Saving Ella by Kirsty Dallas Page B

together bits and pieces in my shed and drop them in to the factory as I pleased. Charlie and the boys kept the place running while I was on missions and now when I am busy at Mercy’s. Then there was the money I had accumulated in the army. I hadn’t had much cause to spend my money, other than to buy the few acres of land I owned just out of town and the small but comfortable house I had built on it. The shit I did and saw in Afghanistan might give me nightmares for the rest of my life, but it certainly left me comfortably financed.
                  “You know what Mom , I love this place just as much as you do. I want to be a part of it and I can afford to pay some of the bills, and if you don’t like it then tough titties.” Mercy just stared at me. She knew I meant business when I called her mom, it was like playing the guilt card.
                  “Did you just say tough titties?” She stammered and I almost burst out laughing. Mercy was a good girl, even heck was a swear word coming out of her mouth. A small smile crept into her stubbornly pissed features.
                  “I did. So suck it up and take my money, or I’ll open my own damn shelter.” Her face broke into a full blown grin and I couldn’t help but smile back. My mom was so beautiful when she smiled.
    “So, tell me all about your Ella.” My Ella? I sighed and rubbed my stiff neck.
                  “I don’t know. She seems different, special. I feel somehow drawn to her and she seems to trust me. She has scars, she showed me.” Mercy nodded eyes solemn and understanding. Mercy was acquainted with this sort of story personally. My dad had been one A grade asshole.
                  “They’re all special Jax, and they all have scars, some are worn on their skin, some deeper. I know you feel as though you let Sarah down, but you didn’t Jax. You don’t need to use Ella to make amends with Sarah’s death. Sarah was well beyond our reach when she came to us.”
                  “For starters, none of them are beyond our reach. Secondly, I’m not using Ella to make amends. I’m just trying to do what I am meant to do and be there for her, help her, like all the women.” I hesitated a moment. “Actually, she kind of reminds me of you. I mean, not in a motherly kind of way, she’s just tiny like you. And she has so many scars, all over her arms and wrists, and god knows where else. No doubt plenty of the psychological kind too.” I knew Mercy immediately thought the same thing I did when I first saw the scar on Ella’s wrist.
                  “She didn’t try and kill herself. She was a self-harmer at some point most of her scars are faint and thin, classic self-harm cuts. But the scars on her wrist were forced. Someone gave her those scars, most likely her father. She mentioned a ‘him’. She said she didn’t try to commit suicide because she didn’t want to give him that satisfaction. Apparently she sees this as some sort of a game and she doesn’t want him to win.” Mercy considered that for a moment.             
                  “She’s confiding in you, that’s good Jax. She needs someone she can trust, someone who will do the right thing by her.” I nodded, secretly pleased that Ella might trust me enough to let me in but also noting the hidden meaning behind Mercy’s words. My relationship with Ella needed to remain professional. Ella needed that, she deserved that.
                  “I heard Selena dropped by last night.” Mercy said changing the subject and I groaned, loudly.
                  “I also heard she left pretty soon after looking pretty angry.” Mercy sighed. “Jax, the women and children who stay here don’t need your personal life played out before them like a bad soap opera.” I couldn’t agree more.
                  “I’m sorry Mercy. I didn’t