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Ruger watched Celia as if waiting for her to refuse.
“I’m tired and I’m fine, but Cole is going to pester me until I let someone with more training than he says he has make sure I’m not lying about how hurt I am.” She took a deep breath and let it out in a rush. “Might as well get it over with so I can shower and get a whole night’s sleep.”
“Good. We’ll step out here and let the two of you have some privacy.” Ruger’s gazed flicked to Bubba where he tilted his head toward the doorway. He didn’t want to leave Celia, but knew she’d talk more freely to another woman if he wasn’t in the room, so he followed.
“I’ll be right outside if you need anything.”
Celia rolled her eyes.
“We’ll be fine and I’ll talk to you both when we’re done in here,” the new woman said as Bubba stepped past her and out into the hall.
“Let’s me show you where you’ll find bedding and things,” Ruger said as he pulled the door closed behind them. “Normally, Krissi does all this but she’s getting close to her due date and I want her to stay off her feet as much as possible.” Ruger led him down the hall.
Bubba couldn’t help but shake his head at the change in Ruger.
ChapterEight
The door closed leaving her alone in the room with Deanna. She didn’t want to show this woman her bruises. It was bad enough she could see her face, which had turned black and purple, though most of the swelling seemed to have passed.
“Hi. I know you don’t know me from Adam, but I’ve been around the club a while. It looks like someone had a pretty good go at you.”
“Yeah, but it’s been a few days. I’m fine, Cole is just being overly cautious. He checked me over a couple days ago and determined it was nothing serious.”
“I’m not sure what kind of training he has, so let me take a quick look and we can set his mind at ease. That’s a nasty cut on your face. It’s scabbed over well, and it looks like you did a good job of cleaning it.” Deanna touched her face lightly then stepped back. “Lose the shirt. The bruises on your face can’t be all of it or they wouldn’t have called me in.”
“I’m not wearing a bra. Cole threatened to destroy the only one I have if I put it on again.”
“Good man. No worries. I’ve seen it all. I’ve been working in an emergency room for a long time now.”
Sissy hesitated then unbuttoned her shirt and peeled it off. T-shirts were more comfortable to wear, but button downs were easier to get in and out of.
“Ouch. Someone did a number on your back.” Deanna touched and pressed a couple of places along Sissy’s ribs.
Sissy clenched her teeth and fought to keep from making a sound when Deanna hit a particularly sensitive spot. There was one place on her back near her spine where she couldn’t hold back as she drew air between her teeth.
“Yeah, that’s a particularly nasty bruise. You can put the shirt back on. Show me the rest of this bruise,” she motioned to one dark bruise on the outside of Sissy’s thigh. She’d kept Cole’s shorts this morning because they were more comfortable and cleaner than the slacks she’d been wearing. Sissy lifted the leg, showing Deanna the nearly perfect outline of Troy’s dress shoe, including the line across the heal. It looked like he’d stomped on her. Which he had.
“Did he do anything else?” Deanna asked.
“What do you mean?”
Deanna sat up and met Sissy’s gaze. “It’s obvious someone beat the shit out of you. From the size of that, I’d say it was a man. Did he rape you too?”
Sissy drew a shaky breath and sat on the edge of the naked bed. “I think it was headed there.” She turned and focused on the wall opposite the door they’d come in. “He’d beat me until I quit fighting back. I was just trying to get through it. Then he grabbed me by the hair and was dragging me toward the bedroom. I was certain he was going to rape me. I started fighting again. He hit me again. That’s when he did this.” Sissy reached up and laid her fingertips the cheekbone where his fist had split the skin. “I fought. I scratched and kicked. Anything because I knew what was going to happen next. He brought his knee up and hit me in the stomach so hard I was left fighting for air instead of him, then he punched me in the head again.” She turned and looked at Deanna. “I’m not sure if it was one of his blows or knowing what he was going to do, but I got sick. I vomited all over him and the floor, that is the last thing I remember. Until I woke up the next morning still lying in my own vomit.” She looked away again. “So, no. He didn’t rape me. But he was going to.”
“Good. I’m glad you managed to escape it. You’ve got enough to overcome without adding that to the mix. You’re bruised and sore. I’m pretty sure you’ve got a couple of cracked ribs in the back, but there’s not much we can do for them. Take it easy. Let yourself heal. I recommend you find someone to talk to. A counsellor or Bubba, whoever works for you, but talking about it will help.” Deanna paused then met Sissy’s gaze. “I’m pretty sure I already know the answer, but I have to ask. Did Bubba do this to you?”
Sissy blinked and stared at the other woman. “No. Never. Cole is the one I called after waking up and deciding this would never happen to me again. After that night I have no doubt, he’d kill me next time. Cole would never do this to me, or to any woman. I may not have seen him in years, at least before I called him, but I know that much.” Even the idea of Cole doing to her what Troy had felt wrong. But then, she’d known Cole back when he’d gotten into fights over mistreating women, even as far back as middle school.
Deanna looked relieved. “I’m glad. I’ve never met him, but I know a lot of the Demented Souls. I can’t imagine any of them putting up with someone who would do this, much less patching them in, but I’ve only been around a year or so. Besides, I’ve seen worse than a man who does this to a woman acting like they care and wouldn’t do it. I had to ask.”
Sissy didn’t know how to reply to that. She remembered the way Troy had acted the first time he’d hit her. He’d apologized, acted like it horrified him and sworn it would never happen again. But it had, more than once.
“Is there anything else you want to tell me? Anything you want to show me?”
“I can’t think of anything. I’m just looking forward to clean clothes and a good night’s sleep somewhere other than a rundown motel on the side of the interstate.”
Deanna gave her a lopsided smile. “I will admit, while this place has pluses and minuses, the beds are good and the water’s hot. And the food is better than most. You were eating when I came in, right?”
