Suits and Scars

Chapter Twenty-One: Sunday

Taylor's Point of View

I watched Mads and Matty's conversation from my room. I had cracked the door open the second I heard her reprimand him for slamming the door. I knew she was trying hard to keep her end of the promise but when she looked over his shoulder at me I gave her the go-ahead. I knew he needed to know but I couldn't be the one to tell him, or the other two either.

The way the world ceased to operate the second Madison told Matty who hurt me was terrifying. He just looked at her like he didn't understand who she was talking about.

Matty flopped in one of the chairs with a sigh, "You're telling me her dad did all that to her?"

I could tell he was defeated when he dropped his head into his hands.

"Yeah, but don't call him that in front of her. He has been just Greg for the last ten years." Mads sat back on the couch.

"This was our entire childhood. How did I not know what was happening to her? How did she hide it all those years? I was supposed to protect her. I loved her and couldn't even protect her."

Madison spoke carefully in an attempt to comfort him, "You were just a kid Matt."

"Yeah," he sighed again, "so was she."

I shut my door after that and stripped down to just underwear and a t-shirt. I folded myself into a ball under my blankets and forced myself to go to sleep. Tomorrow was Sunday so I could at least avoid seeing the guys.

The next morning I grabbed black joggers and a matching hoodie. I threw my hair up into a ponytail and grabbed tennis shoes before going out to look for Mads. I couldn't find her so I left a note telling her I was going to go see my mom and not to tell the guys. It wasn't that I wanted her to keep more secrets for me but I just couldn't deal with them right now. She would understand that.

I walked down to the parking garage so there was no chance Enzo would see me leave through the front door, if he was even here. I had sent for an Uber to pick me up on the back side of the building so I just went through the back exit of the garage and waited. I whipped up a picnic lunch and brought a book and blanket with me so I could spend a few hours with my mom without having to worry. The driver gave me a weird look for a split second when I confirmed I wanted to be taken to the cemetery and that he was free to leave after dropping me off.

The air was a bit nippy but winter hadn't even begun to show itself yet so I was perfectly fine without having to be bundled up. I laid my blanket out at Mama's headstone and got cozy with my book. I would not be leaving until one of two things happened; either someone came and got me or I finished the book.

Declan's Point of View

After Teeny and Matt left the apartment I didn't know what to do. Sure it wasn't the first time I had seen Teeny's scars but it was so much worse than I remembered it being. I grabbed a bottle of scotch from the bar cart and locked myself in my room. I didn't come out until the next morning but I didn't see the guys. It was still pretty early so rather than check on anyone I just made coffee, grabbed a hoodie and sat out on the balcony.

I wondered what Matt had found out when he followed Teeny last night. I doubt it was very much or he would have gotten me from my room for sure. I didn't want to wait around all day to find out if Teeny was okay. After I finished my coffee I walked down to her room to check on her. Her room was quiet but bright from the sun. There was no way she slept in here with the curtains open, she would have been awake the second the sun was on the horizon. I turned to look at the bed and it was still perfectly made.

"Where are you baby girl?" I wondered aloud as I climbed on top of her blankets. It made me feel close to her being in her bed. I wasn't sure why I was so calm but I needed to figure out our plan before it was taken over by a different emotion.