In The Safety Of A Lie - COMPLETED!

Chapter 39

Evelina walked up the sidewalk. She wearily staggered up the steps and opened the door, feeling like she could drop at any moment. She felt empty. No purse to set on the chair by the door. No keys to throw on the kitchen counter. No husband around to give a hug and kiss.

She rubbed her eyes, flinching as she bumped a bruise, and yawned. She didn't hear a peep. Quietly, she made her way back to Rose's room. She tiptoed over to the crib. Their daughter was still sleeping. She could see tear streaks down the sides of her face. She must have woken up and cried herself back to sleep. Evelina's heart ached that Rose had to have such a lonely moment, but at least she was still safe.

She bit back a sob, quietly tiptoeing out of her daughter's bedroom. She was an emotional wreck. Images of Zach popped through her mind. He had been so full of life, and loyal. She had been his downfall. The reason why he was now lifeless and dead.

She stumbled her way to the bathroom and to the toilet. Not much held back the bile coming out of her throat and into the vat of water. She dry heaved her cries to a stop, breathlessly grasping the toilet bowl to hold her steady. She kept telling herself that she'd be fine when Joey got there; when she was safe in his arms, but the reality of it all had more depth than she gave it credit for.

Swallowing hard, she pulled herself up from the floor and to the sink. It was about time she checked out the damage that she'd abstained. Bruises outlined her left cheekbone, her chin, and above her right eyebrow. She could feel other bruises that had just not shown up yet. Blood and dirt had dried together on her split lip. She rubbed at some blood that had dripped down her throat from the knife being held to it. Dirt smudges were all over her face and neck from being on the dirty, cement floor.

Evelina turned on the water and wetted a towel. As gently as she could, she began rubbing off the dirt. Her eyes pulled themselves back up to the mirror as soon as she finished. She took in her now clean, but battered reflection. Subconsciously, she reached up and rubbed the back of her head. Dried blood had mixed into her hair from her head repeatedly being shoved into the wall and floor.

Methodically, she turned around and flicked on the shower, pausing when she caught sight of the dried blood on her wrist. Davy had shown her mercy by just making her bleed, he had told her he just wanted to see the fear in her eyes. It had been his silent way of telling her that she wasn't going to relive the hell that she'd already been through once before — it had been an experiment that had been already tried, one that bored him and therefore not worthy of his time. She shook her head, letting the warm water slide over her wrist before she pulled back. It was time to get out of these memories that she just wanted to forget. Her gaze drifted down to her torn open shirt, wincing as she bit her split lip. She shook her head again as she quickly peeled away the layers that brought her to the warmth of the hot shower. It was a twisted relief; the warm water relaxed her but stung at her cuts and bruises.

She sighed, her fingers reaching up and rubbing her bruised cheek. Thoughts of Joey floated back into her mind. Seeing him hanging from the hook. Listening to him take the beating and the pain to keep her safe. Reliving his expression as soon as he saw her being pulled back into the warehouse. Tears dripped down her face. Would he make it back to her? To their daughter?

Evelina dismissed the thoughts quickly. She couldn't think of what had happened to him without feeling guilt crashing over her. She lathered up her messy hair with some shampoo, closing her eyes to avoid seeing the blood wash down the drain. She could feel the flecks of blood still in her hair as she worked them out to be washed away with the water. Numbly, her hand turned the water off. She just stood there, letting the chill of the air make her shudder.