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Both of the Soldiers perk up at that, and I’m guessing from their lecherous grins that Annabelle and her girls are ladies of the night here to reward the Soldiers for capturing us.
“Well, just holler if you need anything,” the Soldier answers, turning away and I watch as they both rush down the walkway, their excitement tangible.
The Doc turns to Lark’s cage once the door shuts behind the Soldiers, and I’m sure his shoulders slump a little when he looks at her. He’s quick to walk over and unlock her door with his key, stepping inside and shutting it behind him.
“Lark, poor little bird. What have they done to you this time?” he asks himself, and I watch eagle-eyed as he steps closer to her, immediately going on his knees and with a care that seems out of place in this harsh place. He gently turns her onto her back, sucking in a harsh breath when he sees how bad she is. Moisture fills my eyes at the sight of all the bruises on her beautiful face and body.
Her whimper of pain has me rushing to the bars, and it’s then that I realize he didn’t lock the door after they dropped Knox in here. Silently, I pull it open just enough so that I can slip out, crossing the narrow walkway in seconds and reaching for her door.
“I’m trusting you not to do anything stupid, boy,” Doc says, not taking his eyes off Lark as he checks her pulse. “You can’t escape, even through the coal chute with the condition that two of your party are in, and your father is on his way and orders you to stay put.”
My heart skips a beat and I freeze, hovering in front of her door, my brows dipping. “You know my father?”
“I’ve been on the Tailor payroll for years, son, though this is the first time Rufus has allowed me into Soldier HQ. I always treated her at the house before, though this is the worst I’ve ever seen her. He doesn’t usually let them get so rough,” he tells me, keeping his eyes on his work and pressing his hands along her ribs, tutting at her cry of pain. “Two fractured, the rest badly bruised. I’ll give you some pain medication soon, Lark.” Her eyelids flutter, but aside from the tightness of her features, she doesn’t acknowledge his words.
Grabbing the door and shutting it behind me, I hurry to her side, dropping to my knees, and barely registering the pain as they hit the hard floor. I take her hand in mine, worry making my throat constrict and mouth dry at how cold her fingers are.
“A–Aeron?” Her lips barely move as she forms the word, her own brow wrinkled as the Doc checks the rest of her. She bats her lashes, and although her eyes can barely seem to focus, she looks at me and the agony in her blue depths has my jaw clenching hard enough to crack a fucking tooth.
“I’m here, Dove, and Doc is here too. He’s going to make the pain go away.” I blink furiously, trying to hold back the tears that threaten to fall every time she winces or jerks, knowing that each one means another bruise, another hurt that I didn’t keep her safe from.
“It hurts so bad, Aeron,” she whimpers, her lids fluttering, and fuck, my soul shatters at her strained words. Rages fills me until I have to take several deep breaths just to see straight again.
“I know, baby, but it’ll stop soon, I promise.” I’m a fucking liar and I loathe myself for it, for the traitorous platitudes that spill from lips.
“I’m going to examine in between your legs now, Lark, okay?” Doc advises her, his voice soothing and gentle.
“O–okay,” she stutters, turning her head towards me as Doc opens her legs. I don’t miss the slight flinch he gives as he sees the damage, and I have to count backwards from ten to stop myself from storming into the main room, finding that dead man, Dean, and watching the life fade from his eyes after he’s endured the worst pain of his life.
“Hey, Nightingale, I’m here too,” Jude tells her from her other side, and I look up to see him kneeling beside her, holding her other hand as tears track freely down his cheeks.
“J–Jude?” She doesn’t move, her eyelids now tightly screwed up, but her grip gets tighter, and a breath hisses out of her as Doc works between her beautiful thighs.
“I’m going to give you some local anesthetic while I get you stitched up, okay, Lark?” Doc questions, and she nods, making a small sound when he injects her.
“You’re being so brave, my Nightingale,” Jude tells her before he brings his head down to her ear and starts singing “Once Upon a Dream” from Cinderella.
I can feel the slight shudder as she quietly cries while Jude sings and the Doc works between her legs. I feel so fucking impotent, not at all like the future leader of the Tailors, the richest gang in the Western United States.
“All done, Lark,” Doc informs her, taking out a syringe and small glass bottle. “Here’s some morphine, just to make you comfortable tonight.” She doesn’t even wince when he injects her, and I watch as he stores the bottle, and throws the syringe in a small yellow hazard bag along with his latex gloves and several bloody pieces of gauze. Going back into his leather bag he pulls out a new packet of panties, some leggings, and a tank top, along with a box of what looks like sanitary pads, plus a packet of antibacterial wipes. “Make sure you keep it as clean as possible and change these regularly. I’ll tell your father that I need to visit every day to check for signs of infection.”
“O–okay,” she replies, her voice a husk of the rich, sexy tone it usually is.
“Will we get to come in here each day?” Jude asks as Doc gathers all of his other instruments and puts them back in his bag.
“If I can get time without the others present and it looks like we won’t be interrupted then yes,” Doc answers, and some of the tension releases from my tight muscles, leaving me feeling lighter. Doc then takes out what looks like a packet of ibuprofen, a bottle of water, and some protein bars. “Take this when the morphine wears off, Lark. I’m not sure when they’re planning on feeding you all, but here’s something to tide you over until tomorrow.”
“Thank you,” I rasp out, my throat thick at his forethought and kindness. “I’ll make sure my father knows how you helped us.”
He just nods, getting to his feet and looking at us with a deep frown. “I’m sorry, but you two will have to go back to your cell, otherwise, it’ll be my hide on the line.”
I take a deep breath before leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, on the only patch that isn’t covered in her blood.
“I’ll see you real soon, okay, Dove?” I whisper, a tear dropping from my nose onto her face.
“Uhhhmmmm,” she mumbles, the morphine clearly working its way through her system.
“Soon, Nightingale. Sweet dreams, my love,” Jude tells her, placing a kiss over mine, and together we let her go. “You don’t have a blanket in that Mary Poppins bag of yours, do you, Doc?” he asks, gesturing to the brown leather bag that Doc has picked up.
