** Harry's POV **
Over the next two weeks, Grace did nothing but talk about Brynn. She wanted to see her again, and kept drawing pictures of her and her absent mother..
"Hey, Grace.. Maybe you should focus more on homework.." I commented, and she looked up at me. "Dad, I don't want to. I want mum." She said, and I sighed. "She isn't coming back, baby. Now, please just work on this instead. You can color after you finish three pages." I said, grabbing the grammar book I'd gotten for her and setting it down in front of her.
"Fine.." She muttered, shoving the drawing across the table and starting on one of the pages..
I shoved my hands through my hair, glancing over my shoulder when the doorbell rung. I sighed, going over and opening it. My heart dropped in my chest. "Holy shit." I muttered. Brynn was standing in front of me. She had a black hoodie on with the hood up, and black skinny jeans that had rips in them.
"Can I come in?" She asked, looking around. She had faded bruises all around her neck, which I tried to ignore. I nodded, at a loss for words. "Um. Yeah. Sure.." I said, hesitant to let her in with Grace here.. She walked past me, and I shut the door behind her. "Mum!" Grace shouted, running out of the kitchen.
She tightly wrapped her arms around Brynn's legs. "I'm so glad you're back. Daddy said you weren't coming back, but I knew you would." She said. "Okay, sweetheart, how about you go back to your homework? Your mum and I need to talk." I commented.
She dramatically sighed, looking at me. I raised my eyebrows, pointing towards the kitchen.. "Fine.." She muttered, going back to what she was working on.
Brynn turned to face me, and I studied her face for a moment. "You're really here.." I said quietly. "I'm sorry... I wish I could explain it to you.." She commented, and I looked at her for a few seconds. "I already know everything." I said, and she sent me a confused look. I sighed. "Come here." I murmured, walking across the room to my laptop..
She followed me, and I made her listen to both of the audio files. "Damn it... Of course he was recording." She muttered, shoving her hands through her hair.. Her hood fell down, revealing the extent of the bruising around her neck. It was pretty bad. "Did he do that to you?" I asked, motioning to it. I couldn't help but notice a few love bites as well...
She brought a hand up, rubbing the side of her neck. "Yeah.. Harry, I'm sorry." She commented quietly, not meeting my gaze. "Why are you really here, Brynn?" I asked. She sighed. "He wants her.. Grace." She stated, and I looked at her, briefly glancing over at the kitchen. "Why?" I asked.
She shrugged. "I don't know. I tried to negotiate with him. We're.. Back together I guess. But he wants more than just me." She explained. "You're back together with him? Why would you do that?" I asked, and she sighed. "I know... But I had to. For Grace. And you.. He was threatening to kill the both of you if I didn't." She replied, and I sighed.
"I have security, Brynn.. Why would you come here? Grace really doesn't need you to keep coming around. She hasn't stopped talking about you for two weeks, and I don't think it's good for her to have such an unstable relationship in her life." I stated. She ran a hand through her hair, and my eyes caught on some bruising around her wrist. She let her arm fall back to her side, the sweatshirt sleeve covering it again.
I reached down, lightly grabbing her hand and pulling it towards me. She looked down at our hands. "Harry—" I cut her off, pushing the sleeve up her arm. The dark bruising went all the way up to her elbow, and possibly even further since the hoodie wouldn't roll the rest of the way up..
"Seriously? He did this to you, and you think this is healthy? It isn't normal to be covered in bruises, Brynn. You can't stay in that relationship." I commented. She sighed. "I know. I know that.." She replied.
"I should.. Go. Just.. Please don't let him take her. Ok?" She commented, and I studied her face for a few seconds.. I felt nothing but anger towards her right now. "Fine.. Just.. Leave." I stated, standing up and walking across the room.
She grabbed my arm, and I turned around, facing her. "I'm serious, Harry. Don't let him get to her. He's not going to give up." She said. I studied her face for a moment, hating that I still felt any feelings towards her. She lied to me. She faked her own death just to get away from me. And for that, she doesn't deserve me. And yet, a part of my heart still belongs to her..
"Yeah, I won't." I replied, pulling my arm out of her grip and walking to the front door. She sighed, following me. "Mum?" I heard Grace ask, and I turned around, seeing her standing in the doorway of the kitchen..
"Do you have to go?" Grace asked. Her accent was becoming similar to my own.. "I'm sorry. I do." Brynn said, crouching down to Grace's level..
Grace ran across the room, wrapping her arms around Brynn, who noticeably flinched. She slowly put her arms around her; something I never thought I'd see in Grace's life. "When will you be back?" Grace asked, pulling away and looking up at Brynn, who glanced in my direction.. "She isn't coming back." I stated.
Grace looked at me. "Why not? Mum.. Why aren't you coming back?" She asked, holding onto Brynn's arm..
Brynn sighed, studying Grace's face. "Because she just isn't. Now, Brynn. Go." I stated, and she looked up at me from where she was crouched down. "Ok. Alright.. Um. Goodbye, Grace." She commented, whispering something in Grace's ear before standing up.
"Bye, Harry." She said, pulling her hood up and meeting my gaze for a few seconds.. She leaned closer to me, stepping forward, her lips just barely touching my ear. "I'll see you soon. We need to talk." She commented quietly, sending chills down my spine..
I shoved a hand through my hair, moving away from her and opening the front door.
And then she was gone...
