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When I see the flash of headlights, I stand, and brush the dirt off the back of my shorts.The van pulls in first, Cutter and Foster exit the vehicle.The SUV pulls in a minute after the van, I run to meet Griffin.“Go to her,” he tells me.“I’m okay.”
When Claire exits the vehicle, I want to cry.Instead, I put my arm around her shoulders to usher her inside.She seems fragile under my touch.
I look to Griffin, “Grab some sweats from my clothes for her.”
He nods in response.
I immediately walk Claire to the bathroom.I position Claire in front of me.“Can I remove your clothes?”She nods.
I talk her through it to make her more comfortable.“I’m going to remove this jacket.”
There is a knock on the door, and I open it a crack.“Here’s the sweats,” Griffin hands them to me.
“Here’s this,” I hand him the heavy leather jacket, I assume it belongs to Hayden.
Taking the sweats, I place them on the counter.“Next, we are gonna take this shirt off,” I instruct.Meeting her eyes haunts me.There’s a void in them that I have never seen before.I discard her shirt onto the floor.
I move my hands down to undo her shorts that hang by a thread on her frame.“Just step out of these,” I tell her.Blood covers spots on her skin.Both of her wrists rubbed raw and red.I assume they were tied with rope.
I’m afraid to touch her bare skin, afraid of her reaction.I turn the shower nuzzle on hot.“This is the last thing,” I tell her, hooking my fingers in her thong to pull them down as well.
“Can I get in the shower with you?”
She nods.
I strip out of my own clothes, down to my bra and underwear.“Okay, be careful stepping in,” I tell her.She settles under the water, and it begins to turn her skin pink.I step in to stand in front of her.Tears threaten to pour down my cheeks, but I need to be strong for her.
“You’re gonna be okay, Claire.I promise.”I kiss the side of her head.Wetting the washcloth, I cover it with soap to wash her with.Turning the water on so it comes out just light enough so I can wash her.I begin at her neck, and work my way down her body.She stands there like a mannequin with no emotion, even when tears start to stream down her cheeks.
“Tell me you are okay, Claire.Say something.Scream if you want.”
I finish covering her body with soap and turn the water back on to full blast.“Well, it’s good to see this is not your blood because it’s washing right off, and I don’t see any injuries.”
“I slit the mother fuckers throat with Cutter’s knife.”
“Who?”
“Da…vid.”His name stutters on her lips.At that moment, the rainfall of tears come, and I pull her into me, letting her cry it out.When she pulls away, her fists pound on the shower tile, and she lets out a piercing scream.“Fuck!”
Turning the water off, I step out to grab a towel to hold for Claire.Following my lead, she wraps it around her body.Her eyes are still void of emotion.
“Now let me put a bandage on that cut,” I say, noticing a cut on her face.
I try not to ask questions about what happened to her.All I know is she went through something hellish.A hell, I can’t imagine.My sweet innocent, Claire.
Taking the towel from her, I begin to dry her body.Then I instruct her to put the sweats on.
“Thank you,” she says, barely above a whisper.
“For what?”
“Everything.”
“If you need to talk, I’m here,” I add.Tears continue to stain her cheeks.“Let’s get you to the room to lie down.”
“Will you lie with me?”
“Of course.”
