Imported Love

Chapter Ten

“I’m a what?” Abel shouted. “A monster? Well get used to it honey!”

My chest heaved as I laid on the floor of my future husband’s bedroom. His eyes penetrated my very soul with his evil glare. His hands were shaking at his sides and I awaited the next punch. Abel took a step toward me and opened his mouth. An inhuman growl escaped from his between his teeth and he kicked me as if I was a mangy dog in the street begging for food. I screamed and rolled sideways, pressing myself against the wall. Abel advanced forward, but a knock on the door stopped him.

“Mr. Hastings, it’s time for dinner.” Lily’s voice called. Abel turned on his heel and swung open the door. Lily smiled at him and stepped aside. She avoided looking at me until Abel was far down the hall.

“Oh, Miss York,” Lily whispered. She hurried into the room and helped me sit up. I whimpered and clutched my ribs. “What has he done to you?”

“Help me,” I begged, clutching Lily’s arm.

“Don’t you worry, I’ll take good care of you.” Lily assured me. She stooped down low while she swung my arm over her shoulder and wrapped her other arm around my waist. I cried out in pain as her hand came in contact with my ribs. Lily’s brow furrowed as she gently helped me stand.

“I’ll take you to your room and then fetch Adler, he can watch you until I can get away again.” Lily said. I nodded and dropped my head onto Lily’s shoulder. She kissed my hair and whispered reassuring words as we worked our way down to my room.

“Now,” Lily began as she laid me in my bed, “I’m going to poke around on your ribs just lay still and it will be over before you know it.”

I closed my eyes and waited. Lily’s fingers skillfully prodded my sore skin. “They don’t feel broken, but you sure have an awfully bad bruise. I’ll have Adler bring you up some ice to set on it, and on that lip too.”

“How bad it is?” I asked, gently touching my swollen lip.

“He must have punched you hard.” Lily sighed, her words meant for no one in particular. “It’s going to bruise real bad too. He must of forgot that your final dress fitting is tomorrow. He’s sure going to catch hell from Franny if she sees this.”

Lily drifted toward the door, “Adler will be up soon.”

“Lily,” I called after her. She stopped and turned around. “Did he do this because of Ethan?”

Lily chewed on her lip. “I told you to be careful.”

****

The door slamming downstairs woke me up. I sat up quickly, dumping ice packs off my body and sending a pang of torment through my side. Adler leapt from his position at the bottom of my bed and hurried to the door.

“Who do you think it is?” he whispered, pressing his ear against the wood. His hard packed curls crushed against the door as he listened. His eyes, Ethan’s and Abel’s eyes, darted back and forth between the door and I.

“Ethan,” I guessed. I stood up and fixed my dress. I puffed up my hair and tried to fix the paint on my face. Lily had done her best trying to hide the bruise, but it did not stop it from forming.

“How bad is it?” I asked Adler.

He turned around and winced. “Ethan looked worse before,” he told me. “But that was when Abbervail kicked him.”

There were heavy footsteps on the stairs. I could hear Lily running after Ethan, calling to him and trying to tell him I was asleep. Ethan obviously didn’t seem to care, because the door to my room opened and he smiled at me. The smile quickly dropped into a frown.