Court of Ambrose

Confiding

{Celeste’s POV}

[This Chapter contains themes of Domestic abuse, S/A, and PTSD, reader discretion is advised.]

“I saw the way you two acted.. you’re suddenly so close with him.. even after how he treated you. The two of you were obviously enjoying yourself just now.” He muttered, his eyes darting to the floor as he released me from his grasp. “Forget it..” he mumbled, beginning to push past me to the door.

“Are you.. are you jealous?” I asked, regretting even speaking as he turned towards me. I thought for sure he’d be angry, but instead he wore a blush across his face and his eyes were wide and wildly looking over me.

“Of course I’m not!” He protested, but his face told a different story. He was jealous of his brother and I.. but was there really anything to be jealous of? His face was blood red, and his eyes darted back and forth as though he couldn’t look me in the eyes.

“Dayus.. there’s nothing going on between Veryn and I.” I said, walking closer to him, he took a step backwards, his back hitting the door as he pinned himself between me and the door.

I froze in front of him, my eyes darting to the floor. “If there isn’t anything going on, then why do you keep letting him help you.. why do you keep turning to him when I’m here trying to help too!” He snapped.

I looked up to him and I could feel the tears spilling from my eyes. “I’m sorry., if I’m honest.. I’m not good at letting anyone help me..” I whimpered, stepping back and leaning against the bathroom counter next to the sink. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” I said, gripping the counter, and looking down to the ground. “It’s my own stubbornness that continues to get me into trouble, and push everyone away.”

He walked closer to me, placing each of his arms on either side of me, his hands resting on the counter top. “I shouldn’t have pushed you.. I know you’re going through a lot.. I guess, maybe I am a bit jealous.. seeing how close you and Veryn are now, it just.. it makes me feel left out.” He sighed. “I’ll get over it.. I want you to feel comfortable and happy.” He smiled softly, beginning to back away from me.

I grabbed his hand as he began to move away. “You asked before.. about what happened with Mason.” I took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Mason nearly ki**** me..” I whimpered, looking up at him. “The things he did to me during those last few months of us being together.. they changed me.. making me terrified of everything, and everyone.. I was so ashamed..” I whimpered, wiping away the tears that had begun to spill down my face. “I was too ashamed to tell nana.. I didn’t want her to see what he had done.. how he had destroyed me inside and out. I wanted to do right by her.. to show her that even though he broke me, I was putting myself back together. I was healing.. and finally getting my life back on track.” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “He did things to me that I can’t forget.. things that are so dark and demented.. I thought that if I just shoved them deep down inside, and ignored them, that I’d feel better.. I’d be better..” I cried, shaking my head.

I lifted my shirt slightly, showing him the scarred letters across my ribs. His eyes went wide as he stared down at them, he gently reached up and ran his fingertips across them. “H-He did this to you..” He asked, I could practically feel his anger rolling off of him. “He carved his initials into your skin?” He seethed.

I nodded, pulling my shirt back down. “That isn’t all..” I whimpered, my body shaking. “Day.. he..” I tried to say the words, but they wouldn’t come out. No matter how hard I tried.. no matter how the memories flooded through me, I couldn’t bring myself to say it. “He..” I whispered, tears pouring down my face.

He grabbed me, pulling me against his bare chest. His chest hair brushing across my face as he kissed the top of my head. “It’s okay.. you don’t have to tell me.” He said, his hand rubbing up and down my back.

“He took everything from me.. I gave him so much.. and when I finally saw him for the monster he was.. he took more from me than I could ever get back.”I cried, sobbing hysterically into his chest. “Dayus.. he ra*** me..” I barely got the words out.. it’s the first time I’ve said it since I called the police and made my statement. I had been trying so hard to shove those feeling down.. to forget what he did to me.. but no matter how hard I tried, I’d never be able to rid myself of his filthy hands on my body. The smell of alcohol on his breath, his body weight against me. I would never be able to forget the things he did to me.. and that was what he wanted.. for me to remember.. for me to be haunted by him, ruined by him.

Dayus’ body went still, and stiff against me, and as I looked up into his eyes I could tell that he was furious. “He.. did.. what?” He asked, a deadly venom leaking from his voice.

I tried wiping away the tears from my face, but they just kept falling. He was disgusted by me.. that I could let something like this happen.. that I could be so weak.. so stupid.. I grabbed his hand, and looked up at him. “Please.. don’t hate me.. don’t think any less of me..” I whimpered.

His eyes went wide as he looked down at me. He grabbed me gently, pulling me into a hug and kissing the top of my head. “Celeste.. this isn’t your fault! None of what he did to you is your fault. He’s a monster, there’s no other way around it, because only a monster, a truly evil bas**** could do something so horrible!” He seethed. “You are not to blame for what he did to you! I don’t ever want to hear you blame yourself again, because I promise you, it’s not your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong Celeste, he did!” His body trembled against mine, as I felt hatred spill out of his voice. “And I promise you, I’m going to track his sorry a** down and ki** him!”