Page 56 of Ensnared By Silence
I peeked up and saw him kneeling next to me, blood on his swollen knuckles, and my brother, James, standing behind him with cold green fire burning in his eyes. His gaze was locked on me and I lifted my head. Both men hissed, and I brought my hand up to cover my cheek as Hayden slowly offered me his hand.
“Let me take you upstairs,” Hayden requested, and I extended my trembling hand to him. He helped me stand as I gripped my ripped shirt closed, trying to cover what modesty I still had.
A scuffle sounded behind me and muffled words erupted in anger from Tucker as Hayden helped me slowly walk up the stairs. I didn’t want to see Tucker, and with each step, the adrenaline wore off a little more, leaving an overwhelming humiliation that threatened to drown me. I stopped halfway up the stairs as Tucker’s muffled cries were muted behind the closing of the front door.
My vision grew hazy from the steady flow of tears, and I felt Hayden place his hand on my lower back. Gripping the handrail, I struggled to maintain my composure, and Hayden, sensing my breakdown, scooped me into his arms, and carried me up the remaining stairs and down the small hallway. I wrapped my arms around his neck and let the tears flow freely as he brought me into his bedroom.
With delicate movements, he placed me on the edge of the bed, and I cried against his chest as he kneeled on the floor in front of me. He wrapped his arms around me, and I heard him whisper through a broken voice, “I should have been here. This is all my fault.”
I looked up at him through watery eyes and replied, “I-it’s not your f-fault. You s-saved m-me.”
“Where . . . where are you hurt?” he asked, and I could see the sadness and rage in his beautiful amber eyes as he surveyed the damage.
“My eye,” I answered, and he brushed his thumb across my cheek. I leaned into his touch as the tears slowed. Swallowing, I felt the pain in my throat and brought my hand up to where Tucker gripped me. His gaze flicked to my neck and he clenched his jaw. I hid the worst of the pain behind my clenched-hand holding my shirt closed. “My breast,” I whispered, and a sniffle broke free.
“I . . . I need to see how bad it is. Can you show it to me?” he asked, his voice calm and soothing on the surface, with barely contained rage simmering underneath.
I could feel the throbbing in my breast, and even though he didn’t break the skin, I was going to be bruised and tender for days, maybe weeks. I didn’t want to show Hayden, but I couldn’t keep it from him. Slowly, I opened the front of my torn shirt and slid the cup of my plain white bra to the side as I lowered my head away from him.
Muffled grumbles came from him, and I quickly pulled my bra down and closed my shirt, embarrassed by what he saw. I couldn’t meet his gaze and I felt his hand caressing my cheek softly.
I looked at him and saw his watery gaze meet mine as he whispered, “I’m so sorry. Do you need me to take you to the hospital?”
I shook my head and replied, “I’d like to take a shower.”
Hayden helped me from the bed, keeping his hand in mine as he walked me to the bathroom. He sat me on the toilet before he turned on the shower and adjusted the temperature. I felt myself rocking back and forth, lost in the memory of Tucker’s fist connecting with my face and the all-encompassing fear he was going to rape me again.
Hayden squatted in front of me and asked, “Do you need any help?”
“I’ve got it. Thank you.” My words were whispered, and he lifted my hand from my lap, placing a soft kiss on the back.
I stood, and he looked at me sadly before walking to the bathroom door. “I’m going to leave you some clothes on the bed. I . . . I need to talk to James and Devlin. Will you be okay for a few minutes?”
“I’ll be fine,” I replied with a dull tone to my voice, and he pinched his lips before he pulled the door closed, leaving me alone in his enormous bathroom.
The warm water felt amazing on my sore muscles and when I placed my head under the spray, I felt the pain in my cheek intensify. Grabbing the small mirror from the shower caddy in the corner, I inspected my face and saw a black and purple bruise forming on my left cheek and under my eye.
I didn’t want to see any more, and I turned into the spray, letting the water wash away the tears that flowed as I let the raw pain overtake me. For a moment. I felt sorry for myself and as the pain intensified, so did my anger. I vowed years ago to make them pay. Learning of the lengths my brother went to protect and avenge Amaya and her sister, Natalia, last year, I let the rage build, knowing Hayden, my brothers, and Skid would make him pay.
