Starting Over (Eddie Munson x FEM!OC)/Nothing Was Ever As It Seemed

5

***CW: DV, SA***

Word count: 1,002

"Jack, I said no. I don't feel well," Dani pleaded, trying to push him off of her.

Instead the back of his hand connected with her cheek, the force of it snapping her head to the side. Tears pricked her eyes as the hand that smacked her grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him.

"You don't tell me no. You do what I say, when I say."

"Jack, please," she sobbed, screaming when he smashed his beer bottle against the table, shattering it.

Scrambling she tried to get away, kicking at him as he grabbed her legs. Her shirt tore as he got a hold of her again, flipping her over underneath him. Something sharp dug into her collarbone, dragging across the flesh there.

"A little something to remind you who you belong to, sweetheart."

**********

Her eyes snapped open, screams still forcing their way out of her. Somebody burst through her door, but she didn't care. She couldn't care. Her hand felt her scar, expecting to see blood when she pulled her hand away.

"Montgomery! Hey, hey. You're okay."

Her bed shifted as Eddie sat beside her, his arm going around her shoulders. He smelled like weed, cigarettes, and leather. An odd combination but it helped ground her again. It was just a dream. She wasn't back with Jack. Looking up she saw Robin in the doorway, who looked like she'd just witnessed a murder.

"Robin? Why don't you go get some coffee started, huh?" Eddie suggested before pulling her closer, brushing her hair back from her face. "Jesus H Christ, Montgomery. Sounded like somebody was killing you."

"Worse," she blurted out before she could stop herself. Shit.

Eddie's body tensed, his free hand stroking her hair. They sat there in silence for a while, her mind running a thousand miles a second. What the fuck was she thinking letting people stay over last night? She knew she still had nightmares. And now here she was, being held by a man she barely knew, after yet another one. His hand moved down to her collarbone, a single fingertip tracing along her scar.

"Is that 'worse' how you got this?" he whispered, tucking her head under his chin.

"It doesn't matter, Eddie." Why wasn't she moving away from him? Pushing him away? She knew better than to get close to a man. But there was something comforting about the way he held her. Firm, but loose enough she could break away if she wanted to.

"It does, Montgomery. 'Specially if it's got you waking up screaming like that, baby."

Dani sighed. Would she ever be ready to talk about it? She doubted it. It wasn't exactly something she wanted to relive every time somebody saw one of her scars. She'd rather just pretend it never happened. He was behind bars, anyway. She should be able to move on now.

"I don't want to talk about it. Please," she whispered, not trusting her voice enough to not betray her.

Eddie's lips brushed her forehead, so quick she wasn't even sure it had happened, before he was standing, pulling her up with him. The smell of coffee hit her and she let him drag her out to the table. Like an angel Robin sat a cup in front of her, and one in front of Eddie.

Smiling gratefully she took a sip, a small moan escaping her as the bitter coffee hit her tastebuds. There was seriously nothing better than that first sip after a night of drinking.

"Christ, Montgomery. Might just start bringing you coffee every morning just to hear that again." Her eyes snapped open just in time to watch Robin smack Eddie in the back of the head. "Ouch! What the fuck, man?"

"Dude, you're going to scare her off!"

Dani laughed, listening to the two of them bicker. But, was he flirting with her? His eyes caught hers as he winked, earning himself another smack to the back of his head. Holy shit. He was. Eddie Munson was flirting with her. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks, and her heart all but stopped.

***Eddie's POV***

"Somebody hurt her," he stated bluntly, watching as his uncle set down the newspaper. "Dani, that is."

"And what makes you think that?"

Wayne leaned back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap. Eddie couldn't help but fidget under his stare. His uncle used to give him that same look as a kid when he knew he was hiding something.

"She has a scar here on her collarbone," he gestured to the general area on his own. "And this morning she woke up screaming. When I told her she was screaming like somebody killed her she said 'worse.'"

"She'll talk about it if or when she's ready." His uncle squinted his eyes, studying him a moment longer. "That where you were last night?"

"Oh, come on. Robin was there! It was just friends hanging out!"

"Boy, the only person you've left this house for is Dustin. Suddenly a pretty girl moves in next door, and you're over there within the month," he laughed.

Eddie stood, shaking his head. The man was delusional. Sure, she was hot. And had the most intensely blue eyes he'd ever fucking scene. And one hell of an ass, but that wasn't why he went over there. Was it?

"Whatever, old man!" he shouted, shutting his bedroom door behind him.

Dani was fascinating, that was all. How could he not want to know more about the girl that just walked right into his home at 4am a couple weeks ago? Dani had walked right in and somehow snapped him right out of the flashbacks. Dani with her sweatpants, leather jacket, boots, and messy hair. With her 1000 watt smile, those perky little tits, her perfect ass.

Eddie glanced at his growing problem and groaned. Just fucking great. As if he didn't have enough issues, now he had this one. Fucking Dani Montgomery.