Page 51 of Malice

“The police are almost here, sweetness. It’s almost over.” He kept his voice soft and gentle as he hugged her against him and reassured her. “We’ll talk to the police and tell them what happened. It will help that he was caught on camera taking you. I’ll stay with you. We’ll get you checked out, make sure you’re okay, then I’ll take you home. How does a long hot bath sound?” He didn’t know how he might react if he had to leave her right now, and that was before he thought about what it might do to her. Unless she wanted time to herself, he wouldn’t be leaving her, no matter what anyone said.

Several black SUV’s sporting both Gillette Police Department as well as Campbell County Sherriff decals on the doors, pulled into the yard, parking haphazardly in the open space. Beside him, Talon stood, his hands held out at his sides, fingers spread to show they were empty. Malice didn’t move. He just sat on the step, Bonnie seated sideways on his lap and held her.

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SteamrosearoundBonnieas she sat in the tub, letting her mind drift. The police had questioned her for what seemed like a lifetime, not that they’d been unkind, but they’d asked the same questions over and over. She hadn’t been sure if they suspected she wasn’t being honest or if they were just trying to make sure they had all the details. She didn’t care, she was just glad to be home and not being peppered with questions or surrounded by people who want answers.

Bonnie closed her eyes and leaned back, wishing she couldn’t still feel the ache in her hand and wrists where that zip tie thing Phillip had tied her hands with had dug into her skin. Corey had insisted that she let the EMT’s check her out on the scene and given how much her hand had hurt, she hadn’t fought him about it, and now was grateful she hadn’t. The EMT had thoroughly examined her hand, determined that her finger wasn’t broken, but dislocated. After a brief consultation and talk between her, Corey and the EMT, she’d opted to let him reduce it, since there hadn’t been time for much swelling to set in.

Then she’d been required to go into the emergency room and actually get checked out. That had been more hassle than it had been worth, except that they’d given her hand a couple of small injections and the worst of the pain from her hand had faded away. Though they’d warned her it would be back soon enough. Now though, she tried to relax and let the heat of the water soak in and calm her, but found she couldn’t just sit.

Instead, she pulled the plug, stood and after a moment, turned the water back on. She wanted to get clean then she’d find Corey and maybe with him there, she could put this past her.

And it wasn’t even that he wasn’t here. She knew he was in the cabin. He’d run the tub of water for her, helped her get undressed and into the tub then told her he would fix them something to eat and disappeared.

After adjusting the temperature to where she wanted it, Bonnie took her time scrubbing her entire body, then washing her hair, twice. Only then did she feel like she’d cleaned Phillip’s touch from her skin. Not that he’d touched her inappropriately, or more accurately, sexually. She mentally thanked Corey again for finding her before that had happened because she had no doubt he would have gotten there eventually. She’d had to answer that question for the police at least five times.

The memory of the questions and her giving her statement to the police made her shudder. She stood under the spray until the water turned cold, leaving her shivering as she shut off the water and slid back the curtain.

She’d wrapped one towel around her hair and just tucked the second around her body and was stepping from the tub when the bathroom door opened.

“Is everything okay?” Corey asked, looking worried.

“I’m fine. I just decided I wanted a shower more than a bath. What did you decide on for dinner?” The pickings would be slim, they didn’t have a lot of food in the house, but dinner at the main house was way past over and she didn’t feel like going back into town for something else to cook.

“I didn’t have to cook. London brought us a pot with stew and a loaf of bread. I’ve just been heating it up for whenever you were ready.”

“Stew sounds amazing. Give me a couple of minutes to put something on and I’ll be right there.”

“Take your time. Are you starving or do you want to let me brush your hair first?” Corey brushed a gentle hand across her bare shoulder.

“No brush, not because I’m that hungry but I don’t brush it while it’s wet. I’ll let you comb it though, after I’m dressed.

“You got it. Want me to come into the bedroom, or you want to do it in the living room?”

“I’ll bring my comb int the living room, if you’re sure the delay won’t spoil dinner?”

“It will be fine.”

“Thanks.” She started to step past him but the gentle brush of his thumb across her cheek stopped her.

“Want me to get you an ice pack for this?” Corey’s voice was gentle, as if he was afraid a normal tone would scare her.

“No.” She gave him a thin smile. “The only part that hurts right now is this.” She brushed the cut at the corner of her mouth with the tip of her tongue. “I’ll put some ointment on it, and it will heal in a couple of days. In the meantime, I’ll just have to be careful not to open too wide. And I’m sure my hand will hurt more later, but the meds from the emergency room haven’t worn off yet.” She looked past him at her reflection in the mirror, wincing at how purple her cheek had turned. Guess that’s what happened with repeated blows in one place.

Continuing out of the bathroom, she went into the bedroom pulled on a pair of sweatpants and after a moment’s hesitation, grabbed one of Corey’s t-shirts and pulled it over her head. It was too big, but it smelled like him and that made her feel better. She pulled the towel from her hair and hung them both up in the bathroom, took a moment to spray in the leave in conditioner on her hair, then carried her comb into the living room where Corey waited for her.

After he’d combed the tangles from her hair, she moved to the bar where he handed her a bowl filled with stew.

“You want butter on your bread?” Corey asked.

Bonnie blinked and looked over at him, paying attention to what he was doing for the first time since they’d come to the kitchen. She tilted her head as she watched him cut a slice off a loaf of homemade bread.

“You didn’t tell me it was fresh bread. I wouldn’t have waited if I’d known that. Is it still warm?”

“Yes, and I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would matter.”

Bonnie fought the urge to roll her eyes at what men did and didn’t know. “Yes, I want butter on it. And I’ll want a second slice, so you might as well cut it now.” She watched as he cut the bread, both hers and two slices for him, then buttered it and put it on a paper towel then joined her with his own bowl of stew.

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