Withstanding the Enemy

Twenty

Chance…

Frustration pinches Emma’s face bringing her eyebrows together as she is submerged in boxes. She’s spent the last three hours sorting and unpacking boxes, but it still looks as if she’s gotten nowhere.

“Emma, why don't we put all the boxes in the back room for now and get rid of the things you don’t want. That way you will have room to think.”

She looks over the top of a box. “You know, that's a great idea. Grab a box,” she says picking up a box.

We head to the back room and open up the door. I follow her inside as she flips on the light. She almost drops her box at the sight of the room.

“Really?” she says sounding deflated.

The back room is stacked floor to ceiling with boxes. Every way you looked there are more boxes.

“I guess that plan is out. Have you not been back here?” I ask in shock.

“No, I just helped her in the front. What do we do now? I will never be able to meet deadlines with all this crap.”

“Honestly, you need to hire a few more hands. Do you have any idea what all this crap is?” I set my box down, looking over the piles that are stacked as high as my head.

“Rick told me to hire help, too. I don't have any idea what this all is. How can one small lady have so much s**t?”

“I would rather you not touch it. I don't want it to fall on you. It's an accident waiting to happen in here. One pile falls and it is going to be like dominos.” I look down at her. “I don't want you to get hurt again.”

She avoids my eyes. “About that… Can you please not tell Rick how it happened. You know the part about me holding a knife.” A blush flushes her cheeks.

“Why should I have to do that?” I ask feeling ill at the level of lies she was to weave in order to protect herself from a man that she is marrying.

How can she love him…?

“If Rick knew I was using a knife, he would be extremely upset with me.”

“And you don't want him to punish you,” I say finishing her sentence.

Her beautiful eyes turn cold. I tread lightly unable to stop myself. “I know, Emma. Rick emailed me ALL the details of your arrangement.” She can’t really believe that this is love.

Every atom in my body wants to scoop her up and show her what a REAL MAN’S love should feel like. I would cherish her, nourish every inch of her body, and teach her what she is worth. How could she possibly think that Rick loves her? What if I use this to my advantage … to understand what Rick has over her.

I decide to use her request to my favor in order to understand her situation better. Maybe if I understood, I could get her out of here. “Okay, I will lie for you, but you must answer three questions for me.”

“Anything,” she answers with little hesitation.

“First, let’s get out of here.” I say. How am I going to ask just three questions when my head is swimming with them? “Let’s go to the reading nook.”

“You’re that serious with your questions?”

“You don't know what I'm going to ask.” I take a seat on the couch. “How are you NOT worried?”

“It will be worth it.” She smilesas she sits down on the opposite end of the couch and curls her legs underneath her.

“It makes you this happy over me not telling Rick?”

“Yes, was that your first question? If so, then this will be easier than I thought.” She smiles mischievously.

“No it’s not.” I answer dryly. How do I ask my first question without upsetting her again…? But I must know!

Deciding to make myself more comfortable, I turn to face her. “First question. Do you love him?” I ask nearly stumbling over my words. I have to know. My chest squeezes as if I am suffocating.

Her smile fades. “Umm… I guess I should have seen that coming…” she closes her eyes for a moment. Opening them again, she says, “I guess, I truly don't know how to answer. I mean, I see the good he can be and maybe I could grow to love that side.”

She traces the floral design of the couch with her long elegant finger, avoiding looking at me. I can hear the truth in what she says, suddenly understanding the stupidity of my question. How could someone in her position understand what real love feels like? Someone who seems so innocent and naïve…

“Emma, have you ever been with anyone before Rick?” I ask without thinking.

I watch her cheeks turn a soft pink. “Rick moved me to his penthouse on my eighteenth birthday and I never dated anyone before that.” She shifts uncomfortably in her seat. That explains it. He moved her the day she became legal age. That f*****g bastard…

I ask the last question cautiously. “Emma, how has Rick hurt you?”

She sits up straighter. Good, she does have fight in her. “That’s none of your business.”

“Emma, it is my business. I’m guarding you and protecting you. I must know everything I can about you.” I hit her with a low blow. “If we are attacked, I need to know how you will handle it—like how you freaked out when you cut your arm.” Most of what I was saying was the truth but part of it was me selfishly needing to know.

She slouches her shoulders and focuses on the floral design again. “I understand. Well, you know about the punishments. If I get in trouble, I get hit or whipped depending on Rick’s mood. He likes to mark me.” Her voice sounds empty.

I navigate my way around the information. “And besides the other day, when was the last time he hurt you.” I fist my hands at the thought of him using a whip on Emma.

I’m going to kill him.

“It had been a while, actually. Maybe even months, but when I first moved in—it was all the time.” I could feel her walls come down—brick by brick—the more she opened up. “A few years ago was the worst, I don't remember much but that I was in the hospital. I have never told anyone...”

Ice fills my heart with the image of Emma lying there unable to defend herself against Rick’s beatings. I tense. “And?”

“And what? That’s all.”

“No it's not, Emma!” I stand. “Is it?”

Fuck, she can’t marry him!! How could she think about loving him?

I pace in front of the couch. “Tell me; I want you to say it.”

Maybe if she were to say it out loud then maybe she would truly understand the severity of Rick’s actions.

“No,” she breathes out.

“You will say it, or I will tell Rick,” I snap feeling an inch tall.

Her eyes widen. “No … no you wouldn't.”

“Yes. I need you to say it.”

She stands, anger boiling in her eyes. “Why, why do I have to say what that monster has done to me?” She shoves at my chest. “No one wants to hear it. NO ONE. Do YOU want to hear how he has held me down? Is that what you want to hear?” She shoves me again and her eyes cloud as she continues. “YOU want to hear how he has stolen all my first times from me? I will never know what a real first kiss feels like. Or how my first time should have felt…” She buckles at the knees and falls to the couch covering her face with her hands. She sobs.

I kneel down, careful not to touch her, knowing she needs space. “No, Emma. I was hoping I was wrong.” I pause to give her a moment. “I want you to be REAL with yourself—to FIGHT.”