Path To Realization (Fighter's Den, #4)

Chapter 29 - Aria

*TRIGGER WARNING: the following chapter contains mild content of domestic abuse. Please read with caution or skip select scenes entirely.*

PAST

"Don't touch me!"

I yank my arm out of Nate's grasp and hold it close to my body, shielding it. Logic and reason abandoned me the second Nate pointed out the bruise on my forearm and instead fear is driving me out of my mind.

He's seen the bruises before. So has the rest of my family. I've been making excuses for a long time now and it's obvious they don't believe me anymore. And Nate. Fucking Nate. Had to go around campus and start a fucking petition for women who have or are being abused. All it did was make Robbie think I told my family about him and he wouldn't believe me otherwise. Now I'm desperate and the fact that my brother won't let this go is only making me angrier.

"Let me see." He demands and tries to grab my arm again.

"Don't fucking touch me." I push him away and he stumbles back, not expecting that.

"Are you still trying to defend him?" He laughs incredulously. His chest heaves with angry breaths, eyes blazing. "You're still playing dumb? Everyone knows he fucking hits you, Aria. Stop pretending, damn it!"

I slap him across the face.

All the oxygen seems to leave the room as everyone holds their breath in shock. My palm tingles from the contact and remorse floods my chest, tightening around my lungs and making it hard to breathe. I've never hit Nate before. Never. But...I couldn't help it. He'd said the words so openly, without any fear. He fucking said the words he hits you. If he says them then this suddenly becomes real and I can't pretend otherwise and...who knows what Robbie would do to me? He's already making my life hell after that petition Nate sent around. I'm trying so hard to make everyone believe they've got it all wrong but how can I do that when Nate is fucking parading the words he hits you? He just said them to me to my face? Does he not understand what that does to me?

"How dare you?" I seethe, my voice trembling.

"How dare I?" He questions in a harsh whisper. "How dare you? Look at what's he's done to you. You're blind with fear. I don't even recognize you anymore."

"Nate, that's enough." Dad barks.

"No." He snaps at Dad but doesn't take his eyes off me. "This has gone on long enough. We've tried to walk on eggshells around you, we've tried to play nice and do it your way, but everyday that I let you stay with that asshole is another day that you come home bruised and in pain. You're fucking limping today, Ria. Wake the fuck up!"

"Shut up!" I push him again. Hot and angry tears trek down my face. Out of everyone I expected to turn on me I never thought it would be my twin brother. "You don't understand and you never will."

"Then fucking help me!" He pounds his chest. "What the hell am I supposed to do? Watch you be someone's victim of abuse? My own fucking sister? How dare you ask me to not only allow that, but be okay with it? How dare you accept this kind of fate for yourself when you don't deserve it? You don't fucking deserve this, Ria! Nobody has the fucking right to put their hands on you."

"He doesn't!" I know how ridiculous I sound because it's so obvious that I'm lying but I don't know what else to do. I can't let anyone find out about this. I can't let anyone reveal the monster Robbie is or he'll ruin me. "Stop saying that!"

"Listen to yourself! Jesus fucking Christ. What are you so scared of?" He grips me by the shoulders and it doesn't escape me how gentle his hold is. How purposefully he's making his touch delicate to not hurt me. Because even when we're at odds, he always protects me. My throat tightens. "I won't let him do anything to you, Aria. You're my sister. You think I would let anything happen to you? I can't help you if you won't help yourself. Please."