Her Darkest Secrets

Chapter 8

Annie POV

Brandon is staring at me like I'm a crazy person. I suppose yelling at him for offering to get me out of this place after I told him that's what I wanted to do, does make me seem like a crazy person.

"I didn't mean to upset you," he says cautiously.

"No, no, I'm sorry it's not you, it's just, I can't accept your offer of renting a place for me."

"It wouldn't be for long, and you might not even have to accept it. It was just an option."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"What did you offer that?" I ask, moving away from him to the opposite side of the room.

"To help you," he says slowly. "Annie, if you can't stand being here, then I don't want you to stay here for a minute longer than necessary."

"But why," I yell. "Why do you want to help me? You don't owe me anything, certainly not a freaking apartment." Brandon stands up and holds his hands out like he's trying to soothe a caged animal.

"I just want to help you Annie, you've been through hell."

"Yes I have," I cut him off, "but once again, that doesn't mean you owe me anything."

"What's this about Annie? You haven't had any issues with me offering to help you out before now."

"You haven't offered to rent me an apartment before now," I tell him. Hating how small my voice sounds.

"You don't have to accept, it was just an idea in case my other plan doesn't work out. But I'm pretty sure it will, so you don't have to upset yourself thinking about that okay?"

I take breath trying to calm myself. He's right, he's been nothing but kind and helpful to me and I'm treating him like he's my enemy or is going to hurt me. "I'm sorry. And I know that you're right, you've been nothing but kind and supportive. I shouldn't take my feelings out on you."

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks me gently.

"I um, it's so stupid," I can't help the tears that start to fall down my face at my naivete. "I was so stupid," I continue putting my hand up when I can see he's about to interrupt me. Probably to tell me I'm not stupid. "No, I really was. I believed that Wyatt had my best interests in mind when he offered me a place to stay when I started working for him." I can tell by the look on his face that he understands what I'm getting at now, but I continue anyway. "I didn't realize it would cost me my freedom, my body, my choice. I didn't realize it would end up hurting me more than I ever thought possible." I sit down on my bed when the sobs wracking my body make me feel like I'm about to fall over. The spot next to me sinks down as Brandon takes a seat too.

"Is this okay?" He asks as he puts his arm around me. I nod yes, I can't stand anyone else touching me, even women right now, but his touch doesn't scare me, or repulse me. It actually makes me feel safe. And that thought has me crying even harder. How could I think that someone who makes me feel this safe would have an ulterior motive for offering me a place to stay? "I'm so sorry, I wish I could take away your pain. I'd give anything to take it away Annie. But since I can't let's do the next best thing and work on getting you out of here so you can heal in peace. Come on," he stands up and holds his hand out for me to take.

"Where are we going?" I ask, I haven't been outside much since I got here. I know I can't handle going to a restaurant right now and he had said he was going to pick up breakfast. I hope he isn't planning to bring me somewhere to eat.

"We're going to talk to Gavin, we'll go through a drive-thru to pick up something to eat on the way."

"Okay," I say slightly confused. He takes out his phone and starts texting someone as I get my clothes and head out of my room to the communal bathroom. When I come back he's talking with one of the other security guards that I know now works for Gavin's company. We got introduced to everyone when we first got here. They try to be mindful of the fact that most of the women here have experienced horrors at the hands of men and employ female guards, but they explained they don't have enough female employees to staff the shelter the way they need to. So they introduced us to all the men as well. They're all very respectful and keep their distance unless they're needed.

"Ready?" He asks as he watches me approach.

"Yes," he holds his hand out and I take it once again. I quite like holding on to him, he keeps me grounded.

"We're actually going to go to Gavin's apartment. Melissa is there with him and when I texted and said I wanted to ask him about your living arrangements she saw and insisted we come there so she can see you."

"Oh, I don't want to intrude."

"Trust me she sounded over the moon about seeing you again."

"It's only been like a week or something since I've seen her, hasn't it?"

"We don't have to go there if you don't want to," he says cautiously.

"Oh no, I didn't mean to sound that way. I really like Melissa," I pause to clear my throat and hopefully swallow down the lump that has appeared there. "She saved my life, she offered herself up in exchange for me. She had every confidence in the world that her husband would be coming to save her, to save us, but she didn't know when he would make it there. She could have been hurt even worse than she was, and that was just to save me."

"She is a wonderful person," he adds.

"Yes she is, so I really didn't mean to sound like I didn't want to see her. I just really didn't want to impose on them."

"I promise if she didn't want to see you she wouldn't have offered. And if Gavin thought it was too much for her, he would have said no, despite her wanting you there."

"Okay, let's go see them then."

We make our way outside and get into Brandon's car. Once we start driving I reach out and grab his hand again, I can't seem to keep myself from doing it. But he doesn't object, he just squeezes my hand reassuringly. It takes us about half an hour to get some food and then make our way to Gavin and Melissa's place. I'm a little nervous because I'm not sure what Brandon wants to do, or ask them, but I trust him. For some inexplicable reason I trust him, even though I shouldn't.