Page 47 of Elusive

“We’ll see. Ask.”

The corner of my mouth twitches with slight reassurance — that sounded a little more like my Hot Shot — but turns down just as fast when I start forming my question. Clearing my throat and counting to five in my head, I remind myself to be her rock, and use such wording. “Did this guy, did he touch you?”

She buries her face in my shirt and mumbles, “only with… with his body at first.” I hug around the shiver that runs through her. “He stood so close, and his breath, I knew he was drunk. When I… tried to walk away, that’s when he grabbed my arm.” She starts crying, shaking in my arms.

“Okay, it’s okay.” I rub her back. “I’m right here. You’re safe, sweet girl.”

“I know,” she sniffles. “I just, I felt…”

“Felt what? Please tell me. You can always tell me anything, Sugar. It might even make you feel better to get it out.”

With a long sigh that seems to come from her toes, she bares her soul. “Helpless. I felt absolutely helpless. My entire life, I’ve been warned about every possible situation not to put myself in. I still kick open the doors to public restrooms for Christ’s sake, but there I was, at a party I never should’ve been, cornered by a drunk guy five-times my size who could’ve done anything he wanted to me and no one would’ve heard me scream. Too much noise, drinking, chaos… no one would’ve heard. Not that I did scream. Or run. Anything. I just stood there. Played right into his hands. Played… the victim. I… I know better, dammit.”

I clutch her tight enough to break her; I need her to feel me, everywhere — I need her to know there isn’t a single part of her I can’t protect. “God, baby, I’m so sorry I left you. So fucking sorry. You did nothing wrong, and I-” no, we’ve already covered this, and I have to try and keep her moving forward. “Presley, do you know who he was?”

She shakes her head. “I wouldn’t tell you even if I did. You’re not going to prison for manslaughter over this. I’ll be fine, I just had one of my spells. It’s over, I’m not hurt, just shook-up. Let’s forget it. And Sutton, stop blaming yourself. I don’t blame you for any of this, at all. I begged you to go help. I expect you to go help when my family asks. If you want me to listen when you say it wasn’t my fault, then… then you do the same.”

I’m unsure what I should say to that, so I chose nothing. Her thought process is all over the map one minute she’s trembling, barely able to articulate her trauma, down-playing the whole thing the next. So, I merely hold her, in silence, breathing on her count.

She’s almost asleep, her body finally relaxed, when a soft knock on the door has her jolting upright as if it was a boom of thunder. “Hey, I’m right here, you’re okay.” My arms tighten around her, words of assurance kissed upon her temple. “Who is it?” I ask.

“Brynn. Can I-”

“Of course you can, Brynny. Come on in,” Presley calls out in a sleepy voice. So damn cute.

“How you doing?” She enters gradually, worry hedging her tone.

“I’m fine, come sit down. Sutton, scoot us over. You and your big ass body, I swear.”

“You know, as much as you talk about it, I’m starting to think you might like it,” I tease, lips still at her temple, then move us over as told.

“Anyway,” Brynn clears her throat. “I came to check on P, of course, happy to see she’s in good hands, but I also wanted to let you both know, Ryder and Camden have been dealt with.”

“Ryder? What’s he got to do with anything? And dealt with for what?” Presley snaps her head back and forth as she questions us.

“Crap,” Brynn mutters guiltily, biting the corners of her lip… having just realized, Presley doesn’t know what else was happening tonight — clueless as to the start of her horrifying ending.

“Um, nothing, no biggie. Forget-”

“I’m not broken, stupid, or deaf, so quit with the talking like I am. Please,” Presley tacks on a lowly grated cushion. “What’d I miss?”

Obviously not wanting to, Brynn starts filling her in, my anger spiking with every word of the reminder. Until Presley laughs that is… the beautiful, highly-unexpected sound an instant antidote.

“I’ve always liked Ryder, I’m definitely rootin’ for his spunky ass over…”

“Camden! His name is Camden! Jesus, it’s not that hard.” Brynn shakes her head while I take my turn to laugh. And then, she calms, plot brewing in her eyes. “Reminds me of that girl, you know, the one from like… his sixth-grade year, weird left eye, had the big crush on J-”

“Gretchen Holloway? What reminds you of her?”

“Nothing, Presley,” Brynn snickers, giving me a smirk that I return with a knowing, pleased wink of thanks.

Weird-eye girl from sixth grade? Spouted off her name like a spicket. But Camden? My girl cannot remember his to save her own ass. And confirmation of that fact never gets old.

“Wrong person, or bad example. Not sure where I was going with that,” Brynn covers.

“Umm, nobody is. But, at least I’m not the only one to lose their damn mind tonight, so thanks for that. Now, back to what I was saying, before the random-ass detour,” Presley’s spunk and spirit start to make a comeback. “Sounds like this night wasn’t a total wash. You go on with your sweet lil’ self, Brynny girl. Two guys fighting over you? Pretty hot. Enjoy it.”

“I’m not going to enjoy it! And I know you didn’t really mean that, just talkin’ crazy after your ordeal.”

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