Page 32 of Simply You & Me

I have no idea what the hell is happening, and if I don't know what's wrong, how the hell am I supposed to help my girl?!

Adelyn screws her eyes shut, tears popping through with every frantic breath she takes. She shakes her head like she's trying to dislodge something unwanted from her mind. Her brown ponytail doesn't allow her to hide from me, and what I see on her face makes me snap. My baser instincts kick in. I bend, tucking my arm behind her knees, and scoop her off the ground.

A soul rattling sob makes my ears ring, and my mind goes blank aside from the necessities. Her pure torment wraps around us suffocatingly.

Make sure Addie's comfortable. Check to see if she's hurt. Wrap her in a blanket. Make my dolly drink water.

Behind me, Julian begs for answers while Wyatt follows, hot on my heels. Tate’s been quiet, and a sudden need to make sure he's okay is tacked onto my list.

Make sure Tate's okay. Check to see if he's triggered. Wrap Wyatt around him. Make my boy focus on his five senses.

Addie's breath wooshes across my neck as I set her on the kitchen island. The couch will come soon, but I need light and space to check her over first. "I need..." Her broken plea trails off with a wobble of her bottom lip.

"What do you need, Doll? Tell me what's wrong." I can feel my body vibrating between her spread legs, but it's nothing on the way her body trembles beneath me.

Gripping her chin when she doesn't respond to me, her eyes finally pop open with a wild look that punches me in the chest. Ripping out of my hold, her head whips back and forth like she's trying to find something. Looking around us as well, I see Wyatt staring on with wide eyes, Tate's shaking and looks like he's on the verge of tears, while Julian has his hands up in surrender and whispering words my ears are drowning out.

Since she's not actively trying to get off the counter or push me away, I listen to her broken ramblings and start my pursuit for injuries. My hands shake as I trail my fingers across her neck and down her shoulders, taking in every minor detail. Random jerks of her dainty body set me on edge, but I don't stop. If I can just find a?—

"Addie..." I breathe, shock strangling my throat. The shaking of my hands increases as I hover over the rapidly growing blood stain on her jeans. My panic reaches hers at an unfathomable height. "Addie," I try again. My dolly is fucking hurt!

Wiggling on the counter, my hands grip her hips in a firm hold. My earlier worries about touching her are completely gone. She whimpers again, making Wyatt step forward. "What is it?" His voice wobbles with uncertainty and fear.

From how I'm crowding her, it's no wonder the guys haven't noticed the blood between us. "Wyatt, get the first aid kit. NOW!"

Blood drains from his face, yet he still questions me. "What do you?—"

"NOW!" My loud command scares the shit out of the woman in my arms, so much so that she shoves me away. The combined torrent of emotions in the kitchen is ripping my nerves to fucking shreds.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Her voice is soft and vulnerable as her lips wobble and tears drip from her jaw. My shout must have pulled her out of whatever hell she was trapped in. Shadows blacken her eyes still, telling me that even though she's snapped out of it, my dolly is fucking suffering still.

I step into her space once again, a hard set to my jaw. The fear and horror of seeing so much blood on her thigh is hard to bottle up, but the need to fix it overrides my emotions. My woman is hurt and bleeding in my home… again.

"Addie, I need you to take your pants off."

Julian chokes. "Zach, what the fuck!?"

I point to her thigh. "She's fucking bleeding!" I snap and ignore the gasps around me. Addie's body stiffens, so I soften my voice for her. "Please, Dolly. Pants off. I need to see how bad it is."

She's shaking her head like it's an option. "No. I-I'm okay. It's j-just a scratch." Her teeth chatter around her hesitant words.

"Here." Wyatt drops the first aid kit on the counter beside her hip and halts in his tracks before stepping away again. "Holy fuck," he whispers, eyes on her leg.

I growl. "Last chance, Doll. You either take them off, or I will." I don't fucking care if I sound like a heartless bastard. She's bleeding far too much for anyone to ignore.

I reach for the buttons of her jeans, but she quickly bats my hands away. "No! Stop, Zach. P-please." I growl, but she's quick to drown me out. "I can do it. I'll go to the bathroom and clean up, I p-promise. I'm fine."

Opening my mouth to unleash my argument, I'm caught off guard when Tate takes control. "Please, Lynnie. You're safe with us, remember?"

"But you'll be mad at me!" Addie gulps, her shoulders curl in on herself. There's no way in fuck I'm letting this go. She's bled in my home before, and we let it go. Not this time. "Please, don't make me," she whispers, pleading with Tate to hear her.

I watch as Tate's watery gaze flicks to her thigh before returning to the safety of her face. He swallows and closes the space between them. "Look at me, Lynnie." A tear falls from his lashes as he allows this woman to see his trauma. "I'm scared too, but I'm still here. I'm safe, just like you are, and I know my guys will take care of me. I need you to let them care for you now, too. You aren't alone in your fear. Look at them."

Releasing a shaky breath, she studies each of us. Julian doesn't hide his labored breathing or the frown marring his features. Wyatt allows her to see his wild black eyes and parted lips. When her gaze trails over my body, I don't unclench my fists or mask the burning need to help her.

Tate swipes a tear off her cheek. "See? We're all scared. You aren't alone, Lynnie. Helping you will help us. You're safe," he repeats.

With a shuddering puff of air, Dolly gulps and averts eye contact. "O-okay. Just… please don't..." she trails off, her poor lip chapping with each nibble she takes.

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