HAVING 13 - Johnny Kavanagh

21. My heart broke

JOHNNY
February 7th 2005

It was past midnight already.

Missy came back after fifteen minutes with tired-looking eyes.

"Everything alright over there?" I asked, opening my arms for her from my position lying down on the couch.

She fell into them and I enclosed her shaky body immediately.

"Your Mam is onto me," She whispered.

Shite.

"She promised me she wouldn't tell." I felt her wrapping her arms around me as well.

"That's good." I kissed her head. "You're always welcome here, baby."

"Thank you," She said. "I just didn't know what to do."

I felt her crumbling in my hands. "Hey, hey. You're okay."

"You're all I have." She cut herself off with a sharp breath. "If you know to much, all my siblings-"

I ran a hand over her hair, smoothing it out carefully. I moved on to her back and rubbed it gently as well.

I was trying to keep myself from getting in my car and driving over to kill that bastard.

She was keeping me grounded.

"I tried to fight back," She admitted. She stopped talking to take some deep breaths. "He's stronger. Both mentally and physically."

"It's okay, I'm here, baby." I dropped another kiss to her head. I practically felt her heart beating out of her chest.

I could tell she'd never talked so openly about this. She'd never talked about it at all.

"I think knowing that you were right outside gave me the bollocks to do it." Her voice broke.

"You don't usually fight back?" I asked softly.

"No." Missy shook her head. "I'm scared I'd die. I can't win against him."

My.

Heart.

Broke.

I was letting her go home and in there every night. I was letting her get hurt. And she was scared to die.

"He-" She took a deep, ragged breath. She pointed to her face.

"What did he do, Missy?" I questioned. I was gonna kill this bastard.

He tried to maim my girl. My sweet, gorgeous girl.

"The stove," She whispered. She was distressed, but not crying. Never crying. It was weird to me. I would be crying if I was her.

But, fuck, the stove. If I ever saw this bastard in front of me? Lord, give me patience, because this asshole wouldn't leave my sight alive.

"Thank you for trusting me," I whispered. "I promise I'll keep it secret."

"Johnny," She caught my attention. "Sometimes-"