Forgive

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Waking up the next morning, I am on my side with my back to Happy and he's holding me close to him. I lay there awake and just think. I can't do this. I'll just let him sleep in here while he's here but once he's gone again, that's it. I don't even care if he signs the papers anymore. I've been alone this long. Fuck it. I slip out of bed and make breakfast. Walking into my bedroom, I wake Happy up. "Hap. Breakfast is done." I say. I go to walk away and he pulls me to him. Kissing my cheek he says "I'll be right there." I nod and head to wake the other two up. After getting their plates and coffees on the table, I get my coffee and they all walk in at the same time. "Enjoy guys." I say before grabbing my coffee off the counter and heading to my room. "You need to eat." Happy tells me. "I'll eat when I get to work." I tell him. "Where do you work?" Tig asks. "Works for a construction company. Secretary." Happy says and I roll my eyes. Of course he knows where I work. I move to the bedroom to get dressed and am putting on my boots when Happy walks into the bedroom. "You don't have to work." he tells me. "Yeah I do. I have bills." I tell him. "What about the money I send you?" he asks. I move to the drawer and pull out the small lockbox and open it. "You can have it back." I tell him. "You've not been using it?" he asks. "I can pay my own bills Happy. Been doing it for two years." I tell him. He shakes his head. "I gotta go." I tell him. As I go to pass him, he gently grabs my wrist. When I stop and look at him, he tilts my chin up and kisses me softly and say "I love you." I nod before pulling away from him and heading out the door.

I walk into work and sit at my desk to get started entering the paperwork from the previous day. "Hey Raven." Jacob says. "Hey." I say simply, not looking up at him. "How was your weekend?" he asks. "Good. Yours?" I ask. "Good. Hey, I wanted to see if you maybe want to get something to eat after work?" he asks. "I appreciate the invite but I have plans." I tell him. "Plans?" he asks and I roll my eyes. "Yes. Plans." I tell him and go back to the paperwork. "Are you seeing someone?" he asks. "Jacob, I'm married." I tell him just to get him to leave me alone. "Married?" he asks shocked. "Yes. Been married a few years now. So, now, I really need to get this done." I tell him and he shakes his head and walks away. I get back to work and lunch rolls around. I am sitting outside and my burner rings. "Hello." I say. "Hey Little Girl." I hear his raspy voice say. "Hey." I say when I realize it's Happy. "Just wanted to see what you wanted for dinner." he says. "I'm fine Happy. I'll make something when I get home." I tell him softly. "Babe..." he starts. "Please don't do that." I tell him. "Raven, I'm trying here." he tells me. "Don't." I almost whisper before hanging up and taking a deep breath to keep from crying again. "Trouble in paradise?" Jacob asks. "Nope." I tell him and stand up to leave but he grabs my wrist and grips it tight. "I can treat you better than he can." he tells me. "I'm not interested." I tell him and he gets pissed and backhands me. Realizing what he's done, he pulls back. "I'm so sorry." he says. "Just get away from me." I say before heading back inside. I head to the bathroom and my face is red where he hit me and there are bruises already forming on my wrist. Shit. Hap's gonna be pissed.

After finishing out the day, a few people looking at me, wondering what happened but no one asks. My boss Carrie walks over and asks "Can I talk to you?" I nod and follow her to her office. "Why don't you take a few days? Give that bruise time to go away. You want to tell me what happened?" she asks. "Not really." I tell her and she says "If someone is hurting you...I heard you tell Jacob you were married. Is your husband hurting you?" she asks. I laugh. "My husband has never laid hands on me like this. Don't worry about it." I tell her before getting up and saying "See you in a couple of days."

I walk into the house and head right to the bedroom to get my cream out to put on the bruises. I shut the bathroom door but didn't lock it and as soon as it opens, Happy sees my face. Cupping my face gently he asks "What the fuck?" I pull away from him and say "Not your concern." before trying to push past him. "Not my concern? You're my fucking wife." he says. "Only on paper Hap. Please. Just don't." I plead and my eyes start tearing up a little and I try to hide it from him but he pulls me to him and the more I try to pull away the closer he holds me. When he finally lets me go, he asks "You hurt anywhere else?" before grabbing my wrist and seeing the bruises. "Who did this Raven?" he asks softly and I don't answer. "Please don't make me pull the crow card." He says and I glare at him. "Glare all you want. My crow. My pussy. Now tell me. Who did this to you?" I sit down on the side of the bed and say "Guy at work. Asked me out and I told him I was married. Heard us talking today and started telling me he could be better to me and when I said I wasn't interested and went to walk away he grabbed me and backhanded me." I tell him. I could see his jaw twitch. "You can't do anything. You're hiding here because you're in trouble. You can't even leave." I tell him. He pulls me closer, gently and kisses me softly. "I'll get it handled." he tells me. "Don't bother. Not your problem." I say before pulling away and walking into the kitchen for a beer and heading outside to the swing.

Quinn follows me out and sits with me. "You okay?" he asks. "I don't even know anymore." I tell him. "What happened?" he asks pointing to my face. "Dumb fuck at work asked me out and when I told him I wasn't interested and was married he backhanded me. Hap's flipping out about it and can't do anything while he's closed up here. Told him not to worry about it. It's not his problem anymore." I tell him. "You thinking about letting him back in at all?" he asks. "Just trying to keep the peace until he's gone again. I can't go through that again." I tell Quinn. "He loves you." he tells me. "I know. I love him but I can't trust him." I tell him.

That night, Happy and I are in bed and he pulls me close. Kissing me softly, I let him deepen the kiss. When we separate, he puts his forehead to mine and I say "This doesn't mean we're getting back together but I need you." I say before kissing him again. He deepens the kiss before hovering over me. We start to shed clothes and he enters me slowly, thrusting in and out slow and easy and when we both find our release, he pulls me into his side and after a few minutes I say "I'm going to get a shower." I get in the shower and let the tears fall. I love him so much but I've never been enough for him. I won't be. After getting myself together, I head out to the back deck with a blanket and just sit. After a while, Happy joins me. Sitting next to me, he throws an arm around me and asks "What can I do to change your mind?" I shake my head and say "I don't know."