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Sammy nodded. “I’m an open book, pet.”
I inched closer to him, needing his strength to get through this next little bit because if I knew Sammy at all, he wasn’t going to react well to what I was about to tell him.
His hand that was resting on top of mine, squeezed.
Blowing out another slow breath, I continued. “The guys knew Aaron. They were in his crew. They were the ones who had hit on me that he did nothing about. They were egging him on, saying shit and Aaron being the man he was, let his temper get in the way. I tried stopping him. I tried preventing it from going further but they were bigger than him and the one had him on the ground and the second guy…he…attacked me.”
“Fuck,” Sammy growled.
“I never experienced pain like that before. The guys took turns, using every inch of me. They beat me and…” Tears streamed down my cheeks. “They knew I was pregnant because Aaron had been gloating about it. There was a third guy who used me last, but I didn’t get a good look at him. They took turns kicking me in the stomach. I don’t remember much after that. But I watched Aaron die. He saw the whole thing. He was on the ground, dying, while the men he thought he knew, raped and beat his wife, and killed his unborn baby.”
***
(Sammy)
I had seen shit. I had seen men treat women like they were nothing but mere objects but never once in my life, did I see or hear something as horrible as what Amber was telling me.
Something inside of me snapped. I pulled away from her and slid out from under the covers. Leaving the safety of her warmth, I went to my cut and grabbed my pack of smokes. Sticking one in my mouth, I pulled on my jeans.
“Sam.”
“I need a smoke.” That much was obvious. Going to the window, I pushed it open and lit up the much-needed therapy between my lips. After a deep inhale, I blew the smoke out the window. Staring outside, I wasn’t even sure what I was looking for. Something I could hit. Someone I could beat. Someone I could kill.
A warm body suddenly wrapped around me.
Without even looking down at Amber, I slid my arm around her shoulders, holding her tight. I didn’t know what to say after what she told me. I had so many questions, but I knew that my words would come out rough. Accusatory. Not at her. It wasn’t her fault. But the shit I wanted to say about her late husband would be far from nice.
“What happened after that?” I heard myself ask.
“Another SUV showed up. I thought it was the same guys and that they wanted to finish me off or take me somewhere, but it wasn’t. I vaguely remember crawling to Aaron. He…he said something to me before he died.” Amber released me and moved in front of me. She was wearing my hoodie and if it were any other time, I would have slid my hands up her bare legs until I reached what laid beneath it. I would check to see what else she was wearing. But this was not the right time. “He…he told me he was sorry and then I watched the life leave him.” Her jaw clenched but much to my surprise, no other emotion displayed on her face.
“You were pissed,” I ground out. “Weren’t you?”
“Yes.” Her eyes shot to mine, hard and determined. “I was pissed because he never gave me a chance to divorce him. I was pissed that he brought on the attack. He knew those men wanted me, but he laughed it off and said they were only playing. But I’m not stupid and it wasn’t me being paranoid. It was a feeling. And that feeling was right. I was pissed because Aaron apologized. He wasn’t supposed to apologize. He was supposed to die not saying anything at all so I could stay mad at him, but instead he made me feel guilty. Guilty, Sammy. I felt guilty. Even after all the shit he had done to me. I still feel guilty for wanting to leave him.” She hugged her arms around herself. “I hate him.”
“Come with me.” I walked past her and left her bedroom. Making my way out to her balcony, I didn’t wait for her to follow because I knew she would. There was something she needed. I was sure alcohol would make her feel better even if it was just for a little bit, but she obviously couldn’t have a drink for the next several months. So, we would have to improvise.
“Sammy, what are you doing?” she asked, following me out onto the balcony.
“Who saved you?” I asked instead, walking to the patio set and sitting. I pulled her into my arms and lowered her to my lap.
“There were three guys in that SUV. I think there were three anyway. I can’t remember much but I do remember seeing one of them. He looked like Spencer Reid fromCriminal Minds. Have you seen that show? I remember telling him that before I passed out. The next thing I knew, I woke up in a hospital, surrounded by police and hospital staff. It was awful but I was alive.”
As she spoke her truths, I couldn’t help but focus on one specific thing she said. “The guy who looked like Spencer from that show…”
She frowned. “Yeah? What about him?”
“Did you happen to get his name?”
“No.” Her frown deepened. “I wish I could see them again, so I can thank them.”
I didn’t know this guy she was talking about who was almost like a twin to that actor, but I remembered Piper mentioning something briefly about it.
“What happened with Aaron’s body?” I asked Amber gently, running my hand up and down her arm while I smoked the fuck out of that cigarette. I was careful not to let the smoke hit her directly and finished it fast before butting it out in the ashtray Amber had purchased for me.
“Tiny told me that they called him up and he came to collect Aaron, but with everything that’s happened, I don’t know what to believe. I haven’t really thought about it until now. Especially since Will seems to be trying to get something from me, even though I don’t know what exactly he wants.”
“He wants to fuck you, Amber. He probably wants more than that too, but he definitely wants sex, your body, your fucking soul.” And it pissed me off. No, it left me furious and filled with rage. It was a deep-seated anger I had never felt before.
