I took mine off and strapped it to her wrist. She groaned at the contact.
“Okay, I gotta go,” I said.
“Call me back if you need me to come over there,” Dad said.
“I will.” I pulled the phone away from my ear.
“Wait, Leo?”
I sighed and put the phone to my ear again. “Yeah?”
“If she wants to press charges, you need to take her in to have her urine tested within seventy-two hours. If it’s even something she’s thinking about, she should go tomorrow to be safe. She could also ask for a rape kit if that’s of concern.”
My stomach rolled and I pushed that possibility from my mind.One problem at a time.
“Okay. Thanks, Dad.” I hung up the phone.
“Alright, Hawaii. This is not going to be fun, but I need you to trust me.” I pulled her against me and maneuvered us until I had her slouched against the toilet. “Are you with me, baby?”
She groaned, sounding pained. I took that as her approval because I was going to do this whether she liked it or not. Anything that could potentially get her through this faster was worth it.
Alyssa stood in the doorway with a bottle of water. “What are you going to do?”
“Go in the other room, Lys,” I said. “I’m going to makeher throw up.”
Alyssa set down the water just inside the door and disappeared. I pulled a hair tie off Sophia’s wrist and tied her hair back at the nape of her neck before opening her mouth. I made sure she was aimed at the toilet and gently pressed two of my fingers to the back of her throat until I felt her contracting around me, gagging. I pressed a little further and felt her stomach contract against my body as she heaved. I pulled my fingers out of her mouth and wrapped her hair around my fist, holding her head over the toilet as she retched.
When she was done she dropped her head onto the toilet seat. I slid a hand between her cheek and the porcelain as I flushed the toilet.
“Is she okay?” Alyssa called.
“Yes, can you bring the water closer?” I asked, not wanting to let go of Sophia out of fear that she might slump to the floor.
“Yep,” Alyssa yelled back. I heard her feet running back toward me and she picked up the bottle and tossed it to me. I caught it and opened it quickly.
“You need some water, baby,” I said, pouring it into Sophia’s mouth. She choked and sputtered as it hit her throat. “I know it’s hard, but you’ve got to drink something, Soph,” I said, wiping the sweat from her brow. “Come on, just a few swallows.”
Her throat contracted as I poured more into her mouth and she drank it down.
Alyssa looked from Sophia to me. “Is she going to be okay?”
“Yes. My dad said to get her to vomit and then flush her system with water.”
“Do you want me to help you get her into bed? I can sleep in there with her tonight.”
“Please don’t ask me to leave her,” I said, my eyes filling with the fearful tears I’d been fighting back as the panic at the thought of being kicked out of their suite took over.
Alyssa nodded. “Okay. I’ll make up the couch. We can take shifts if you want.”
She turned to leave. I didn’t argue with her but I wouldn’t be doing any shifts if that meant leaving Sophia in the hands of someone else, even her closest friend. I eased Sophia off the toilet and leaned her sideways against my chest so I could try to get her to drink some more. I held the bottle to her lips but she sputtered on more of the water than she swallowed, so I thought it best to give her a break from my fluid onslaught.
I held her against me and dropped my head against hers, finally letting the fear out as I allowed a few tears to fall. I wasn’t someone who cried very often, not because I believed in all that toxic masculinity crap—people cried, it was human—but because I’d lived a pretty privileged life and hadn’t had much to cry over in my adult years thus far. Not having the ability to do anything except hold Sophia and wait for her to get better was a feeling of helplessness I could only liken to hell on earth. I hadn’t needed tonight’s experience to realize how much I cared about the girl in my arms, but it certainly put things into perspective as I rubbed her back and begged a God I didn’t believe in to let me trade places with her. One thing was certain, I was not falling anymore. I’d already hit the ground.
I tucked Sophia intoher bed—on her side and facing me—and lay down next to her on top of the covers, kicking my shoes off. I had no intention of sleeping tonight so I pulled out my phone, preparing todistract myself, when I saw a message from Devon. I’d given him and a few other guys on the team my number a few weeks ago—something I now regretted as his name popped up on my screen.
All the rage I’d suppressed since leaving the party with Sophia in my arms came crashing back, making my pulse beat loudly in my throat.
Devon:I’m sorry about the reporter. I know she’s your friend.
