Closing Time

Chapter 3

(Don't Let It Break Your Heart By Louis Tomolinson)

Rylee's Pov

TW- Abuse

"You've got the job! Let me know when you can start and which job you want." Eryn spoke through the phone and I smiled.

Iris was still asleep in the backseat, and I just got a coffee so I could stay awake. I don't sleep when we stay in the car because it scares me.

"Whichever job you think I can do. I can learn things pretty quickly, so I don't really mind." And that was the honest truth.

I am good at learning things quickly. It's something that I picked up quickly when I first had Iris. I had to learn how to be a mother, which was all new to me. My mother never taught me anything useful in my years of being with her.

She never taught me one thing about life, I had to learn it all on my own. I don't want Iris to have the same childhood as I did. I don't want her to grow up like that.

"How about you try bartending and see how you work with that." Eryn snapped me out of my thoughts.

"I'm good with that! When do I start?" I asked eagerly.

"Tomorrow? You can work closing if you don't mind? I'll have one of my girls train you and you can test the waters." I agreed and we worked out the details.

"Thank you so much, Eryn."

"Don't thank me, I should be thanking you."

Iris was still asleep when I started driving back to the apartment. Once I pulled up outfront i grabbed everything and picked her up. She adjusted and laid her head on my shoulders.

God this kid could sleep through anything, and she could sleep through forever. I knocked on the office door and Greg, the owner of the building opened the door.

"Rylee, is there something wrong?"

"I have to work tomorrow, I got a new job. Can you watch Iris for me? I'll pay you-" I rambled out and Greg held up his hand stopping me.

"You don't have to pay me, I'll watch her for free. When's your shift, darlin'." His Texan accent was strong, but it wasn't anything I wasn't used to.

"Closing, so like 10 to 2 in the morning."

"I can just watch her overnight." He suggested it and I contemplated it.

"Would you mind- I don't want to bother you."

"You're not a bother. Rylee, I told you I would be here to help with anything. Plus my wife loves Iris."

"Thank you." I spoke softly and he nodded his head.

I turned around and started walking up the stairs. Iris shifted, and I readjusted my hold on her. I grabbed my keys and went to unlock the door but it was already unlocked. I opened the door and stepped in quietly. I didn't know whether or not Jason was home, but as soon as I felt the atmosphere, I knew that he was.

"Where were you?" Jason spoke harshly and it sent shivers up my spine. Not the good kind.

"You told me to not come back." I said looking down at the ground.

I don't think I'll ever be able to look him in the eyes. I'm so glad Rylee has blue eyes unlike Jason's brown. I looked down at her, and she was still asleep. It was only eight, so she would sleep for another hour.

"Rylee, I didn't mean overnight." I turned to walk away and he grabbed my wrist.

"Sorry." I said quickly and his grip tightened.
"Please don't do this in front of Iris." I whispered and his grip loosened.

I heard a laugh from Jason's room, and I froze. He let go of my arm and I went to my room, Iris and I shared one, and I laid Iris on the bed. I put some of my things back, took a deep breath and walked out of the room, knowing that there was no way out.

He would come in here if i didn't leave, he has before. I felt my heart race with every step I took. I felt the fear building up and collapsing.

"Rylee, you haven't been listening. Have you paid the bills?" He asked once I got back out.

I closed the door to the bedroom and knew that she was going to be okay.

"I did, yesterday." I looked down at my feet.

It made him feel more powerful when I didn't look him in the eyes, or even pay any attention to him at all, but I couldn't. It made me break if I even looked into his eyes for a millisecond.

Maybe it was my own fear because the man I loved turned into a monster. I have hope that he will change, but the more and more these things happen, the more I lose hope. He wasn't always like this, and I know that I can't keep protecting and defending him.

I defend him to all of his friends, to the friends that I used to have, I defend him to my brother, but most importantly, I defend him to Iris and myself. I am constantly lying to everyone, and I hate that. He's no longer the man that I fell in love with, and I hate that. I'm holding on to a little thread of hope, but I need it to break. I need to lose my attachment to him.

"Rylee, listen to me." He demanded and I snapped out of the trance I was in.

"Sorry." I muttered and his hand wrapped back around my wrist.

My breath hitched as he put more pressure.

"You always apologize but you never are actually sorry." He pulled on my hair and I zoned out.

Zoning out while he was hitting me was so much better than feeling the actual pain. Though I still do feel it, I pretend that it's all in my head. So when he slapped my face, it was only a mere sting and not an intense burn like normal.

"I am sorry." I repeated as he continued.

Times like these are times I wonder why I stay. I get that I can't because every time I've tried he's found me, or I didn't even make it out of the door.

"Where's my money?" He let go of me and I leaned against the wall catching my breath.

"On the counter."

He grabbed it and walked back into his room, slamming his door causing me to flinch.

"Momma?" I heard Iris on the other side of the door and I held it shut.

"I'll be right in, stay inside." I spoke softly before pushing a chair up against the door and going to clean myself up in the bathroom.

At this moment, is the moment i hate being alone. I hate having nobody to help fight in my corner. I love Ruby, I do, but he can only do so much from far away. I grabbed a towel and the first aid kit from under the sink.

My nose was bleeding, and my cheek was bruised. There was a hand print forming around my wrist and my head was throbbing. I took two Advil and made sure I looked fine and everything was covered by bandages or makeup before walking back into my room with food.

"Momma! Phone ringing." She handed me my phone and I looked at the number.

I froze, recognizing it as my parents. I blocked the number, and laid back on my bed. I handed Iris food, and set her back on the bed with a show playing on my phone.

I laid back onto my bed, opened my laptop, looked over the final copies of my shoot with Belle and Techno before I sent them in. Once I sent them, I closed my computer and closed my eyes.

I felt myself growing more tired but I didn't want to leave Iris alone. Even though she wouldn't be alone because I'm right next to her. The door was locked, I checked it too many times to count.

Iris was holding her hippo and content watching the show I had put on. She was eating a fruit bowl as i started to fall asleep. I fought the battle of sleeping as hard as I tried to stay awake i couldn't.

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