Hidebound

Chapter FortyTwo

"Thank you" I say to the taxi driver as I close the car door behind us.

Hex had stumbled out, still holding his arm to his stomach. He tries his best to walk without being hunched over,  I know he's only doing it to not worry me but he's just causing himself more pain.

The drive home had been filled with anxiety. I saw the driver look back at us in the mirror, his eyes widening when he saw Hex, and I prayed that he wouldn't kick us out of his taxi.

I press my hand to Hex's back as I walk behind him, worried he'll keel over. He grunts in pain as he climbs the couple of steps to our front door.

My eyes well with tears but I swallow them before he can see.

I push in front of him as he waits for me to unlock the front door. I hadn't noticed my hands shaking before but it becomes impossible to get the key in the lock even when I try and steady my hand.

Hex reaches around and takes the keys from me and enters the key into the lock with no problem.

Our door opens revealing the dark apartment, Teddy's meow echoing from somewhere as he hears us entering.

I close and lock the door behind us, listening as Hex stomps his way into the kitchen.

I take a moment to lean my head against the door and breathe. Knowing that I'm going to have to ask some tough questions when I enter the kitchen that Hex most likely won't want to answer.

The wooden door is cold against my forehead and the texture is rough under my palms as I feel Teddy walking around my legs.

Hex's pained grunt pulls me away and towards the kitchen.

He has his back to me and is trying his best to pull his shirt over his head using his one hand, his lower back visible.

"Here, let me" I step in and grab the shirt off of him, slowly pulling it over his head and off his body.

I gulp once I see his skin. His chest and abdomen is red and splotchy and I know that when he wakes tomorrow he'll be black and blue.

Guilt starts to eat away at me as I think about how I thought he had left me at the club all the while he was getting beat only metres away.

Hex is eerily quiet as he walks over to the sink and begins washing the blood from his body. He painfully bends at the waist to wash his bloody face too.

I lean against the kitchen island observing him. His back seems to be okay but it's kind of hard to see with his tattoos hiding any markings.

"The police station opens at nine tomorrow morning" I break the silence, watching as he tenses and uses the tea towel to dry his face.

"I'm not pressing charges, Poppy" he exclaims.

I'm not surprised one bit. I hadn't expected him to go to the police but I still had hope that I could convince him. They can't get away with this, they'll only do it again if there's not a consequence for their actions.

"We have to Hex, they'll just do it again" I stand straight as he turns to face me. His hands grip the counter behind him and the hair around his face is wet and hangs limply.

He had washed off the blood from his face but it only revealed his already bruised and swollen skin. His cheek and eye look especially painful.

"No" he stubbornly refuses again.

I slam my hand down on the island top "why?" I demand.

For the first time since I found Hex he looks me in the eyes, they fume silently with anger and something else I can't name.