Page 19 (1/2)

"Syd?" I didn’t hear the door open, but Sienna’s voice cah loud and clear to both of us

At the sound of Sienna’s voice, Justin’s grip loosened, although he didn’t fully release raspmid-step My head hit the side of the sink on the way doith a loud thump before I crashed into the bathroom floor face first

I must have lost consciousness for a fewup withup at her pale, concerned face

"Are you okay, Syd?"

"Is he gone?" My head pounded as I moved my jaw to speak I raisedon the side of my face

"Yeah, he took off What the hell happened, Syd?"

"I don’t know He was drunk and angry and said so rude and I slapped him and he lost it" I stopped to replay what had just happened in my head "I don’t knoould have happened if you hadn’t come in, Sienna" My last feords trailed off as the realization of what an to shake

"It’s okay, Syd You’re safe now Let an to help me up as she spoke "I saw our security down the hall A lot of good that did you in here"

"My head hurts" I rubbed where the pain hit hardest

"You’re going to have a nice knot there You hit the sink pretty hard Let’s get you checked out to be safe"

I nodded The hallas still euard waiting at the far end of the hall The guard turned as we approached, looking startled when he saw us

"What happened?"

Sienna began to speak, but I cut her off "I slipped on soaveiving But she didn’t attempt to elaborate on the truth

Ten hours later, Sienna and I were back on the bus After a series of tests,to have a nasty bruise on the side of my face where my head had connected with the sink, and I still felt like a dru played inside my skull

Everyone seemed to believe ency roo in a bar, it wasn’t out of the realm of ordinary for me to have taken a fall and hit the sink on the way down I don’t knohy I hadn’t told the truth I hadn’t planned on covering for Justin, I just did

"What are you going to do, Syd?" Sienna came into the private bedroo out for the last few hours

"I don’t know"

Sienna sat in front ofit to look into her eyes "You need to do what is best for you, Syd This isn’t about me and it isn’t about the tour Whatever happens, happens, and none of it is your fault Do you understand me?"

I nodded And I knew she meant it However I chose to deal hat had happened, Sienna would stand beside me, where she had been my entire life

Chapter 19

My heart rate sped up as the elevator made its way slowly up each floor True to her word, Sienna was supportive when I oing to press charges against Justin, but I also needed some space before I could face the man who had assaulted me I needed some time to think I’d spent half the plane ride over fro what had happened with Justin into convince myself that what had happened wasn’t really as bad as it was But the truth was I wasn’t really sure ould have happened if Sienna hadn’t walked in The look in Justin’s eyes was so angry and distant, I wondered if I really knew thethat had helped me make the decision to take a break froer was suspicious ofbruise on my face and wrist, but he didn’t push In the back of my oing to disappear for a while, rather than go public with the truth

I hadn’t told Jack about what had happened In fact, I’d only spoken to him for a few minutes since the shit had hit the fan I was sure he was upset with ht it was best to tell hied and opened to the penthouse floor I’d used my keycard and asked security not to call up to let Jack knoas ho I was home early to surprise him I stepped off the elevator The penthouse was quiet and dark and I could have sworn I heard ainst the wall of s down and steadiedto the bedroom

Jack stirred as I slipped into bed beside him His face was so peaceful and I hated to wake hiliness of what I had to share of the last few days, knowing he was still struggling with the death of his father I should have been home to support him, not to add to the mountain of stress and anxiety that his father’s death had left hiently put my hand on his cheek

Jack ju here?"

For hours on the plane I’d thought about how to tell him why I was home My plan was to share the story in a factualout any emotions so that Jack wouldn’t freak out But that plan went right out the , as the tears began to strea Jack’s voice

Six hours after I walked through the front door, I finally fell asleep Jack held me while I told him the story and, as selfish as it was, I was relieved to have had unburdened the truth on him At first he was quiet while I spoke, but then he turned the light on and saw the dark bruises on the side ofI had to calm him down and I was thankful that Justin was a seven hour plane ride away for more reasons than one

Before I fell asleep, I had been up for alht in the bathroom had taken my life down yet another unexpected turn So when I finally woke up, I wasn’t surprised to find that I had slept for aly as I clih the apartment to look for Jack

I was a little surprised when I woke and didn’t find Jack hoe of a nervous breakdohen aln of hies on his cell and even called Sienna to see if he’d contacted her I didn’t even knohere to begin looking for hi up reasons that Jack been gone all day In the early hours I was nervous that he had juht and went to hunt down Justin But the ot darker and deeper I’d just unloaded a mess on him, a few short weeks after his father’s death Didconsoled by Jenna again? Jack had been nothing but supportive and protective when I’d told hihts that he would turn to someone else

I wanted to call Jenna and see if she knehere Jack had gone, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it I wasn’t prepared for an answer that would destroy me, so I took the coward’s way out and sat and waited and wondered

I was on the phone in the kitchen with Sienna when Jack finally walked in I watched for so as he walked silently to

"Where have you been?" I asked quietly My lip quivered, but I was determined to hold my tears at bay