Nothing Left To Break

21

"You're not going anywhere on your own" Thomas shouts behind her and pulls her back in.
At that she instantly pulls out the knife from her bra. A move, which in different circumstances would be arousing to Thomas.

"What did I fucking tell you" she states.

Thomas rolls his eyes and leads her out the door. Not that they were going anywhere. He just wanted to talk to her privately.

"I'm sorry" he says, not daring to step any closer to her. The look she had on her face was reserved for her brother, when she was angry and upset. And he hated that he had caused that face. And he hated that he could barely look at her without feeling guilty. The cut and bruise on her face were mocking him every time he did.

"And yet you're not even looking at me, fuck Thomas" she spits, once again running a hand through her hair, which Thomas realised now she does out of frustration. She does it to distract herself, to not show her shaky hands. Thomas did the same.

"Like God, just talk to me" she says, returning her eyes to him. Urging him to look up.

He does, finally. And he just looks, hurt. Did she do that? No, no she wasn't going to pity him. He had upset her, she had to keep her guard up.

"You're tired. Let's talk about this in the morning. I'll show you to my room, I'll take the couch" he instructs, his guard also up.

They don't say another word. He was right, although Lani hated to admit it, but she was tired. Emotionally and physically.

She doesn't speak as she follows him through the door, neither of them speak as they pass his family, who all look surprised at the girl he bought home. The fact that she just pulled a knife on Tommy impressed them. He needed someone to put him in his place.

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The next morning Lani woke up feeling a bit better. She had thought a lot over the night. Thomas was upset. He was upset because he thought that it was his fault. He obviously didn't handle it well, but she understood.

She got up with a new feeling of confidence. She was going to make this work. She was still angry with him, but she wasn't going to shout at him this time, or pull a knife on him. That wasn't her proudest moment.

Thomas had laid out some clothes on his dresser for her to put on. These clothes included a long flowy skirt which looked like it would fit her, and one of his shirts. He found a skirt, but not a top. Yeah right. She sniggers slightly at his actions. Before putting on the clothes and cleaning up her face a bit before facing him and his family.

She gathers her thoughts and takes a deep breath.

The kitchen was full of chaos. Chatter and plates clattering.

They all stopped briefly as Lani walked through the door. There were two men, who Lani remembered as Tommy's brothers, a woman and a boy, about ten years old.

"Good morning, love" Arthur speaks kindly, smiling at the girl.

The eldest brother. She remembers this from when Thomas had given her a brief debrief of his family. And from when they had met, they hadn't really gotten onto a first name basis.

"Good morning. I'm sorry about all the drama last night" she apologises and laughs slightly, taking another step into the kitchen.

"Oh please, Thomas needed that. Someone to tell him to fuck off" Polly, lani guesses, says, handing the girl a cup of tea and pulling her nephew out of a chair so she can offer it to the girl.
"I'm Polly" she says. Earning a nod from Lani.

"Thank you" she says, laughing at her statement.

"I get it enough from you, Pol" Thomas's voice sounds from behind her. Sending a sudden wave of chills down her spine. And earning a from from Lani. Her guard back up.

"And you deserve it. What was that with all that last night? You can't talk to a woman like that, and throw a fucking glass. For fucks sake Tom" Pol spits at her nephew. It amused Lani that she was taking her side, instead if her nephews.

"I know, Pol" he says, defeated. He sounded tired. He mustn't have slept very well, or at all while he was on the couch. Part of Lani felt accomplished at this, but the other part was concerned. She wasn't sure which one she was going to let dominate.

Nobody says anything for a while. Lani just sits there awkwardly and sips her tea. Subconsciously after she puts the tea down and touches her cheek gently, she hadn't washed it and it was beginning to sting slightly.

"Leilani, are you alright?" The tall blonde man asks from the corner of the kitchen. He hadn't spoke yet, although he did have a smile plastered on his face. John, presumably.

"Lani, please" she corrects before continuing "and yes I'm fine thank you" she says, smiling politely at the man.

He doesn't seem to agree.

"What happened to your face?" He presses, standing up away from the counter and crossing his arms. A very Thomas-like pose. She was amused by this but kept it to herself.

"I got into an argument with my brother" she stated, taking another sip of her tea. Not liking this topic of conversation.

Thomas hadn't said anything, although at her sentence he stepped forward and put a hand on the back of her seat.

"He hit you?" He questions, not able to believe her. Alfie Solomons would never dare.

"He was trying to punch me" Thomas whispers from behind her. She doesn't look at him, though. Instead she focuses her vision on the cup of tea before her. The mug was an old China mug, it was pretty. She remembered her mother had cups and plates just like these.

"Lani stepped in front of me" he continues.

They all shift their gaze to the girl in front of them, whose eyes were still fixated on the mug in front of her, small smile on her face. She was lost in a trance.

"Why did you do that, love?" Polly asks snapping her out of her daze.

"Alfie was angry with me, and Thomas wouldn't fight back. I knew it was my fault so why should he take the fall?" She asks, rhetorically though. Although that implication was not picked up on by Tommy as he goes to answer it.

"What? He was angry with me. This was my fault Leilani. You shouldn't have done that. I told you to wait in the car" he says, trying to remain calm.

"You know me well enough now to know that I don't follow your orders, Thomas" she says calmly, although adding a bit of an edge to his name. Taking another sip of her tea, her last one before her cup was empty.

His family were astounded at the girl. They knew that she was the right person. The person that would finally get Thomas to settle, to get over his stupid indiscretions with Grace and to make him happy. This had to work.