Unperfect

Mia

“Thank you,” I said in a hoarse whisper to Kira bloody Lucas. Because, turns out, apparently Yaz is friends with the Prime Minister’s wife. All those times we’d taken the piss and she’d been telling the truth. They were such good friends that Yaz could convince Kira to not only commandeer her husband’s police escort to chase after me, but also bring the Lucases along for the ride.

And now Kira and Barclay Lucas were standing next to my hospital bed at three in the morning. It was a few hours since I’d escaped from Nate under the glare of the police headlights, and I was still in a state of shock. After I fell into Max’s arms, Nate had made another frantic lunge for me but the police had been there to pull him back. When it became clear that I’d been strangled and the driver (a man who was very shaken and clearly not in the mood to cover for his psycho boss) told them what he’d seen, Nate was arrested. I had no idea what happened to him after that as the paramedics arrived and I was hooked up to oxygen and taken to the nearest hospital. 

“Don’t thank me, you wankpuffin,” Kira said. “I’ve never been in a real life car chase before, and we’ve never been able to get the boys to turn on the flashing lights. That was the most fun I’ve had at one of those yawnfests for a while.”

I blinked at her and without realising it my hand went to my throat to trace the swelling there.

“Ki Ki,” Barclay Lucas, the actual Prime bloody Minister said. “I’m not sure that’s the most tactful thing to say to Mia. She most likely does not think tonight was much fun.”

Kira’s faced flushed red, her eyes went wide and her hand came up to cover her mouth.

“Buggering badgers, I’m so sorry. You must think I’m the most terrible cockwomble.” I could actually see why Kira and Yaz were friends – they were both as off-the-wall as each other. “I make jokes when I’m nervous. I didn’t mean – ”

“It’s fine,” I forced out, the strain on my vocal chords causing me to wince in pain.

“Mia, love,” Max said from my other side, giving my hand a squeeze. “The doctor said to rest your voice. Can you please try to do that.”

I turned my head to look at him. He was focusing on the bruising around my neck again and his eyes were flashing, that muscle in his jaw ticking with anger. Yaz had reluctantly given me a mirror after the doctors had finished examining my neck and shoulder. I was not a pretty sight. The eye make-up, that had been so perfectly applied earlier in the evening, now gave me the appearance of a drunk panda. The whites of my eyes were bloodshot in the extreme (one of the effects of the strangulation) and dark bruising was blossoming around my neck. The previously pristine white dress was now covered in dirt from the road and a heavy smattering of Nate’s blood from when I’d broken his nose.

“I think that’s our cue to leave, Ki Ki,” Barclay said gently to his wife and she nodded.

“I really didn’t mean to be an insensitive wankpuffin,” she whispered to me, giving my free hand a squeeze. I smiled at her and squeezed hers back. “I hope you get better in time for the summer solstice,” she said. “My mum runs a festival in the New Forest. Yaz told me ages ago to count you in. It’s properly bonkers. The Ferret’s Testicles play every year and we dance naked around the fire pit.”

“There you go, Mia,” Barclay said in a dry voice, completely unfazed by talk of his wife naked fire dancing in the New Forest. “Something to look forward to.” He smiled at me and I thought that the news reports didn’t really do this man justice. Up close he was almost as attractive as Max. Almost.

When Kira and Barclay left, Teddy came back in with teas for everyone. He hadn’t said much since arriving at the hospital and he looked shaken and pale. I gestured to the laptop next to Max and he handed it over.

I did all the moves you taught me, I typed then turned it around so Teddy could read it. He looked down and bit his lip as he read.

You saved my life, I added below. This time when I looked up I saw his eyes were filled with tears, his chest puffed up in an effort to keep them in.

Thank you.

He gave me a stiff nod and shoved his hands into his pockets, but one of his tears spilled over onto his cheek.

Can I have a hug?

Both cheeks were wet now. He hesitated for a moment, before launching forward to me on the bed and sobbing into my neck as his big arms enclosed my body.

“Ted, mate,” Max said, pulling back on his shoulder a little. “Careful of her neck.” Teddy immediately started to draw away, but I shot Max an annoyed look and put my hands up to hold Teddy’s face near mine.

“I’m going to be fine,” I told him in that broken whisper. “And that’s down to you.” He nodded and scrubbed his cheeks, holding my eyes for a moment before he drew himself back to standing.

“Will you please stop talking,” Max ground out and I rolled my eyes, mouthing the word bossy to Teddy and earning a smile which eased some of my worry that he’d been scarred for life by this bad experience.

I took the iPad again.

I’m sorry I didn’t believe you about Kira. Thank you for everything tonight, I wrote, and turned it to Yaz. She smiled down at me.

“Everyone always underestimates me,” she said.

True that. I typed, then added several exclamation points for good measure. Yaz took my hand and gave it another squeeze.

“You know,” Teddy said in a tight voice, interrupting the silence of the room and causing all eyes to swing to him, “Well … what I want to say is that. Dad and I … we won’t let anything like that happen to you again, right? And … and I think you should move in with us now. Auntie Yaz’s place is too small, and I think … well I think you belong with us.”

“Of course she’ll be staying with us, Ted,” Max said. I glanced between the two male faces set in determination, and mouthed ‘bossy’ again, this time to Yaz, who rolled her eyes and gave me a small smile.

Later, after everyone had left and it was just Max and me, I reached for the laptop again.

Thank you for coming for me, I typed.

He stared at the screen for a moment but instead of replying he turned it towards him and started typing.

I would go anywhere for you. I love you, he typed.

I blinked up at him as exhaustion dragged me under until the room faded to black. He smoothed the hair back from my face and then traced his thumb over my eyebrow and down my cheekbone. There his fingers moved under my ear into my hairline and his thumb continued to stroke my cheek.

“I love you too,” I managed to say in hoarse whisper. I felt his lips brush mine.

“If you really love me then you’ll stop using your voice,” he whispered against my lips and then rested his forehead against mine.

“Bossy,” I mouthed without sound and registered his low chuckle.

Then with the comfort of his smell surrounding me, and his light, rhythmic touch, even after all that had happened, even after all the trauma of the day, I fell into a deep sleep.

*****

“Mia?”

I blinked open my eyes, and Max’s face filled my field of vision. His five o’clock shadow was progressing into a full on beard, and his gorgeous face looked drawn with fatigue, but he was still so beautiful. I smiled up at him and lifted my hand to stroke the side of his face.

“You stayed,” I croaked, and then winced as the forgotten, searing pain shot through my throat. My hand went to my neck to rest on the tender flesh and I gritted my teeth, willing the discomfort to subside. Whilst Max watched all this play out, his tired but affectionate expression turned grim.

“Please, please don’t try to speak, Mia,” he said. “You promised me, remember?”

I nodded and blew out a sigh of frustration. It was typical that the one time I had so much to say I had effectively been gagged.

“Okay,” Max said, moving to sit on the side of my bed and taking my hand. “I’ve got to talk to you about something and–”

I cut him off by gesturing at the laptop.

“Mia, can I just … okay, okay,” he protested as I opened my mouth to speak. “Hold on. I’ll get it.”

As soon as I had hold of the laptop I shuffled up to sitting and typed.

Did you stay here all night?

“Yes, but Mia that’s not really –”

My eyebrows went up and I ignored him to type more.

Where did you sleep?

He sighed. “Mia I really need to –”

I tapped on the laptop to cut him off and he rolled his eyes.

“I slept a bit in the chair. Now Mia – ”

NO. I typed. No sleeping in the tiny chair. Sleep in bed. You look tired. I’m worried about you. 

Max blew out a huff of frustration through a reluctant laugh as he leaned forward to plant the softest kiss ever on my lips, which I’m pretty sure was a calculated move so that I would be too dazed to object as he removed the laptop from my fingers.

“Of course you would be worried about me. Of course,” he said, his face still hovering inches from mine. “You’re the one in a hospital bed, but me missing a couple of hours of sleep is obviously the priority. You’re impossible.”

I shook my head and opened my mouth to speak, but he put a finger on my lips.

“You promised,” he said and it was my turn to huff out a frustrated breath. “Mia, honestly, this is important. There are some police officers outside the room.”

I stiffened on the bed and my eyes flew to the door. As I looked back at Max I could feel them stinging with tears. They’d come for me, just like Nate said they would. I should have known this would happen. Nate had all the power, all the connections. I never won against him. I didn’t stand a chance.

“I’ll be right here with you the whole time, okay? They only want to speak to you for a minute. You’ve got to use the laptop though, right?”

I blinked away the weak tears that had formed in my eyes and set my mouth into a grim line before giving Max a stiff nod.

“If there was any way around this I’d make it happen,” he told me, watching my face carefully. “You haven’t anything to worry about though. They just want to speak to you.”

I gave another stiff nod, but my eyes wouldn’t meet his and I knew my expression must have remained grim. I felt his gentle touch on my cheek. He put pressure on it so that I turned my face and my eyes were looking up into his. The green was lit with determination so fierce it almost took my breath away.

“Do you trust me, Mia?”

I blinked up at him and sighed, but then nodded my head in agreement.

“You have nothing to worry about. You have my word.’

I closed my eyes for moment and bit my lip. He might think that now but he didn’t know what I’d done. He wouldn’t have stayed with me all night on an uncomfortable hospital chair if he did.

“You’ll see,” he whispered before giving my hand a squeeze and then leaving me to let the police into the room. It was a man and a woman. Neither were in uniform. The women looked to be in her late forties, the man a little older with greying hair. The woman’s hair was dark blonde and tied back at the base of her neck. She was attractive, in an efficient type way.

“Hello, Mrs B–” the lady paused, her eyes flicking to Max for some reason then back to me, “I mean, Mia. I’m Detective Hargreaves and this is Detective Finch, but you can call us Lucy and Mike, okay?”

“Hi,” I croaked. “I–”

Mike held his hand up to stop me.

“Mia,” he said, “We’ve been briefed … at length,” his eyes also flicked to Max before softening on me, “that you’re not to speak. If you wouldn’t mind typing out what you need to say to us that would be great.’

“We know you’ve been through a lot, Mia,” Lucy told me. “But this won’t take long. Would you be able to type your responses?” After a moment I nodded.

“Mia,” Max said. “If you want me to wait outside then I can, okay?’

NO. I typed. STAY. He nodded and one of his hands reached up to push my hair behind my ear. “Okay, love. Whatever you want.”

“I’d like to say to start by saying I’ve read your file, Mia,” Mike said. He was staring at me. “You gave leave for all your medical records to be released.” I nodded slowly. Mike was all business and efficiency, but there was a flash of something in his expression I couldn’t quite catch. “We also have an account of the incident a year ago which lead to your attendance in hospital, from your husband.”

Max let out a disgusted sound but Mike continued.

“He has some documentation of the injuries he sustained at the time. His account is that you stabbed him twice and that the injuries he inflicted on you subsequently were in self defence.”

I closed my eyes slowly as I let this information wash over me. Of course this was the way Nate would twist things. With the amount of power he wielded, and the no doubt insanely good legal team he’d probably hired, I would be toast. The fact he’d tried to kill me twice would be inconsequential. A familiar feeling of powerlessness swept over me, and my hands started to pull back from the keyboard. What was the point of fighting him? But my eyes flew open when an unfamiliar hand caught mine during its withdrawal. Lucy held it for only a moment until my eyes met hers then she let go but moved closer to the bed.

“Mike?” she gestured to the recording device. Mike nodded, turning it off before Lucy continued. “When we say we’ve read your reports it means we’ve read every word.” Her face was no longer impassive and efficient – her eyes were lit with anger and her body was tense with it. “I’ve spoken to the admitting doctor from that incident and I’ve spoken to your husband’s security staff – or rather ex-security staff. There are cases where we have to let victims know that we’ll be unlikely to win. The burden of proof lies with us, and there’s not always enough to secure a conviction. This is not one of those cases.”

She lowered her voice even further before continuing. “If you think that son of a bitch can get away with throwing you across a stage in front of the world’s media, and then strangling you in his goddamn car, you are wrong. If you think anyone will believe for one second that what he did to you a year ago was self-defence? You. Are. Wrong. I don’t care what kind of resources the prick has access to, or how slippery he is. That abusive bastard is going down. Do you understand me?”

Lucy turned back to Mike and nodded for him to switch back on the recording device.

“Mia,” Lucy’s voice was all business now, cleared of the anger from before as if it had never happened. “If you could type your version of events including dates and times that would be much appreciated.” I blinked at her and then looked down at the computer. My fingers had made their way back onto the keys without any conscious thought. Then I started typing.

I thought it best to start at the beginning. Years of abuse spilled out onto the page. Seeing it in black and white made me feel ill. All that time wasted with Nate. Even worse was when the laptop was shifted over so that Mike could read it out loud for the benefit of the recording device. Max’s fingers closed so tightly around mine that I had to wriggle them slightly to get him to relieve the pressure. I frowned up at him, worried about his reaction to everything I’d put in there. He looked down at me and gave me a small encouraging smile, but his eyes were burning. When it came to the part where Nate dislocated my shoulder Mike broke off for a moment and I glanced at him. His voice had been steady and emotionless as he read what I’d written, but I noticed then that his hand that was resting next to the laptop was bunched into a fist so tight his knuckles were white, and his nostrils were flaring as he clamped his mouth shut, letting his eyes close just for a moment before he released a slow breath and carried on reading – still in the same emotionless monotone.

After it was done, I was exhausted. When they turned off the recording device before they left, Mike was still looking murderous. Lucy rested her hand on my shoulder before she said, “Don’t worry about that piece of shit. We are going to nail his balls to the wall.”

I was fairly sure that calling subjects of investigations ‘pieces of shit’ and telling people that you were going to ‘nail their balls to the wall’ was not protocol, but it made me feel better all the same. I managed to give her a small smile.

“I’m fine now,” I whisper-croaked. “Honestly.” Max started muttering about using my voice, but Lucy gave my shoulder a squeeze and her expression softened.

“No you’re not,” she whispered back. “Not yet.” She glanced up at Max who was looking cross after my voice-usage and then back at me, giving me a small smile in return. “But you will be.”