Needed You

Chapter Three

Trigger warnings - mention of familial death
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I rewrap my ribs after my shower. I managed to call in sick to work for Friday, apologising for the late notice by claiming the flu medicine knocked me out, but if I skip today, they're going to fire me.

That can't happen. I need the money to leave here, Freya in tow. Before he kills me.

Addison came to pick Freya up this morning to take her to school, and it didn't take much convincing beyond a little extra pay for her to pick her up this evening and watch her for a few hours while I work overtime. If it wasn't Monday, I wouldn't have bothered, but dad has meetings, and he'll still get home later than I do. I'll be the one to relieve Addison, put Freya to bed, and make sure she's safe. I can only trust myself to do that.

Mitton Secondary were more than happy to employ me after I graduated. Most of my tutors tried to talk me into college, but I couldn't leave Freya, so after some assurance that I'd study night college online, they let me be the receptionist to pick up the hours that Rita was dropping as she prepared for her retirement. I'm full time now, and will be for as long as I stay here, because I lied about college, and I have no other skills to help me find something better.

I grimace as I lower myself into my chair, the wrap not doing much for lessening the pain. I've decided they not broken, my ribs - although there's little that can be done for ones that are - but bruised ones aren't much fun either. The pain meds take the edge off at least, but any more and I'll be high as a kite.

The morning runs as it always does, the process second nature to me by now, until there's a tap on my desk with a late arrival.

Levi looks at me, shock written all over his face. "Felicity!" Jasmine grins, leaning over my desk to wrap her arms over my shoulders.

"I didn't know you worked here," he says.

I manage a smile. "You wouldn't. This is Jasmine's first late."

"Not my fault," she assures, looking up at her brother. "Someone did Aus' tires, so he had to call Levi back to get me."

"Someone slashed his tires?"

"Well, none of us can say he probably didn't do something to deserve it." There's a lift to his brows as though he's sharing a secret between us; as if his entire family wasn't there to hear him calling me an expensive prostitute.

"Really deserved it," Jasmine stresses, a sly smile on her face. "At least, whoever keyed 'dickhead' into his paint work thinks so." I can't help but laugh, the small movement causing a burst of pain in my ribs, to which I wince.

"How are they doing?"

I wave him off. "Oh, fine. Just a bad bruise."

"Sorry again. Sometimes I forget that people aren't used to play fighting like me and my brothers."

I smile meekly. "It wasn't you."

"Then who was it?" There is a threatening insistence to Levi's question.

An image of my father finding out I spilled his secret flashes in my mind. An image that ends with me beat to death and Freya clinging to her last breath.

"Me. I fell down the stairs - wasn't watching where I was going." He doesn't believe me, but it's fine. It's not as though he'd ever believe the reality of the situation either. "Let's get you signed in, eh, Jas?"

"It's kind of lucky we're coming late. Austin has been asking about you all weekend. If he saw you here he might not shut up for another week."

I hum. "Why, has he found some money he'd like to spend?"