Piper
I feel like the air has been siphoned from my lungs as terror creeps in. Did Cole just say what I think he said? The project we are going to be working on is Tristan's. I feel like the universe is out to get me. How can this be happening? I fled over 2900 miles to get away from him and this is how he is going to find me?
Cole is going on and on with all the project details as if he didn't just drop the mother off all bombs on me. All I can do is stare blankly into space. I should be paying attention or taking notes…. something. But my mind is reeling from this revelation. Why can't I just have one peaceful day where the world isn't crashing down on me?
I'm pulled from my internal nightmare as Cole clears his throat "Piper…".
Cole is just staring at me intently. No doubt, waiting on an explanation about my reaction to his words. But I don't even know where to begin. Hell, I didn't hear anything he said after he mentioned Tristan. How am I going to navigate this one? I feel like I was just starting to experience some sense of normalcy in my life, finally. Now this. I haven't told anyone but Ang and my parents about Tristan, or the things he has done to me. I tried so hard to bury those skeletons in the back of my closet. Now they are about to come creeping out.
"I'm sorry. I just wasn't expecting this" I croak.
How am I going to explain this one? Cole and I were finally in a good space. I was starting to feel content with Cole and the way things were going after our rendezvous in the copy room…and now this? My heart was starting to think he actually wanted me and that we could have something, and then Tristan weasels his way back in to ruin it for me. Will Cole even want me after he finds out how truly broken I am?
He moves towards me before scooping me in his arms "What is wrong? Why does it matter that he is your ex? You have me now." His voice holds so much sincerity and I wish life were that simple.
Warmth washes over me as I'm pulled into his chest. I find myself not being able to be close enough to him right now. He has become a safe haven for me, and I hadn't even realized it. The steady beat of his heart soothes my tortured mind as I try to process how I am going to tell him about all my baggage, the baggage I tried to run from.
I pull back slightly and look Cole in the eyes hoping that my face will convey the emotions I am afraid to express. "Cole, I need to tell you some things…" I begin.
I am so unsure of how this is going to work out, but I know if I want to move forward, I need to tell him everything. It's highly possible we will come face to face with Tristan at some point and I can't stomach the though of Cole getting hurt. By me or Tristan.
So, I begin to pull out all my skeletons and lay them bare in front of Cole…
{Flashback}
Tristan seemed perfect at first and the life we had built together was storybook on the outside. Until that one night. I had put up with Tristan's abuse for years, verbal mainly. He would berate me, tell me I would never be anything more than I was with him and on my own, no one would ever take a second glance at me. He beat me down with his words and almost had me believing that I could never do better than him. To be honest, I actually believed him and thought this was the holy grail for me. This is all a lowly life like mine, would ever be worth. When I caught him with my friend Erika, all hell broke loose. That was the first and last time Tristan was physically abusive with me.
I got off work early and sped home to see Tristan, excited to discuss some more wedding planning. I pass through the gated entrance into our neighborhood before I pull up to our house. Erika's car was parked out front. At first glance, I thought she had come to see me as she has done before. I scurry in the house to greet my friend, drop my purse and keys on the entry table before heading to the living room. I round the corner and find it empty. Puzzled and on edge, I get a bad premonition in my heart as I continue upstairs in search for what my mind was refusing to admit.
I crept down the hall as the murmurs and moans got louder. I heard Tristan growl 'This pussy is so much better than Piper's'.
Tears pool in my eyes but I refuse to let them fall. I know what Tristan thinks about the weak. And I don't want to test his patience today, but my feet are moving forward on their own accord. I push the door open a little before it creaks, warning them of their audience and interrupting their interlude. Both sets of eyes pan to me, standing in the doorway like I've seen a ghost. Erika almost looks remorseful, but I couldn't care at this point. While Tristan barks at me "Get the fuck out".
I can't hold back the onslaught of emotions anymore as I see him pounding into her like I'm not even standing there. I feel the bile rising in my throat as I yell at them "How could you? Both of you? You are supposed to be my friend Erika? And you, we are supposed to be getting married! Is this what I have to look forward too?".
I feel sick, I need to get out of here. I turn on my heels to flee. I'm about halfway down the hall before a strong hand makes it way to my hair, yanking a handful of it hard enough to lift my feet from the floor. Tears spring from my eyes and a scream escapes my mouth as he drags me back to the bedroom. His other hand reaches around to my throat and as he pins me to the wall "Where the fuck do you think you get off talking to me like that?" Tristan flares. He's standing here naked, and his body is evidence of his discretion's. But he doesn't seem to care what he did, it's what I did wrong.
I can see Erika scampering off the bed, trying to grab her clothes. She yells "Tristan, let her go". Apparently, she has never seen this side of him before and part of me wants to warn her but the other thinks this might be her retribution. Tristan drops me to the floor and turns on Erika. She's as surprised as I am. He takes large strides and reaches her fast before she has time to react. His fist connects with her face and sends her sailing backwards into the glass end table. The sound of glass shattering engulfs the room as her scream echoes off the walls.
She falls to the ground with a sickening thud before blood starts to pool around her. My eyes are working hard to process what the fuck I just witnessed but Tristan is on me before I can move "See what you made me do Piper" he screams at me. His hands wrap around my throat again as he hurls the blame at me for Erika. He reigns down punches to my stomach and chest with his other hand. I try to shield my body and not cry at the pain he is inflicting. I look up at his eyes in search of any emotion but all I see is darkness before I am surrounding by my own.
When I wake up it's dark. I try to move without being too loud. My body feels heavy. I sit up and wince at the pain. I'm still in our room, the lights are off, but the bathroom light is on. The door is shut and the water is running but I can hear the sound of a saw connecting with hard bones. I pan to the shards that are left of the nightstand and see the bright red pool of evidence staining the carpet. Proof that last night wasn't a dream.
I'm in fight or flight mode and right now, it's flight. I grab a bag quietly and shove some of my belongings in it before I sprint downstairs and to the safety of my car.
I feel like a coward, but I can't stick around and find out what was happening in that bathroom. I can't be his punching bag anymore. What happened to Erika could be me next. I have to run and never look back.