Page 53 of Beautiful Killer

Julia.

“Hey Julia, I was just closing up . . .”

“Please, help me,” she whispered.

I went on full alert. “What’s going on?”

“Bobby, he’s drunk. H-he gets mean when he’s like that, and he . . . he got rough this time. I’m scared, Sunny. He’s passed out now, but he won’t be for long.” She sobbed softly. “I don’t want to be here when he wakes up. I don’t have money for a cab. Please, come and get me, please.”

I was already grabbing my purse. “Let me call the police . . .”

“No police. Promise me no cops.”

Crap.“They can help . . .”

“He said he’d really hurt me if I ever called them, that he’d make me pay. He will, Sunny, he’ll do it. Promise me you won’t call them, promise me . . .”

“Okay, Julia. I promise.” I grabbed my bag. “I want you to get out of the apartment, wait downstairs where there are other people.”

I heard a rustling noise. “Okay.”

“I’m on my way. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I quickly locked up and rushed out to the street to hail a cab. I’d always disliked Bobby, had from the first day I met him, but I’d never suspected physical abuse. I felt ill, imagining what Julia had been through with that asshole. How many times had this happened and she’d kept it hidden?

I was outside Julia’s place fifteen minutes later. She was leaning against the side of her building. She had a hoodie on, zipped up, hood yanked down to cover her face. As soon as she saw me she rushed over, almost collapsing in my arms. I hugged her tight. “It’ll be all right now. Let’s get you away from here.”

She didn’t have anything with her, and clung to me as I led her to the waiting taxi. I was climbing in when I heard a shout. Bobby came stumbling out, looking furious and charged toward our car, yelling Julia’s name.

“Drive,” I yelled at the driver.

He saw Bobby coming for us and put his foot on the gas.

Julia was crying beside me, shaking, and I put my arm around her and pulled her against me. “How long has this been going on?”

She looked at me and I sucked in a breath at her black eye and split lip. “Years.” She shook her head. “I can’t do it anymore, Sunny. I can’t do it anymore.”

I wished I was strong enough to beat the shit out of that asshole in that moment. Make him feel what it was like to be hit by someone physically stronger than you. “You don’t have to. He’s not going to touch you ever again, I promise.”

We clung to each other the rest of the ride back to my place, and as soon as I got her inside, I secured the house and set the alarms. Then I led Julia upstairs and cleaned her up. We were in the kitchen making coffee when someone knocked on the door.

Julia jumped and there was no mistaking the fear in her eyes. “Do you think it’s him?”

I walked as quietly as I could to the front door and peeked through the peephole. I breathed a sigh of relief, and shook my head. I unlocked the door quickly, and let Zeke in.

His eyes moved over me as soon as he stepped inside and as always, didn’t miss a thing. He took in my harried expression and frowned. “What the hell’s going on?” Then his gaze moved beyond me to the kitchen.

“Who’s that?” Julia said, sounding kind of panicked.

“This is Zeke . . . my friend.”

“I don’t want him calling the cops.” Then she looked at Zeke. “This isn’t any of your business, just go, would you?”

“I’m not calling anyone,” Zeke said lifting his hands, gaze moving over Julia, no doubt taking in her bruises. “I just came to check on Sunny.” He looked down at me, and yeah, he wanted answers. Now.

“This is Julia, my stepsister . . .”

“Julia!” Bobby’s voice came muffled through the door at that moment, followed by him kicking it.

Zeke looked at Julia again. “That’s your man?”