Page 76 of The Lies We Believe

Heat pricked the back of my eyes, but before I could answer, Bane spoke up and came to my rescue.

“I do, or I can grab him a pad and pen.” He turns to me. “Whatever you’d prefer, angel.” God, my heart couldn’t take his sweetness, not when he blinked those wide puppy-like eyes at me. I held my hand out for his phone, and with a blinding smile, he set it in my hand.

It’s about a 7. My back is throbbing like a bitch and feels like it’s stuck to the sheet, and my throat feels like it’s closed up.

What I didn’t tell her was that my head was pounding so badly the vision in my one good eye kept going black, and there was a high likelihood I was about to vomit everywhere. Sweat slicked my skin, and droplets dripped down the back of my neck.

“I’m not surprised. You’ve been through a lot. Dr. Miller is working his way up the ward. You should be next. I’ve justchanged over your fluids and IV antibiotics. You’re not due any more pain meds for a couple of hours, but I’ll have a quick word with him and see if I can give you a top up after he’s been to see you. Then you can get some rest.” She turned to Bane. “You should go home, have something to eat, take a shower, maybe get some sleep. The doctor is going to want to have a sensitive conversation with River, so it might be best to give him some privacy.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Bane bit out. He pushed the chair back and rose to his full intimidating height. “I’ll be here right by River’s side until he tells me he doesn’t want me anymore,” he leaned over the bed and eyed the tag on her uniform, “Jenna. If it’s all the same with you.”

Suitably chastised, Jenna shut her mouth with a snap, turned on her heel, and left the room. My head tipped back so I could look up at Bane, fighting the smile that wanted to lift my lips. I loved this possessive side of him, long may it continue.

That wasn’t very nice.

Looking down at the screen, Bane snorted. “She was trying to get rid of me.” He shook his head and squeezed my hand, brushing his thumb over my knuckles. “I’m not leaving you, not again. Unless you order me away.” I sucked in a sharp breath and welcomed the burning pain. “I want to be here to support you, no matter what the doctor wants to talk to you about. It’s standard procedure for people who have gone through what you have.”

How do you know? How does that make you feel?

“What do you mean, angel?” He sighed and settled back into the chair after placing a reverent kiss on my forehead.

To know that I was raped and beaten. Used and…

I guess left for dead.

But clearly those idiots didn’t do that part right, because I’m here. Right?

Bane’s eyes grew glassy. There was a hollowness in the shadows that haunted them. I wouldn’t sugarcoat reality for him. If we were going to get through this, we had to face the truth in all its brutal rawness. I couldn’t remember everything. I was certain they’d given me some type of drug that, coupled with the blows to the head I’d sustained, made my memory patchy. There were signs they’d violated me, like the dried cum between my cheeks, but most of it was a blur.

I’ll consent to anything if it means they finally get what’s coming to them.

“They? You know who it was?” Bane said with a voraciousness that shocked me. He was normally so sweet and tender, a trait that seemed at odds with his bulging muscles and stature. I knew I was stereotyping him, but god, the things this man did to me.

Yes. They taunted me about how good it would be to fuck me as I took my last breath and all the things they’d do to the body I left behind.

“You never told me.” Hurt laced every word as Bane pulled his hand away from mine, folding his arms tightly over hischest. He leaned back in the chair, his expression sharp with accusation. “I thought you told me everything.”

Tears welled in my good eye, and I tucked my chin against my chest, the tears spilling as I cried. Each sob felt like it was splitting me open, the pain radiating through my battered body, but not as much as the pain in my heart. I’d tried to protect, but in doing so, ended up hurting him more. By hiding the truth, I had betrayed the trust he’d so willingly offered me. Couldn’t he see? I was a cancer, slowly killing him.

Summoning every last scrap of strength, I met Bane’s beautifully broken eyes. His gaze was heavy with layers of pain and suffering—pain I had caused. “I...I’m sorry,” I rasped. “I...I…w-was...tr...try...in...t-t…” My hand clutched my throat, a futile attempt to steady the broken pieces. “To...pr...pro...tect...y-you.”

“Why, Riv? Why?” His voice cracked with anguish. “All I’ve ever wanted is to be here for you. To help you find yourself and heal. To fight back the monsters that haunt your dreams. To show you how loved you are.”

He sniffed hard, trying to keep his composure, but I couldn’t hold on any longer. My eyes fluttered shut as the room began spinning, tilting wildly, and a flashing white light drowned my vision. Waves of heat coursed through me, and my stomach churned violently, the nausea rising until it reached my throat. I retched, blindly reaching out for Bane, my last anchor.

“Shit! Riv, hang on.” His chair scraped loudly across the floor as he sprang to his feet. My hand clamped uselessly over my mouth, trying to stop the inevitable. Vomit trickled through my fingers as Bane moved quickly. “Here.” The rough texture of cardboard brushed under my chin just in time for another wave to erupt from my mouth.

Of course, it had to be right then that Dr. Miller walked into the room. He didn’t miss a beat, though. He smoothly replaced whatever Bane had hastily shoved under my chinand administered anti-sickness medication. The violent tremors eased, and the searing light in my head dimmed as the doctor added a stronger painkiller to my rotation.

I looked at Bane, searching his reaction for the expected horror and disgust. Instead, all I found was unwavering support and understanding. He didn’t flinch or falter. He questioned Dr. Miller at every step, advocating for me as I struggled to trust the medications and battled the paranoid fear that someone was trying to harm or poison me.

Dr. Miller confirmed I had needed multiple stitches to close the deep lacerations across my back and the tears to my rectum. He spoke about my treatment plan and how long they wanted to keep me under observation because of the nasty concussion I’d also received. Having more than one in such a short period of time meant I was more at risk of things going wrong, so they were paying close attention and I needed to answer honestly when questioned about my symptoms.

Once everything had calmed down and the storm in the room quieted, Dr. Miller perched on the edge of my bed. He explained the remaining exams they needed to perform and gently brought up the rape kit. If I consented, he said, they could share the results with the police to help ensure my attackers’ conviction.

With Bane holding my hand, I lied as still as possible while swabs and samples were taken. When I asked, Dr. Miller confirmed that the stitches were dissolvable and would be gone within a couple of weeks. I’d suffered similar injuries before, but I’d never been treated with this kind of care.

Through it all, Bane never wavered. He stood beside me, unflinching in the face of cold, brutal facts. He didn’t look at me with disgust or pity. Instead, he held me with his eyes full of love and empathy, anchoring me in a storm I might not have survived without him. By the time they left us to our own devices, thepainkillers were finally starting to dull the pain, making me drowsy.

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