The Only Exception

Part One - Chapter Seven: Let Me Help You

Lucia winced as she looked down at her bruised wrist, she swallowed back vomit at the sight of the hand print that Hernan had left there when he had attacked her; her entire body ached knowing that he was going to cause her more trouble.

“Lia,” Lionel greeted excitedly as he walked into the restaurant making Lucia jump as she looked at him; she was impressed at how much effort he was putting into their friendship and she was grateful for his friendship again.

Lionel’s brown eyes quickly checked the blonde over, the last few days had been going well for them and he couldn’t help but worry about the area in which she lived in; he hated the thought of something happening to her when he wasn’t there to protect her.

“What happened?” the footballer whispered as he spotted the bruise on her wrist, he stepped forward concerned as Lucia realised what he was talking about and pulled down her sleeve so that he couldn’t see her bruise; he looked at her concerned as it started to sink in that the bruise had been in the same of someone’s hand.

“It’s nothing,” Lucia dismissed as she smiled at him weakly, she could see the concern in his eyes and she hated that she had allowed him to see that part of her life; she was trying to protect him from the horrors that she suffered knowing that he was going back to Barcelona and he would forget about her again.

Lionel frowned as he walked over to Lucia and carefully took her arm, he moved her sleeve back up her arm and felt his stomach roll as he realised that someone was hurting her.

“You can tell me anything Lia,” Lionel said hoping that she would open up to him, they had been doing so well but this only made him wonder about the other bruises that he had seen on her; he hated the thought of someone getting away with this.

Lucia shook her head as she gently pulled her arm back and glanced back at her boss, she was lucky it was only early otherwise she would be in trouble for not working; however the restaurant was pretty much empty.

“It’s better if you don’t know,” Lucia said as she pulled down her sleeve as she took a deep breath, she crossed her arms and looked at Lionel; she could see anger bubbling in his brown eyes and she knew it wasn’t directed at her, but at the person who was hurting her.

Lionel shook his head as his hand’s clenched into fists as he tried to calm himself down, he couldn’t believe that she thought it would be better if he didn’t know; he wanted to help her, he hated the thought that she was keeping things quiet like this.

“Let me help you,” Lionel pleaded, he could help her and he wanted her to let him in on what was going on; he didn’t want to lose her and it would happen if she didn’t tell him who was hurting her.

Lucia swallowed as she looked at Lionel, she wasn’t sure what he could do to help her but she doubted that it would be a lot; she was a poor waitress and no one ever paid attention to her when she complained but now Lionel was.

***

Guillermo and Leslie blinked as Lionel sat across from them, he had a determined look on his face and it was clear that there would be no talking him out of what he wanted; they just weren’t sure that Lucia would agree.

“You want Lucia to be your wife?” Leslie said as she checked if she had heard the footballer right, they had suspected that he would turn around and say something like that since he had been spending a lot of time with Lucia recently; he had come to care for her and that much was obvious.

Lionel nodded his head, he knew that it was a drastic move but none of the women they had introduced him to make him feel like Lucia did; she was important to him and in the past week he had come to the decision that she was the one that he wanted.

Lucia didn’t care that he was famous and he wanted to protect her, Lionel knew she wouldn’t let him do it but he knew a way that would maybe convince her to go along with his crazy idea; he would pay for her father’s medical treatment.

“Leo, are you sure about this?” Guillermo asked as he glanced at Leslie wondering what had brought this on; he didn’t know why Lionel was rushing this but it had something to do with the fear and concern that lay in the footballer’s eyes.

“I’m more than sure… I want to protect Lia and this is the only way that I can do it,” the footballer said knowing that he still had to get Lucia to agree to this; he knew that she was going to be stubborn but he wasn’t going to allow her to suffer at the hands of someone who was abusing her.

Guillermo frowned at his client’s words, he didn’t know what had happened while Lucia had been with him that morning but it was clear that something had upset Lionel and was now clouding his thoughts about the search for a wife.

“Okay… I’ll draw up the contract and we will present it to her in a couple of days,” Leslie said cautiously as she nodded her head, she could tell that there would be no talking Lionel out of this and she hoped that the footballer knew what he was doing; if he went wrong with this then it could end in a messy divorce.

Lionel nodded his head as he sighed in relief, he only had to convince Lucia now that this would be a good idea; he could improve her life if she agreed and he would help her father.

***

Hernan smirked to himself as he tightened his grip on Lucia’s throat making the blonde choke as her feet dangled in the air, she gasped for breath as she struggled to breathe knowing that this was going to end badly.

Lionel’s pleading words rang in her ears as the world around started to close in, Lucia knew that she couldn’t go on like this and she didn’t want Hernan to get away with this any longer.

“Stupid puta,” Hernan spat before he dropped Lucia to the floor and gave her a swift kick to the ribs.

He smirked as she whimpered as he heard a satisfying crack of her ribs; he straightened out his shirt as he walked way knowing that no one would be able to stop him.

Lucia stayed still on the floor for a moment, she took several shaky breathes as tears trailed down her face as she carefully pushed herself up; she winced as she realised that he had definitely broken something this time.

Lucia carefully got to her feet and leant against her apartment door, she had been so close this time to escaping him, it only made it worse that he had caught her this time.

Lucia moved as quickly as she could into her apartment, she was in so much pain from her ribs and she knew that she needed help; the blonde sniffled as she moved towards the phone that she had on the coffee table in the far corner of the room next to her couch.

Lucia sat down relieved since her vision started to go, she swallowed as she reached over and dialled Lionel’s number as her tears continued to form; he had begged her that morning to call if she needed him and if Hernan ever hurt her again.

“Leo I need you,” Lucia whimpered as soon as the footballer answered his phone, she couldn’t continue to hold back tears as what happened caught up with her at last and she wasn’t sure what would happen next.