Smoke

Chapter 9

I pull away from the hug with my eyes still wide with shock. I'm practically praying in my head for it not to be him.

Oh god. It's him.

"Holy fuck..." I mutter under my breath.

"What?" Says Benedict. Ignoring him, I run inside.

"Izzy?" Benedict calls, he then begins to run after me but I am much faster as I used to be a track runner.

When I get to my office I lock the door and sit at my desk in shock.

I'm sat at my desk and I can't stop shaking. I'm having flash backs of what happened and I'm crying.

There's a knock at my door and it makes me jump. I also hear a failed attempt to open it.

"Izzy?" I hear a much more calming voice.

I open my eyes to see that Benedict is at my door. I stand up, still shaking and unlock it for him.

He runs in and encases me in his arms. I push away because I need to sit down or I might faint.

"Sorry it's just...I just...need to sit down." I say sitting back down in my chair, still shaking.

"Lock the door, please." I say, shakily.

Benedict turns round and locks the door.

"Are you okay to tell me?" He asks whilst pulling up a chair and sitting down.

"Promise me you won't say anything to anyone."

"Of course not." He said, smiling.

"Well, here it is. About 7 years ago I started dating this guy, Jim Monty. At first he was great, funny, and I genuinely believed that he loved me. However, after his mother died, something just switched in his mind, he would beat me, rape me, kick me and slap me for no reason. I would say one word and that was it, he would hit me. But then it went to another level. One night after we'd has friends over, he was washing up and I was watching the TV in the other room. I was...pregnant with his baby at the time and he came up behind me and...practically cut my stomach open." Even though I was looking at my lap I could see that Benedict's jaw was pretty much on the floor.

"After that he went back into the kitchen like nothing happened and asif some miracle had occurred, my friend had left her purse at mine and came back to get it. She found me passed out from all the blood loss and got me to the hospital...I lost the baby, of course. And never saw him again because I moved away. That was when I lived in Peterborough." I nervously looked up to see that Benedict had tears in his eyes. He was just staring at me because he didn't know what else to do.

"D-do you want to see it?" I stumbled.

"See what?" His voice was hoarse.

"My scar."

"I-if you feel comfortable enough."

I began to lift up my shirt. I could tell that Benedict was bracing himself for what he was about to see. I lifted it all the way up so he could see. He gasped and put his hand over his mouth. Tears began to form in both of our eyes. I started crying and sat back down. Benedict stood and came over to hug me.

"When did he come here?" I ask.

"He literally started this morning. I'll fire him straight away." Benedict replied through gritted teeth.

"It's going to be okay Izzy, I promise you." He said, and then kissed my forehead.

He stood up straight and walked back over to his chair, he was about to sit down when there was a knock at the door. He got up and opened it.

Benedict's POV

I cannot believe what the fuck I just saw. Jim is a fucking psycho! I need to find him right no-

*knock knock*

My head snaps over to the door. It's him. It's that fucking psycho!

I storm over to the door. I unlock it and slam it behind me.

"What the hell do you want." I say through gritted teeth.

"I want to speak to Elizabeth. Alone." He said in that smug, emotionless Irish accent.

"NO. YOU WILL NOT GO NEAR HER. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!" My voice boomed down the hallway and through all the rooms.

"Ooo, someone's a bit feisty. Now just let me see her for a few seconds." He smiled.

"Clearly you didn't understand me. You are never to see her AGAIN."

"Try and stop me." He said whilst attempting to barge past me.

My anger boiled and my fist clenched. In my fury, I punched him right in the face and he screamed in pain.

"That's what you fucking GET!" I shouted and kicked him in the stomach. He grabbed his stomach and groaned in pain. He fell to the floor and I stomped on him multiple times.

I felt the hands of a woman pull me back, away from Jim. I was still furious but I didn't fight. Just stepped away and looked at what I had done. He deserves it. He hurt my lady and- wait. Did I just call Izzy "my lady"? Oh my goodness.

I spun around and looked Izzy in the eye. She had such beautiful blue eyes which sparkled everytime I looked at them. She was stunning.

"I'm sorry. He just...what he did to you was horrific and I don't think I could deal with him being anywhere near you because...well...I really, really like you and it would kill me inside to see you hurt again. I will do anything I have to to make sure he never lays a hand on you again."

"Thank you, Benedict, really." I pulled her in close and kissed her gently. She was my world and I wasn't going to let her get hurt again.