I. Was. Raped.
My stomach begins churning and I look at Cruz and say, “I’m going to be sick.”
For whatever reason, he has one of those puke bag things I’ve seen at the doctor’s office before, and he quickly opens it and hands it to me. He never once flinches as I empty the contents of my stomach until I’m dry heaving. I watch him slip on a pair of gloves and once I’m done, he competently seals it then places it in a separate clear bag. Who is this guy? I’m thinking despite the hell behind this whole thing it’s a good thing he’s my neighbor.
“Let’s get you to the hospital, sweetheart,” he murmurs as he places his hand close to my lower back, but he doesn’t actually touch me. “I’ll turn this stuff in when the SANE nurse comes in. The vomit may give them an idea as to what you were drugged with, which is why we’re bringing that along. Do you want me to call Jolie to come and be with you?”
Panic fills my eyes and I start shaking violently. “No, no I don’t want her to know just yet, Cruz.”
“Okay, but if you change your mind, all you have to do is say so. It might be easier with her there since y’all are close friends, instead of having a virtual stranger with you,” he replies.
“I think you’ll be far more objective,” I admit as he helps me into his truck. “Jolie will focus on what needs to be done on my behalf of course, but this is going to upset her and I’m barely holding onto my own emotions as it is, I won’t be able to do that if she’s there and breaks down.”
“As you wish,” he says, making sure I’m buckled, and the door is securely closed before he heads to the driver’s side.
The trip to the hospital is made in silence. I don’t know what he’s thinking about, but my own thoughts are circling around the fact that my life as I know it is now over. How can I ever trust another man? I thought Clark was harmless and knowing that he violated meandhad called friends to come over? Yeah, I think I’ll become a hermit. It’s safer that way and not only that, but I can get anything I want delivered directly to my doorstep with just a click of a button.
