Page 49 of Crime Lord’s Captive

She recognized Vinny’s voice, but she couldn’t look up and tell him she was all right because she wasn’t sure. Gavin spoke and she recognized Blade’s voice as well. There was a flurry of activity around her, but she blocked it out. Gavin ducked and then a car door slammed. Gavin eased his hold to cut through the ties on her wrists and ankles. Her limbs were numb from being in one position for so long. Lyla wasn’t aware she was crying until Gavin spoke.

“Shh, Lyla, you’re safe,” he said, voice gruff.

Lyla grabbed fistfuls of his ruined suit and shook her head. She couldn’t talk, couldn’t begin to tell him what happened. He didn’t ask. Her body hurt, but what scared her the most was the throbbing between her legs. How far did pervert go before Gavin arrived? How many times did he fuck her? What did he do to her? A sob escaped and then another until she was crying as she’d never cried before in her life. She pounded Gavin's chest with her fists until she was exhausted and slumped against him. Gavin didn’t say a word.

When the car stopped, he carried her outside. The cold night air made her very aware of the fact that Gavin’s jacket concealed her nakedness. The tattered strips of her dress clung to her legs wet with blood. Lyla hiccuped against Gavin’s chest and fought the need to vomit again. She felt so dirty, so violated. Gavin hurried somewhere, never easing his hold on her, never letting her feel for one moment that she was alone. More voices, hushed and concerned and then the sound of running water. Lyla heard a hollow echo as he stepped into a shower stall. Gavin let her feet touch the tiles. She hissed as feeling returned to her arms and legs with a vengeance. Her limbs quaked, unable to handle her weight. When Gavin tried to tug the jacket off she yelled unintelligibly, desperate to hold onto anything that would cover her. With an arm around her waist to hold her up, Gavin stripped off his clothes.

The spray bounced off them and tinged the glass stall with red droplets. Lyla gagged. Gavin turned her sideways so she could puke, but he didn’t let her go. He shampooed her hair. Lyla couldn’t stop shaking or look at him. Her mind was locked in a blank state that she didn’t try to fight. She slumped against Gavin and watched the water wash him clean. He carried her from the shower to the bath tub, which was filled with steaming water and climbed in with her. He wrapped her close and rested his forehead against the back of her head. The heat didn’t penetrate and the bright lights in the bathroom made her feel exposed after the darkness in that hell hole. She couldn’t stop shaking.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Lyla. Can you forgive me?” he whispered.

Lyla swallowed hard. Tears slid down her face. Lyla hugged the jacket to her and pushed at the hands around her waist. She needed to be alone. She didn’t want to beheld. Gavin’s arms tightened for a moment before they fell away. They sat like that until she scooted forward so they weren’t touching. Gavin left the tub. The water level dropped and she sank deeper into the water. She heard the rustle of clothes and then dropped her head forward when the bathroom door closed.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there when the door opened again. She tensed as a woman Lyla had never seen before knelt beside the tub. She had long white hair twisted into a french twist. The stranger smiled kindly at her.

“Hi, Lyla, I’m a doctor. I want to have a look at you,” she said.

“I-I’m fine,” Lyla replied through chattering teeth.

“I was told you went through something traumatic. I know you’re cold. Mr. Pyre gave me pajamas for you.” She held up a pair of sweat pants and anover-sizedsweater. “You can have these.”

Lyla wanted the clothes, but didn’t want to leave the safety of the tub.

“That jacket is stained. You want to wear something clean, don’t you?”

Lyla shuddered and then nodded.

“Are you in pain?” the doctor continued.

Lyla nodded, staring straight ahead. Her head throbbed and she felt seasick, stomach pitching and rolling even though she was sitting completely still.

“I can give you something for the pain, but I want to examine you first.”

Silent tears slipped down Lyla’s cheeks. A gentle, cool hand brushed over her hair.

“I can help you, Lyla.”

Lyla swallowed hard and slowly released her death grip on the jacket. She parted it and began to sob. The doctor spoke soothingly as Lyla allowed the jacket sink to the bottom of the tub. She slipped the tiny strips of her dress off her shoulder and that too pooled around her.

“Can you stand?” the doctor asked.

Lyla gripped the side of the tub and pushed. It took a moment for her legs to steady, for her head to stop spinning. The doctor immediately engulfed her in a towel, which she buried her face in. The doctor helped her out of the tub and sat her on the seat in front of the vanity.

“I’m going to give you a quick exam, okay? Then we can get you into your clothes,” the doctor said.

Lyla nodded and got a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her face was bloodless. Her eyes shone with glassy horror. Lyla looked away and felt faint when the doctor brushed her hand over her head.

“You have several bumps on your head.”

The doctor’s calm, clinical tone kept Lyla from losing her mind. The doctor knelt in front of Lyla and slowly opened the robe.

“I just want to make sure you’re okay. We don’t want any scratches or cuts to get infected.”

Remembering the pervert’s dirty hands in her, Lyla jolted. The doctor spoke quickly and firmly, stroking Lyla’s rigid back.

“We want to make sure there’s no repercussions, yes?”

Lyla nodded and closed her eyes. She opened the robe and felt the doctor’s hands move quickly and efficiently over her body. A steady stream of tears slipped down her face.

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