Something To Believe In - Jack Hughes [New Jersey Devils]

1: The Mess I Made

Four years of my life, gone. Some might ask how I plucked up the courage to leave someone I had been with for that long, others might ask why I stayed so long in the first place but the one thing everyone knew was that we weren't good for each other, he wasn't good for me.

It started as an argument every few days over something completely stupid and meaningless. It progressed into screaming matches every day and when we weren't yelling, it went deeper than that.

He would constantly belittle me and do whatever he could to break my self esteem. Every little flaw I saw in myself he would make sure to point out, emphasize even. I was too short, my hair would be prettier a different color, I weighed too much, I didn't wear enough makeup, I wore too much makeup, my skin wasn't perfect, my hair was too short, my hair was too long...nothing made him happier than putting me down.

When he decided his words weren't giving me the pain and sting they used to he decided to try a different form of evil torture.

At first it was a slap randomly followed by an apology. Soon enough the physical blows came more frequent and the apologies came less frequent, till there weren't any apologies at all.

It took me a year to get out, not because I felt like I needed to be with him but because I was terrified of what would happen when and if I did get out. He wasn't afraid to threaten physical violence for random things, but when he threatened to end my life if I left him that shook me to my core.

I had to plan it perfectly.

Once I had made the decision that staying and continuing the toxic relationship I was in would probably kill me just as much as he would threaten to if I left, it was about six months until I had a solid plan in place.

The plan was simple. Slowly take a few essentials to my car every so often or pack them in a suitcase under the bed in the spare room, so little he never would even notice. Then, in the middle of the night when he was for sure in a deep sleep get up, grab the suitcase and disappear.

I had bought a new phone and gotten a completely new cell service so I knew there was no way he would be able to track me that way. I factory reset my phone and left it where my empty spot would be in the morning. I kept my new phone at work so I wasn't caught with it.

I had been caught once getting out of bed about a week prior but I played it off as going to the bathroom and gave it some time before I tried again to not make it suspicious. This time it was simple and before I could even process it, I was in my car and down the block. Once I had a good distance between myself and the house I was able to breathe a little easier.

I started the long drive to my destination. I knew flying was a risk of somehow being tracked, plus I would need my car. With my parents already having moved to a completely different state and him never even meeting them I knew I didn't have to worry about them even though I had told them what was going on right before I had planned to leave in case he somehow contacted them. It was a long drive to Newark but I knew it was where I needed to be, I could feel it.

I wasn't allowed to have male friends, that was clear pretty much from the start. With that being said, I never told him about the three most important males in my life, the Hughes brothers. Jack, Quinn, Luke and I were always close growing up.

The older we got the more I found Jack had turned out to be my rock. I was always the closest with him but the more we grew up the more I saw how important of a role he always played in my life. No matter what changed in my life, Jack was constant. Granted, once things escalated I found myself less in contact with Jack but I managed to keep him in my life. He was the one thing I refused to give up.

I had used the new phone and phone line to contact Jack while I was at work and let him in on a small portion of what was going on. I didn't even have to ask if I could take shelter at his place for a small amount of time, he told me I was coming to stay with him and that he wasn't taking no for an answer. I knew he wanted to be my body guard, my protector...just like he always had been.

After picking up my new phone from work and changing out of pajamas I quickly sent a text to Jack telling him I was leaving and that I made it out even though I knew he would be asleep. As I grabbed coffee before my long trip I got a text notification. Confused, I opened it to see a text from Jack.

'I'm glad you're out, I couldn't sleep until I knew you were safe. Drive safe and text or call me if you need anything my volume's on high'

I smiled to myself slightly. That was just like Jack to put something like making sure I was safe ahead of getting much needed sleep, I couldn't wait to see him.

'I'm safe. Sleep, you need it. See you tomorrow'

As I sent the text I was handed my coffee and tipped the girl a nice tip. If they weren't open 24 hours I wouldn't have been able to grab coffee and I was very, very grateful.

The drive was long and tedious. I knew it would be, I was prepared for it but I was so ready to be safe in Jack's place. The further away from my previous home I got, the better I felt but I wouldn't feel completely safe until I was with Jack and I knew that when I left.

The closer I got to my destination the more I could see a future on the horizon, and that was something I hadn't pictured in quite some time.

I stopped a few hours away from Jack's place to send him a quick update of my location. I didn't wait for a response and continued driving, I just wanted to get there.

By the time I had arrived, it was getting late. I knew Jack had to be tired if he wasn't already sleeping given that he had barely gotten to sleep the night before because he had waited up.

As I pulled my suitcase out of my car I took out my phone to send Jack a text but saw I already had a text from him waiting.

'Text me when you get here'

I smiled knowing I would see him in a matter of minutes now. I couldn't wait, I always felt safe with him and right now that's what I was craving the most. To feel safe.

I walked up to his door, set my suitcase down and sent a quick text to Jack.

'Open your door'

Within a matter of seconds the door swung open and for the first time in what felt like ages, I was face to face with Jack Hughes. We both seemed frozen, just staring at each other taking each other in.

It was as if neither one of us wanted to be the first one to move. My safe place, my rock was right there and I couldn't even bring myself to speak to him. I was so grateful for him I didn't know how to speak without turning into a sobbing mess.

"Bailey" he finally got out, barely above a whisper.

In one quick motion he made his way to me and as I threw my arms around his shoulders, he wrapped his around my middle and lifted me off the ground for a split second before setting me down.

I breathed a sigh of relief. For the first time in four years I felt hopeful, I felt safe. I could leave the complete mess I had come to know as my life behind me and move forward.

"Finally" he breathed his own sigh of relief, still keeping me in the hug.

A/N: very, very special thanks to mitchyymarns and barzals_baby for all the help, love and support for this book! Love you dearly and couldn't have done this without you both! 🥰❤️