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I blink my eyes open when a door opens, a cold breeze cooling my body. I shiver.
Doors open and close behind us and light footsteps follow, but I don’t bother looking up to see who it is.
“Can you give us a minute?” Cole rumbles, his voice deep and dangerous but still polite.
“I’ll wait out here,” Mum says gently, and I feel her stare on the side of my face.
I don’t know how Cole knew what I needed, but I’m so grateful to him in that moment. I just need time, time alone to think all this over. I’m not ready to hear anything else, not at the risk of losing more of my soul in the process. I feel betrayed by everyone.
“Who gave you the black eye, Low?” Cole asks me as he places me down on his bed. The comfort I didn’t get from my own bed seeps in, and I snuggle into his pillow, beginning to feel attached to his scent.
“Alec,” I deliver softly.
“The boyfriend?” he grits out.
“Not anymore,” I amend, feeling sick to my stomach. I’ve literally been walking around blind, not seeing people for who they really are. “Why is all this happening to me?”
“I don’t know, Low, but I promise, nothing and no one will ever touch you again,” he affirms, sounding dead serious.
“You can’t promise that,” I tell him, feeling empty and really tired, my eyes drooping.
“Wow, dude, who’s the hot MILF in the living room?” CJ whistles, entering the bedroom. He takes one look at me and pales, but I close my eyes once again, finally feeling safe enough to do so.
Sensing I’m ready to collapse, Cole shushes CJ. “I’ll be back soon,” he breathes, his breath blowing across my cheek as he gently moves a strand of hair out of my face.
“What the fuck happened?” CJ hisses as they exit the room.
With heavy eyes, I cuddle further into Cole’s bed, feeling intoxicated and comforted by his scent, my whole body relaxed as I fall asleep.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Waking up gasping is nothing new. I woke up the same way more than once during the night. Sometimes, I woke from nightmares, sometimes from a bad feeling creeping over me. I lost track of time and place. The only thing that brought me comfort was the smell of Cole.
With wide eyes, I sit up in the bed, a silent scream falling from my lips when I see I’m not alone. The first thing I do is check my body, finding I’m fully clothed and safe. The only thing out of place are the bandages wrapped around my feet. I don’t even panic knowing someone touched me without my knowledge. I guess even my body out cold feels safe with Cole.
It’s not happening again. That’s all that matters.
Cole is asleep next to me on top of the blanket, thankfully fully clothed. I’m confused for a second, before last night’s events come flooding back to me like a tsunami. My eyes water as I remember the betrayal from those I loved most. I know deep down that Allie didn’t mean to hurt me in any way. Knowing her, this was her way of protecting me from the truth of what he was really like. But thinking back on it, how I felt yesterday morning, and at the hospital, the thought of someone knowing what happened to me made me physically sick. I was so ashamed, so confused, and I felt dirty. I still do, but today, I know I’m not to blame for what happened. I didn’t ask for this and I never gave him the impression I did. And I know in my heart that if Allie ever thought I was in danger from him, she would have told me right away.
“Morning,” Cole greets, his voice raspy with sleep. I blush, feeling foolish that he had to see me go all ‘crazy’ last night and for falling asleep in his bed.
“Hey,” I greet quietly, too scared to speak louder. Lying back down on my side, I face him, tucking my hands under my cheek. “Thank you for helping me last night and sorry for hijacking your bed,” I tell him, trying to sound light.
“Yeah, you were pretty smitten with my pillows,” he tries to tease back, but his face is just so serious. Still, his words cause me to turn crimson. I just pray I didn’t drool or talk in my sleep. Nowthatwould be embarrassing. “What happened last night?”
Since he pretty much knows everything anyway and helped me through one of the toughest moments of my life, I don’t hesitate in telling him the truth. It just comes out naturally, like telling Cole my secrets is something I do every day.
“They knew. They all knew what he was like,” I whisper, unable to cover the hurt and betrayal behind my words.
“Have you spoken to them?”
“I don’t need to. My own mother let me hang around with him for so many years. Granted, she tried to get me to stay away, telling me he was bad news and that I needed girlfriends, not boys in my life. I just put it down to her being a protective single mum.” I shrug. “But Allie… Allie was my best friend. I thought we told each other everything,” I tell him, my eyes stinging.
“What does Allie have to do with anything?” he asks in confusion.
“He tried to rape her too,” I manage to get out, before a large figure shoots up from the floor, scaring me. CJ rushes out of the room, doors slamming behind him. I look to Cole with wide eyes, my hand covering my racing heart. “What was he doing in here?”
“He slept on the floor,” he tells me, still looking in the direction CJ left in a hurry. I look to where CJ jumped up from and notice blankets and a pillow made up as a bed.
