.” I exhaled slowly. “I'm fine.”

“Yeah?” He appeared utterly relieved. “All right now talk to me.” 

“Your ex paid me a visit.” His whole face darkened. I told him everything Jamie had done. The hitting, the throwing. “I was hungover,” I mumbled, looking at his shirt. “Too weak to do anything, really.”

“That fucking—” Bruno stopped himself with a tight shut of his eyes and a deep breath. “Did she say anything to you?” he asked, mostly through his teeth.

I bit my lip sheepishly, and repeated what Jamie had said. He winced before a bizarre look settled over his features. “We never. . . did that here. I took her here before yeah, but I was too focused on my music to uh. . .”

The realization hit me like a bullet. “She told me you guys had ‘fun’ in the pool, but I just realized there is no pool here.” I chuckled, part of me glad. “She was lying.”

He cleared his throat, gaze darting away from mine. “Yeah, lying.”

My eyes narrowed. “She's strangely open.”

He gave a minute shake of his head. “She just needs justification to do the things she does.”

“She was really at your family gathering?” I asked. He nodded mournfully and I ignored the pang in my heart. “Why? You were in an abusive relationship with her. Your family should've cut off all ties with her.”

Bruno shrugged. “Fam doesn't know. It's a hit to my manliness.”

“And an even bigger hit to your humanness, Bruno,” I scolded. “This has nothing to do with your masculinity. Men are in abusive relationships. You should tell your family. It's for the best.”