I came awake slowly, aware of the warmth of Greg's powerful body as he lay beside me. Hand around my waist, shielding and protecting even in his sleep.
After the storm of tears had passed the night before, he'd washed me then tucked me in bed, holding me against him as I fell asleep without saying a word all through my emotional wreck.
Being in his arms, feeling the power and strength of him had my heart feeling something I wasn't certain how to handle or even believe in it because it was too early for such feelings.
I slipped out of his arms and padded into the bathroom. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror after showering, I stared at the bruises on my stomach. How had I endured staying with the monster all this months? His bad mouth, the insults, his selfishness, his shallow thinking, lack of understanding and the consistent beating.
'It's baffling how I didn't notice most of it then.'
Turning away, I dried myself with the small towel and wrapped my body in one of the large towels before striding back to the bedroom to get my clothes from last night.
My heart missed a beat, Gregory stood leaning against the window, looking straight at me. Jaw clenched tightly and arms crossed over his broad chest, he watched me with silent intensity.
My fingers tightened at the tuck of the towel as I suddenly became self conscious.
"How are you feeling this morning," he asked the question in a calm tone, controlled to a degree to say.
"I– I'm feeling better."
"Good, now would you mind explaining to me exactly how you got those bruises on you?" he asked through clenched teeth as if un-clenching his jaw would let the leash he had on his anger lose.
"Oh, those are nothing to worry about. I need to hurry up, I've a lot of things to take care of today." I said, moving to where my clothes were folded neatly.
"Don't you dare give me the I don't care attitude. You came here in the middle of the night, crying your eyes out, almost giving me a mini heart attack and you stand there telling me it's nothing to worry about."he argued, his gaze fierce, his body practically humming with tension and no small amount of anger.
God forbid, I couldn't bring myself to tell him how stupid I was, allowing a man to hit me countless times. "I took care of the problem and I'm sorry I scared you," I button up the last button on my blouse.
"Where the hell are you going?" The deep, rough growl in his voice got my heart racing as I reached the bedroom door. His fingers wrapped around my elbow, pulling me back.
"Greg, you're hurting me," I lowered my eyes to where his fingers were gripping me firmly, then lifted them to meet his earthy coloured eyes that held so much anger.
His jaw clenched so tight I wondered if his molars weren't cracking yet. He released his hold slowly. The mere fact that he was controlling his anger was readily apparent. "We need to talk."
"There's nothing to talk about Greg, I understand I can't stay here with you that's why I've to go in search of an apartment before the day ends."
"Don't change the topic Timi. And who is talking about you leaving? I asked you to tell me what happened to you last night and you blatantly are refusing to open up."
I couldn't help but laugh as I stared at him incredulously. He sounded like a concerned boyfriend, "I really do appreciate your concern for me but you don't expect me to burden you with my worries because you got me off a few weeks ago when..."
"You think that's all this means to me?" he asked, his eyes glittered with anger. "A fling with a woman that means nothing? I know how it all started was-was unusual and it was foolish of me to give in to temptation the very first day we met, but is that all it is to you, Timi? A few hours of fucking and then forgetting it never happened and a man that's content with disappearing after satisfying his loins desires?"
It felt like I was bathed in ice cold water, I felt ashamed of the way I spoke to him. "Greg, I didn't mean it that way,"
"I like you Timi, I really do. I hope you excuse my lack of words in expressing my feelings."
My heart stopped in my chest, hearing him say those words. He'd reminded me of what Raymond said, how I wished to see his face seeing another man telling me, Timi, that he likes me the very next day after we broke up. My breathing hitched, a tear rolled down my face as his head lowered, his lips touching my slightly chapped ones.
His kiss was incredibly hot, I could only give into the pleasurable sensation he was evoking with just a kiss. I wondered exactly how he managed it or was it that my body has become over sensitive since I met him.
"What really happened my dear?" he whispered softly as he released my lips. His anger was replaced by concern, concern for me.
"My relationship with Raymond wasn't a pleasant one for over six months. He was a good man but something changed in him as of late, I got tired of the whole thing and broke up with him yesterday."
"I want to get one thing straight, is it that the idiot has been using you as a punching bag for the past few months or he started the stupid behaviour yesternight?"
"I thought it was a phase, we could cross at some point and he's going to change back to his old self. But no, his attitude towards me kept going downhill. My Ray wasn't always like that, something was eating him up and he didn't want to talk about it."
"So, you're telling me, you allowed him to take his anger out on you because he doesn't want to share the problem eating him inside?"
"What do you expect me to do Greg? I loved him."
"I expected you to go to the police. You don't have to suffer in silence because of love." he paced back and forth with his jaw and fist clenched in anger.
He stopped for a second, staring at me unblinking, "I'll deal with the coward," he said with sheer determination before picking his phone from the bedside drawer.
"You'll do no such thing Greg," I snatched the phone from him. "I made sure he got an everlasting scar on that big head of his and all that matters to me now, is that I'm free from the miserable relationship."
"Can't you see, Timi? He needs to be punished, he brutally assaulted you." he moved to get the phone from me but I stepped back quickly.
"Greg, let it be please. I'm free of his abuse and that's what matters. He can't touch me now, I'm saf..." my phone rang. I pulled it out of my pocket and picked the call. The word 'fire' had my heart stopping for a millisecond. My legs couldn't carry my weight any longer, I suddenly felt faint.
"What is it Timi?" he asked as the phones slipped out of my hands hitting the centre rug.
"Babe, what's wrong?" he caught me before I could fall and with a quick maneuvering, I felt the bed underneath me. The room was spinning around but I still heard him speaking to someone on the phone, heard when he asked if the firemen had arrived at the scene of the fire and when he said he was on his way, before everything turned dark and I fainted.