***
A note from Violet was on the nightstand, placed right where my eyes would fall when they opened. She and Elijah had taken Penny downstairs to get some food. Don said that I was excused from work responsibilities for the day. She loved me. I sighed and rolled my eyes to the sky. What a terribly odd situation…
I moved into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Over the rushing water, I did not hear the door open, but I did feel his presence in the room. I did hear his rapidly beating heart. My body braced for a physical blow or his rough hands throwing me down onto the floor. I was prepared to fight him to the death if he tried to hurt me the way he had earlier in the day. It would break my heart, quite literally, to hurt or kill him. But I would not be assaulted so terribly again.
Instead of pain, though, I felt only that warmth. I closed my eyes as my body and mind bathed in it. His arms were wrapped around me from behind, and his forehead was pressed to my back. I shuddered as his lips moved over my shoulders, up my neck, and to my ear.
“I’m so sorry.” He whispered, and I heard a crack in his voice. “Brynna, I’m so sorry. I love you so much. I’m sorry.”
“How many berries did you eat?” I asked him firmly.
“What?”
“How many berries did you eat?”
“That’s a random question, baby.” His voice still betrayed great pain and guilt.
“Answer it.”
“Three. Why?”
I turned to him and threw my arms around his neck. For the first time, I saw him cry. He made no noise when he did it, and I could feel how ashamed he was to be doing it, but he cried into my neck, sniffling and taking a silent breath once in a while. I could not imagine his guilt. I could not imagine his sadness. I had suffered pain at his hands. He loved me tremendously, passionately, and yet, while under the influence of that terrible fruit, he had harmed me. I knew that it had not been him.
“Promise me that it will never happen again.” I whispered.
“Never, baby. I promise. Brynna, I promise you.”
He kissed the bruises that were forming on my face. He kissed my shoulder where his teeth-marks were still only just visible. When he finally kissed my lips, I had tears in my eyes.
“I love you,” I told him in between his kisses, “I love you, James.”
“I know, baby. I love you, too.”
We were lying down on the floor of the bathroom. We were shedding our clothes already.
I do not care if you think that I was wrong for taking him back so easily. I knew his strong heart beat for me. I knew his love for me was pure. I knew that he was truly sorry. More than any of that, I knew that he would never harm me so cruelly again.
I needed James. For that, I am not sorry.