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“I want to do a better check on her ribs,” Jameson said as Ian lifted her, carrying her upstairs.
Ian lifted her carefully, carrying her upstairs to the bathroom where Jack was already stripping off, not seeming to care who saw him naked. Then he turned on the shower.
She let out a whimper as Ian set her down on the counter so he could strip her.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Ian asked, his voice sounding raw.
“I just . . . I don’t know. I guess I don’t want you to see me while I’m like this.”
He cupped her face between his hands after a beat of silence. “You listen to me. You are beautiful, do you understand me? No matter what has happened, you will always be beautiful. My sweet, gorgeous girl.”
“Ours,” Jack said from behind her. “You’re our girl. And we’re going to keep you. And nothing could ever make us not want you.”
She let out a small sob of relief.
Ian and Jack gently stripped her before Jack stepped into the shower with her, followed by Ian. Thank God it was such a large shower.
Ian held her carefully while Jack gently ran a cloth over her, washing her. There was nothing sexual in their touch. Just care.
It was just what she needed. Tears ran down her cheeks as she held her face up under the water.
When they were done, Ian climbed out and dried off. Jack carried her out of the shower and Ian got her dry. Ian placed kisses on each of her bruises as Jack carefully dressed her in one of Ian’s T-shirts and a pair of her own knickers.
Once they were ready, Jack carried her out into the bedroom, where Jameson waited. He had an IV hooked up, ready to go.
“Where did you get that?” she asked as Ian sat on the bed, his back against the headboard, her hairbrush in his hand. Jack settled her between his legs and Ian started brushing her hair. It was tangled and awful but he was patient.
“I had it delivered. I’m sorry about this, precious girl,” Jameson said. “But you’re very dehydrated and it’s worrying me.”
“It’s all right.”
Jack held her free hand and she turned her head away at the prick of the needle. A small whimper escaped her and Jameson started apologizing.
Turning back, she gave him a surprised look. “It’s all right, Jameson.”
Why was he apologizing so much?
He looked almost traumatized. All of them did. And it was then that Maggie realized that she wasn’t the only one who had suffered.
“I’m all right, guys. A bit bruised and broken, but I’ll be all right.”
Jack let out a grunt that sounded almost like pain as Ian mumbled something under his breath.
They didn’t believe her. But she’d show them.
Jack watched her sleep.
She was frowning in her sleep. The IV was hooked up to her arm while her hair was back in a braid, thanks to Ian. The bruises on her face stood out against the paleness of her skin.
He’d failed to protect her. He wouldn’t fail again.
Ian stepped out of the bathroom behind him.
“Jack, fuck. I was hoping you’d stop doing this once she got home.”
Ian had caught him several times just staring at her bed in the middle of the night.
“I was doing this long before she was taken.”
