CONNOR* "I need you to come to the office quick. I'm a hundred percent sure that asshole punched Taylor. The right side of her face is all blown up. She won't let me take her to the hospital. She says she tripped and fell into a wall," I texted Blaze because he wouldn't answer his cell phone. "Lock the door, so Aaron doesn't try to walk up in there; I'll be there as soon as I can. I'll bring Lyra and Vega along," When I get my hands on Aaron, he'll wish he were dead. He better hope I don't see him any time soon. I looked in on Taylor, who was on the phone scheduling a contractor to come out to one of our building sites, and then made my way to lock up the office. At least she took my peace offering; I had seen a half-eaten donut and one of the coffee's I had bought for her sitting in front of her. I don't know if she will ever fully get over Wade, and I ditched her back in the day. TAYLOR* I don't know why Connor acts like he even cares right now; he has never cared about me before. He and Wade have done their damnedest to stay as far away from me as possible over the years, even here at the office. However, since Connor became CFO over a year ago, he has spent more time in the office than he used to. Which annoys the hell out of me; I miss the days I was here by myself ninety percent of the time. I was researching the products that the guys would need for their next building project when Lyra and Vega walked in. I knew I should have called in today; dang it. Connor must have called Blaze because I saw him glance my way before walking off in the direction of Connor's office next to mine. Damn him, why did he have to publicize everything. I came to work, so maybe I could forget everything that happened last night. Aaron was shit-faced and couldn't remember anything, so it could be easy for me to drop it and move on. I snuck in our bed last night after taking a bath in the spare bathroom and threw away all of the clothes he had ripped off of me. Aaron woke up this morning and asked what had happened to my face. I told him I had drunk too much last night and fell into the wall. We both laughed it off, and he took off to go pick Mark up from my mom's to take him to school. That was the crazy thing to because how the hell did my car magically appear in our driveway when I had left it at my mother's. I saw him looking at my car, puzzled as to why it was there, and then he shook his head and left. He had to have had someone pick it up, right? I would be calling my mom later to see what I could find out. Aaron never drives when he's drinking, so I know it couldn't have been him. I guess my days of going out are gone. Aaron has someone following me everywhere I go. "Vega, Lyra, what brings you two by?" I asked as I stood, walked over, and gave them hugs. "This, are you going to tell us the truth about what happened to you, and don't tell us you ran into a wall," Lyra said as she examined my swollen shut black eye. That ass hole went and told Blaze everything shit. I was never going to be able to forget last night with everyone being up in my face. I might as well tell them the truth, but what happens after that. "Aaron didn't want me going out last night, but I did anyway. I left my car at my mom's and got ready there so I wouldn't have to go back to my place. I left my car and took an Uber to the club and then home. My car was in the driveway though I still don't know how it got there. The house was dark, so I turned on a light, and Aaron was sitting in a chair with a half-drunk bottle of whiskey. He was angry at what I had worn to the bar, so he ripped my clothes off and yelled at me. He didn't hit me, though, I turned to run away from him and tripped and fell into the wall, and he went to bed," that was most of the truth, right. I looked up to see Connor walking past; he probably had heard all of that. "You need to file a report, Taylor. I know some of what you are saying is true, but he has been verbally abusing you for year's—controlling everything you do. It always starts that way, and then the physical abuse starts," Vega said as she examined my face some more. "You are wrong; Aaron isn't that way. We've been together ten years; he has never hit me or hurt me in any way. He's only verbally abusive when he drinks, but he hasn't had a drop of alcohol until last night. It was my fault he got drunk. He asked me to stay home, and I didn't. This is all my fault," I said as I took up for Aaron. If word got out that he was abusive, which he really isn't, it would ruin his chances at staying in the Mayor's position. Aaron is one of the kindest people I know other than when he's drunk, which isn't that often, and he has been sober for two months now. "We can't make you do anything, but you do need to go get your face checked out; I'm guessing you haven't noticed, but I think you may need stitches. Also, please get with Vega and me a couple of nights a week. You need to learn some self-defense; in the event, Aaron ever does touch you, you can whoop his ass. I'm having a tough time believing he hasn't hit you or anything," Lyra said. "I'll do whatever you ask if we can just let this be. I'm telling you both, like I told Connor, I'm fine," I said and walked to my desk to grab my phone and purse. "Taylor, you are a beautiful woman, and we are blessed to know you. You know you deserve the better right," Vega said as she came and put her arms around my shoulders. "You sound like my mom," I said as I tried to smile, but I couldn't because my face hurt so bad. "Let's get you to the ER," Lyra said as she came to my other said and linked her arm with mine. CONNOR* I watched as Lyra and Vega walked out of the building boiling with anger. I knew she wasn't lying, but she wasn't telling the whole truth either. It may have been fifteen years since we had been friends, but I know Taylor. Why the hell was she protecting him? I decided then and there that I would get to the bottom of this and save her and get her away from that abusive ass hole one way or the other. It was time we became friends again, and I would have Wade help me.