It was an all too familiar feeling. Being possessed, being wanted. Except when Leo was possessive, it was for all the right reasons rather than the wrong ones she’d experienced. Men always wanted to be close to her and remain that way. Keep her on a short leash with their heavy, black credit cards dangling in front of her face. They wanted her as property, hands snaking beneath her skirt without so much as an utterance of permission and gripping the back on her neck when she said something they didn’t like. God, it felt like a lifetime ago for Peyton now looking back. Leo had saved her from that and he was only possessive not because she was his property but his prize. Something so valuable to him that he’d strived so hard to get and now that she was so close, he didn’t want to let her go. It was comforting to be truthful. To know that someone loved her enough to care whether she stayed or went. So why did she abuse the power she had? It was far more complex than she could ever articulate but the simple answer was: Peyton liked the attention.
Listening to Leo rant made her stomach sour. He was right, she should have called him to come to her work that day. She shouldn’t have been talking to Sebastian at all let alone participating in Bring Your Affair to work day. But as he began mentioning Ilia and Rose, she couldn’t help but project her own feelings onto him. She was just as jealous as he was, only her angered envy was out of guilt. “If you want to go move boxes with your baby mama so bad, go right ahead. Better yet, if you want the girl who did this to me to help you at the garage because I’m busy with work. Go ahead, Leo, by all means.” Peyton crossed her arms across her chest with an amused chuckle leaving her pouted lips. She knew that wasn’t what he was trying to get at by any means but a lapse in emotional maturity lead her to snapping right back.
Leo’s laundry list of questions made Peyton sink back in her seat, staring out into the dimly lit street. It was hard to say for certain what she did to boost Sebastian’s confidence. Perhaps it was the lingering eye contact or maybe it was her letting him stand between her parted thighs as she sat on his kitchen countertop. There were so many incriminating things that made him want her but Peyton couldn’t admit to that without losing what Leo and herself had worked so hard for. “I’m not your fucking ex-girlfriend, Leo. You’re supposed to trust me not project whatever she did to you onto me.” Peyton flailed her arms with a defeated shrug. Her voice was tinged with irritation. It was difficult not being trusted, but there was something about it that made her want to stray away more so. Distrust made her sneaky, it was a vicious cycle. “There’s nothing happening. If you don’t believe me, I’ll literally block his number. Is that what you want? Will that make you feel better?” Peyton asked, her tone condescending as she rifled through her phone and scrambled to find Captain Sebastian. She took a deep breath before blocking the number, dropping the phone into the cupholder immediately after doing so and looking up at Leo. “There. Now its just me and you. Do you feel better now?” Peyton couldn’t help but roll her eyes, shaking her head as she laid back against the headrest. She knew inside she’d unblock it as soon as he left which probably validated all of his points.
As Leo circled the car to let her out, it was clear this argument wasn’t calming down. She flinched at his words as she ducked out of the car, practically whimpering as she closed her lids. “About anything!” Peyton finally snapped back. Her initial answer would have been about us but the thought of this being the cause of their break-up made her heart ache. As he ushered her inside, Peyton ran her hands through her messy hair. She hadn’t even realized how badly her hands were trembling, how they shook despite anything being voluntary. Was it from her sustained injuries or the emotions piling up? Either way, she needed to repress the pain whether physical or emotional. The redhead made her way up to her bedroom and made her way over to her mirror where she looked at herself hesitantly. The mere sight made her chin quiver, eyes beginning to form tears as she looked at all of the dried blood staining her clothing as well as her skin. One tear poured over onto her cheek and she simply pushed it away before pulling her sweater over her head. It was difficult to exert energy she didn’t have, feeling an ache in her back and ribs that she hadn’t yet discovered as she lifted up her top. The girl winced as she dropped the cashmere fabric onto the floor, turning so she could see the purpling bruises on her back from falling onto the table. Shaking her head, Peyton then undressed with her eyes closed before slipping into her red black satin robe before being seated on the edge of her bed.
Peyton hadn’t even heard the water running as she tucked her arms crossed against her stomach, staring at her discarded clothing on the floor. She hadn’t even heard Leo’s voice until he entered her bedroom, finally registering what he said. “Thank you.” The girl murmured as she slowly crept past his, eyes still glued to the ground. Typically, Leo would have been joining her in their own attempt to save water. But she was sure it wasn’t even worth asking him to join. Peyton wanted to stroll past him into the bathroom without paying him mind but her aching heart urged her to touch him. So she did. Her delicate fingers gently curled around his bicep before she leaned up and pecked him on the cheek, lips lingering a little too long as they trembled from the pain on her cut touching his warm skin. The act was very reminiscent of their night at the lake after they’d skinny dipped when she was getting into the car. Except now, she wasn’t quite sure where they stood. “I’ll be back.” The girl sniffled before taking off into the bathroom and locking the door behind her.
When Peyton returned to her bedroom, she looked considerably better. There was no long blood taking up real estate on her pale skin however the bruising had begun to consume her under eye. The girl sheepishly made her way over to her bed as she tied her robe tightly to pinch her waist. She climbed into her bed slowly beside Leo. Usually she’d waste no time climbing onto his chest and laughing as he complained that her towel dried hair was soaking the cotton on his tee shirt. But the atmosphere was unfortunately a lot colder. Sitting up against the pillows, she waited for him to open up the first aid kit. “Thank you for picking me up,” She finally said after sitting momentarily in silence. “I know you didn’t expect your girlfriend to be million dollar baby..” Peyton laughed softly as her own joke, her laughter quickly fading out and fleeting. “The, uh, the whole ride home I was just imaging.. it’s stupid. But I was just imagining that that’s what you would look like if you were picking up our kids from their first party. Super disappointed but I’m hard on your because I love you dad, I think you have it down pat..” She shyly smiled at Leo as she laid her hand atop his knee.
“Girlfriend or ex-girlfriend, it doesn’t matter much in this case because you’re treating me the exact same way she did,” he scoffed, shaking his head. “Doesn’t that make it worse? That my own girlfriend is making me feel the same way that my ex did with all the secrets, sneaking out and so-called friends that are waiting for the right moment to swoop in and take you for themselves?” Leo never forced anyone to do things they didn’t want to. So he wasn’t going to make her block his number, force er to stop seeing the guy or speak to him. He wasn’t the law and she didn’t have to listen to his concerns, how their relationship impacted theirs or stop doing anything. Because if she wanted to, she would. If she wanted to stop talking to him, she would. If she wanted to stop seeing him, calling him, talking to him for the sake of their relationship and his feelings, she would. And it was saddening to think but maybe whatever she had with Sebastian far outweighed whatever they had. Leo tried to shake away the intrusive thoughts and bring himself back to reality, but the truth was these were the questions and thoughts that plagued his mind since she first uttered the Brit’s name. Peyton’s irritated and sarcastic tone tainted her actions and Leo kept his eyes facing forward. “Now?” He scoffed, shaking his head. “Great, thanks for the update. Glad to know that now, after all these months, its finally just me and you.” He sourly wondered how long it would take for her to unblock his number. Maybe 24 hours. Tops.
Leo waited patiently on the edge of the bed as Peyton showered away a long night, relaxed her tense muscles and took some time for herself. Despite the rocky terrain of there relationship and the uncertain one she had with Sebastian, he was worried about her and the injuries sustained during her brawl at the Graveyard. The cut on her lip looked worse than it actually was while the purple bruising beginning to peak through her porcelain skin would need a couple days to heal. Nothing some ice and makeup couldn’t handle. Yet he shrugged to wrap his mind around the fact that the fight began because of him, well, how she treated him. The truth was, on one hand he was upset with Rose hat she’d stuck her nose in their relationship when she should’ve been minding their business and doing her job, but on the other, he was almost thankful that she cared enough to call out his girlfriend in such a public setting. He wasn’t going to pick sides, but their altercation shined a light on something he should’ve been paying more attention on from the very beginning. Ignorance was bliss and he had been living in his own little fantasy. Alone.
The mechanic had been laying on top of the blankets on his side of the be when she returned from the shower, the scent of soap trailing behind her as she settled on the bed next to him. But rather than open his arms and pull her against his chest, Leo sat up and opened the plastic first-aid kit he’d brought up from her kitchen. His fingers worked to find the alcohol, antibiotic ointment for her knuckles and the bandages as he listened while she spoke. “The party would be at my house to prevent me ever having to go pick them up,” he said simply, eyes focused on the items in the first-aid kit. “My house is going to be the fun house. Just like the garage. I want everyone to feel welcomed, stop by for breakfast, lunch or dinner whenever they’re in the area and I’d throw all the best parties in town. I’ll have a pool and everything. I’ll take shots with my kids.” My house. Up until that point, Leo had aways spoken about the future as one they’d share together. Their parties, their house, their kids. But now, he didn’t know. He could feel Peyton trying to suck him back in with her sweet words and bright laughter but this time Leo wasn’t falling for it. He was so stuck on the fact that, even for a moment, she’d wanted Sebastian’s attention over his that nothing was going to make him forget. Not for a long time.
“What did they make you do in there? Is it like the movies? Did you get a jail cell and a metal can to clang against it? Was I your one phone call? Or did you call Sebastian? Actually, don’t answer that last part.” Leo picked her hand from his knee and dabbed alcohol on a piece fo cotton. “This might sting,” he warned before cleaning up the cut. Soon after he applied the antibiotic ointment and carefully wrapped her knuckles in a bandage before repeating the actions on her other hand. “Put this under your eye. The bruising doesn’t look too bad but this will help it heal faster,” he said, handing her the ice pack he’d brought up from her freezer. “I’ll go grab you something to eat then I’ll get out of your way,” Leo said, pushing himself up from the bed and making his way to the kitchen before she could argue she wasn’t hungry.
Leo didn’t want to leave. He wanted to spend the day with her, hold her while she slept and be there for her if she wanted to talk about what happened at the Graveyard with Rose. But in that moment he knew that sticking by her side regardless of everything would only solidify the idea that he wasn’t going anywhere and that she could do whatever she wanted and see whoever she wanted without any repercussions. So, after heating up some left over pasta, grabbing some water and juice, he planned to leave. And if Peyton decided to call Sebastian, or Oscar who also wasn’t Leo’s biggest fan, then he’d let her. Because maybe Rose was right and he didn’t deserve to be treated this way. Maybe the only way for Peyton to realize what she was doing to him was for him to do it to her too.
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