Life Lessons • {Dominic Sherwood; 2}

11. PROMISE YOU THAT

tw: brief mention of drug use & self-harm

•••••

chatting with: hubs 💕

hey.

hubs 💕:
Hey, Belles. What's up?

i need to see you. can we meet up today?

hubs 💕:
Of course. Where?

i'm on set til 3 but after that we could just meet at the house.

hubs 💕:
Of course. I'll be there.

thanks.

hubs 💕:
I love you.
read; 10:52am

•••••

When Annabelle walked through the front door of the house she shared with Dom a few hours later, she couldn't help but be overcome with emotion. It had been two weeks since the party and she hadn't been back inside the house since.

Dom was sitting on the couch and stood when she walked in, coming towards her. She let him hug her and hugged back lightly, walking across the room and sitting in a chair as soon as she pulled away.

"Annabelle..." he said her name and then trailed off once he looked up at the serious expression on her face.

"I used yesterday, Dom," she told him plainly, fully expecting it when his face contorted and his eyes filled with tears.

"You... what?" he asked, moving toward her and shaking his head.

"You heard me," she said quietly, closing her eyes. When she opened them a moment later, they were filled with tears.

"Did you..?" Dom asked, trailing off when she nodded, knowing what he meant. A year before, before they'd gotten married, Annabelle had had a drug problem that had led to a self-harm problem. She'd get high and cut into her skin, usually waking up a while later and not remembering why there was blood all over her until she found the cuts.

"Yeah," she whispered, pulling up her sleeve to reveal a bandage on her forearm.

"Annabelle..." he whispered her name, grabbing her and pulling her into another hug. She held onto him for dear life this time, and when he tried to pull away a few moments later, she shook her head and sobbed into his chest. He held her, running his hand over the back of her head, smoothing her hair over and over again.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed, and Dom held her tighter.

"Don't be. This is my fault," he said, and she could hear that he was also crying. She shook her head, pulling away from him and looking him in the eye.

"No, Dominic, it's not. It's not your fault," she told him adamantly, and he studied her.

"Is that the first time you've used?" he asked, and she nodded.

"Yeah. Promise," she told him, and he nodded back.

"Where are the drugs?" he asked, immediately shifting into the enforcer mode he knew from experience that he needed to be in.

"In my bag at Matt's apartment," she admitted, and he nodded again.

"And the blade?" he asked, and she shrugged.

"I just used one of Matt's kitchen knives."

"Does he know about this?"

"No. I just told him that I wasn't feeling well."

"Well, we've got to go over there," he said, and she shook her head.

"I know we do, but I just want you to know that because I need this help right now and I'm going to accept the help because quite honestly, you're the only person that's ever been able to help me with this, it doesn't mean I forgive you," she said, and he nodded.

"I don't fucking forgive you for this yet either. Promise you that," he said, obviously I trying to keep his voice level even though he was clearly very upset. He walked over to the door and slipped into a pair of boots and a jacket, swinging the door open and motioning for her to walk out. She did, looking at him as she passed. When he looked up at her again, she couldn't quite make out his expression, but she knew for sure that she'd never really seen him quite so emotional.