Her words ring as a lie. I back away. “Do you not like what you see?” she asks me as the shirt falls from her body. Perfection. She’s utter perfection. My mouth waters as my eyes catch her bare little pussy. I know she’s turned on because I can smell her need.
I can’t do this. She’s not eighteen yet. This is wrong. I tell myself one more time and pick up the shirt. “Put this back on. You ... Me ...” My words catch in my throat as she turns away from me, grabbing for the pizza boxes.
At first I catch her shapely ass, but it’s the wounds and scars riddling her back in odd patterns that I can’t stop staring at. Some of them are older and some are new.What the fuck?
Before she gets two steps, I stop her with my hand on her upper left arm. “Who the fuck hurt you?” I demand as I turn her back around to face me. She turns so white, I’m worried she might faint.
She pulls away from me, puts the shirt, on and takes off running with tears in her eyes. I run after her and catch her right as she tries to shut the bedroom door in my face. Pushing the door open, it knocks her off balance, and I grab for her. I never expected this reaction from her. She drops to the floor and shields herself. Oh God. It makes a pit in my stomach, catching me off guard.
“Maddie.” My voice wobbles. Fuck, this is bad.
“I’m sorry, please don’t hit me. I’m so sorry.” She blubbers and my heart breaks into a hundred pieces as she begs me not to hit her.
I get on my knees so that I’m face-to-face with her. Without hesitation, I carefully pull her into a hug. “Tell me, who did this, sweet angel?”
With a soft hand, I stroke her hair, trying to calm her down. “No one. It doesn’t matter. I’m sorry for being such a brat.”
Her words strike a nerve in me. Her kissing me is not her being a brat. “The fuck it doesn’t matter. Who hurt you?”
I can’t stand when she flinches away from me. I realize how harsh my tone is, and I pull her back to me gently, almost afraid I will hurt her. I notice that full bottom lip is quivering, and she averts her eyes from me.
Taking a deep breath, I count to five to calm myself. I place my hand on her chin and smile as I try to reassure her. Keeping my tone soft, I whisper, “Tell me sweet angel.”
I get up and help her stand. The floor is not suitable for this girl. With a gentle hand, I guide her to the bed and pull her into my arms. We are atop the covers. She curls herself around me, and I almost laugh. She’s like a tiny panda trying to get closer to me.
“Shh, you are safe. You are such a good, sweet angel. Tell me who did this.” I stroke her hair, nice and slow. My lips find her forehead and linger on her silky skin. The tremble running through her has me scared. It’s violent as I continue to soothe her by stroking her hair and repeating how safe she is with me.
“You won’t believe me.” There’s a shake to her voice. It kills me to know she thinks I won’t accept whatever it is she has to tell me. I think of a million different scenarios as I wait for her to answer. The idea someone could hurt this sweet angel is beyond me.
I’m scared at how violent the trembling gets within her. I console her once more, letting her know I’m here for her.
“Tell me.” I stroke her hair as I hold her as close as I can. I want to punch the shit out of whoever did this to my girl.
Maddie lifts her head from me, and I instantly feel the loss of her heat on my chest. Unshed tears well in her eyes. She doesn’t cry, though. No, my tough angel sniffles and looks me dead in the eyes. I think her voice is going to come out strong, but it doesn’t. It’s nothing but a whisper. “Donnie and my father.”
She buries her head in my neck and I freeze, shell-shocked.What the hell?As gently as I can, I pull her face up. I need to look into her eyes to clarify I heard her right. There’s honesty written all over her face.
“How long has this been going on?”
“Since Mom died three years ago.”
“Why didn’t you say anything, Maddie?” I try to find a reason in her eyes. But she’s guarded, and I don’t blame her.
She huffs and shakes her head in denial. “Yeah right. Like you’d really believe me. Besides, had I told you and you’d mentioned anything, they would have beaten the shit out of me.”
Can she honestly believe that? Does she think for one second I’m not on her side?
“The fuck they will! Your wounds are no joke, Maddie. They may be healing, but some look bad. We need to get you to a doctor.”
“No, it’s alright. I’ll just cover up.” I can hear the shame in her words. “They are nothing new. It’ll take a week or two and then they will be scars.” I swear I hear her mutter, “Like all the other times.”
I stare when she looks down. She’s beaten down, and it kills me. But things are starting to come together.Fuck.My best friend and her father are hurting her. God, are they … I blanch at the thought. It makes me sick.
“Maddie, angel, look me in the eye and tell me, are they sexually hurting you, baby?”
The mother fuckers will die if they are. I push a strand of hair out of her face and smile reassuringly at her.
“No.”
