AllFreeNovel
Share Us
WILLOW
When I open my eyes,there’s an ache in my belly. I wince and groan as I clutch my stomach. The warmth of my skin clings to my fingers, and I realize I don’t have a shirt on. Just a bra.
Frowning, I sit up and lift the blanket to see I’m in my panties too. I’m half naked, and at the realization, a jarring memory hits me.
Rami taking my pants off, trying to force himself on me. The slap. The anger in his eyes as he choked me. The hopelessness.
Tears fill my eyes just as someone clears their throat, making me gasp.
Looking up, I find Caz sitting in a chair in the corner of the room. He’s dressed in all black—pants, shoes, and a T-shirt that hugs his upper body. His arms are out, muscled, with those dreadful black veins all over them. Everything about him looks refreshed but his eyes. His eyes are tired, dark bruises around them, as if he hasn’t slept in weeks. He’s leaning forward, elbows on his lap, his fingers laced together beneath his chin. His blue eyes are locked on me.
“Nothing happened to you,” he says, then sits up, dropping his hands. “Nothing ofthatnature, anyway.”
“Oh.” Relief swims through me. Something shifts to my right and Silvera pops up, her front paws on the bed.
“Oh. Hi, girl.” I rub the top of her head as she nuzzles her damp nose into me. I wonder how long she’s been here.
“She hasn’t left your side since we got here. We’ve had to bring her food because she wouldn’t leave.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
I start to stroke her back but notice my hands are shaking. The shakes are bad. I can hardly control it.
“It’s the aftereffects.” I meet Caz’s eyes again as Silvera hops down. “Della had to create some concoction to throw off the suppressant. It zaps the nerves, but it clears the suppressant out of your system. Which reminds me, you should probably go take a piss before you end up going in the bed.”
I blink at him, realizing my bladder does feel full, before attempting to climb out of the bed. As I place one foot on the ground, one of my knees buckle, but Caz is up in an instant to catch me. I cling to him as best as my shaky hands will allow and carry my gaze up to his. Our eyes connect—his cloudy, tired, and swimming with mild concern.
He breaks the connection. “This way,” he says, guiding me to the bathroom. He places me on the edge of a clawfoot bathtub then steps back, taking a look around, as if he isn’t sure what to do next.
I huff a laugh. “I think I’ve got it from here.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want you to fall.”
I smile. “I’ve got it. Thanks.”
With a quick nod, he leaves the bathroom, shutting the door behind him, and I sit for a moment, taking in the details. The walls are a shimmery black, the floors made of gray stone. Thesilver tub is in pristine condition, not a scratch or dent on it, and I’m almost certain it’s never been used. I run my hands over the silver knobs and faucet, then make use of the toilet, because I really do have to pee.
When I’ve relieved myself, I catch a figure next to me. There’s a mirror on the wall, and the figure is…me. I wobble toward the mirror, taking careful steps. My shaky fingers reach to one of my locs and I wrap it around my finger, but I can’t help noticing the reflection shows a girl I don’t know. She appears thinner, and there are bruises on her body, around her ribs and her neck. She’s been beaten and attacked, and the reminder of that brings tears to my eyes. She isn’t the Willow who landed here only days ago. She’seven morebroken now.
I close my eyes as reminders of Rami fill my brain again, and I flinch when I remember the way he slapped me. Hot tears run down the length of my cheeks, and my throat closes at the sheer reminder that I was alone in that moment.
And then it hits me about Garrett and what it will be like when I go back. The way he tries to control me, the way he grabs me, shakes me. Rami was an example of what Garrett would eventually become and feeling the wrath of it was horrifying.
I’m abused.
I’m damaged.
I’m useless.
It’s no wonder I’m so depressed.
A pair of hands take hold of my face, and I open my eyes as two thumbs stroke my tears away. I suck in a sharp breath when I see Caz standing in front of me, holding my face, stroking my wet cheeks as he studies my eyes. I try to find the words to tell him I’m fine—that this is just a misunderstanding and that I’ll be okay.
But he says, “You’re not okay.”
I look into his eyes for a long, long time, until my vision blurs and I can no longer see him, and the tears break out like a flood. My stomach is sore, and it hurts even more as I try to hold in the sobs, but the sobs are uncontrollable and they burst out, and that feels much better than fighting it.
