Trust Me (31 page)

“Better, I think.”

I start to sit up, but the nurse is right there, pressing buttons to bring my bed into an upright position. She has an excellent bedside manner. Her bright red hair is done up into a neat bun.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen hair that red in my life.
Behind her calm nurse demeanor, she seems like she would be an absolute no-nonsense firecracker. It suits her perfectly with her short, pudgy stature. I immediately like her.

“Lunch should be here in half an hour. Is there anything I can get you?”

I notice my pressing need. “I need to go to the restroom.”

“Absolutely. Let me assist you.” Nurse Tina goes about lowering the rail on the side of the bed.

When I try to get up on my own, she steps in, halting my progress. Using her stern tone, she says, “Miss Scott, let me get your robe, and then I’ll assist you. Please lie there for just a moment longer.”

Yep, definitely a firecracker.

She brings me a purple silk robe, and then she aids me out of bed. When I’m standing, she helps me put the robe on.

“This way, Miss Scott. Please lean into me as much as you need to.” Nurse Tina puts her arm around my waist as she helps hold me up. “If you start to feel light-headed, please let me know immediately.”

“Okay, thanks.” My body feels a little out of sorts, and my head hurts, feeling like a freight train ran into it. Other than that, I feel kind of okay.

Our progress is an easy pace, mainly due to Nurse Tina setting the speed, but we finally make it.

After doing my business and washing my hands, I close my eyes and prepare myself to take a first look in the mirror. I refused to look at it when we first walked in. Raising my head and taking my first peek, my mouth falls open. There’s a girl staring back at me, but it’s an ugly image. I think I see me somewhere in all the bruises. One side of my face is a solid purplish-black bruise. My reality crashes as I reconcile the fact that Brad did this to me.

This is serious on so many more levels than I even thought. Seeing my battered reflection and having a clear head to think about it all is sobering. I look away, not wanting to see that haunting face staring back at me again. That face has endured something horrendous.

“Alli, where are you?” Damien’s voice sounds from outside the restroom.

Before I have a chance to say anything, the efficient Nurse Tina replies, “Mr. Wales, we will be right out.”

As I step away from the mirror, the nurse stays by my side as we make our way back to a waiting Damien. He comes up to me and Nurse Tina takes one step back, giving a little space.

He looks me over from head to toe as he addresses the nurse. “Thank you, Tina. We’ll let you know if we need anything else.”

Being effectively dismissed, she makes her way out of the room without a word.

Gently pulling me to him, he kisses my forehead as I wrap my arms around him. I need for him to hold me. The emotions inside of me are starting to spew out as the damn bursts. Now that I’ve seen the damage to my face, it brings the gravity of the situation to light.

As I sob into his chest, Damien must have known this was coming. That’s why he ensured we were alone. “Shh, you’re safe now, baby. You’re safe. Everything is going to be okay.”

“I’m so sorry. I should have listened. I could have been…he could have…” I cannot continue through the sobs.

“Shh, he didn’t. Don’t think about that. It didn’t get that far, baby. Let’s get you back in bed.”

He picks me up and gently lays me on the bed while I’m crying hysterically.

After my body purges itself, Damien gently says, “What do you need, Alli? Anything is yours. Just name it.”

“I just need you to hold me for a while. I know I don’t remember what happened, but the severity of the whole situation just came crashing down on me. When I saw my face, it all became reality.” My voice is choppy from the crying.

Pulling me to him, he says, “That I can do. Come here. I wanted to be with you when you first saw your face.”

He sits on the bed beside me, and I cuddle up into him.

“Sam came by again this morning while you were still sleeping. She is going to stop by again later. Also, the officer needs to come and talk to you today. Is that okay?”

“Yes, that’s fine. You’ll be here though, right?” The thought of Damien leaving my side while the officer asks me questions terrifies me because I don’t know what I’m going to say since I don’t remember anything.

“Baby, they couldn’t drag me away at this point.” His tone is affectionate as he strokes his hand up and down my arm.

Thinking about all his worry and what he had to endure with his sister causes me to get emotional again. “I’m so sorry, Damien. I should have listened. How did you know Brad would be such a threat to me?”

He’s rubbing my back now, and some of the tension starts to ease from my body.

“I had no idea he would go to that extreme. If I did, you would have never been there in the first place. I just knew he wanted you. My misjudgment nearly got you raped.”

My body shivers, thinking about what could have happened. “There’s no way we could have known. Please don’t blame yourself. Have they said when I can go home?”

He lets out a cleansing breath. “Dr. Ferguson is working on that now. He’s been appointed as your private physician along with the two nurses. I told him that I would prefer to have you looked after at the house. Once the results come back from this morning’s blood work, we’ll know when you can be released and moved home.”

Do hospitals have private physicians? That doesn’t make sense.
“What do you mean by private physician and nurses?”

“I made a sizeable donation in exchange for the stipulation. I needed to know you were receiving the doctor’s full attention in case anything happened.” He pulls me to him, and I feel a slight shudder in his body.

“Damien…there’s—”

“Don’t argue, Alli. Not on this. We’ve both been through a lot. I thought I lost you, just like I did my sister.”

At that, my heart breaks for Damien and for what he must have suffered through over these last twenty-four hours.

The nurse comes in with a tray of food. “Here’s your lunch, Miss Scott. Mr. Wales, more flowers have arrived. What would you like for me to do with them?”

“Make arrangements for them to be delivered to the house. We are hoping to leave this afternoon.”

Before she leaves, I say, “Thank you.”

It’s another fabulous meal with a different kind of broth soup and the same little dumplings.

Remembering the tension I sensed between him and Sam, I ask, “Are you upset with Sam?”

“Yes.”

I stop my spoon midair as I just stare at him.
That is so unreasonable.
“Why? Are you upset with me, too?”

“No, I’m not mad at you, baby. My anger toward Sam, I know, is completely unfounded, and I’m working on it. But that fucking policy about no phones, so you can disappear during girl time is done. No more. I almost lost you. I know she’s your best friend, and I would never make you choose, but she’s not going to interfere in our discussions and relationship again. Those are things for you and me to decide, Alli. If there’s something you want to do, we decide, not Sam.”

I feel like he’s not telling me everything about him and Sam, but right now, I’m just going to let them work it out. The panic he probably felt from this experience comes to the forefront of my mind.

“Going forward, we’ll work things out together, you and me. But you need to
talk
to me without demanding me to follow your orders. This whole relationship thing is so new to me. Our relationship is my first priority, Damien, as it should be.” I can feel him smiling into my hair before he kisses it.

Sam arrives moments later. She looks worlds better than she did last night, but a deep worry is still emitting from within her.

Leaning into me, Damien whispers, “I’ll be right outside. I think you two need some time together, too.”

So, he doesn’t mind me being with Sam. He just wants to be more involved in the terms when I’m not with him. I can live with that.

Cautiously, she approaches. “Hey, how are you feeling?”

I motion for her to sit on the bed, and she gives me a smile as she walks toward me. Her green eyes are sparkling with so much emotion. Her long dark hair is thrown up into a haphazard ponytail. She still looks exhausted.

“I’m okay. I just had the first of many meltdowns, but I’m coping. It all seems surreal since I can’t remember anything.”

“I think that’s to be expected. Are we okay?”

She bites her lip, and I reach out and grab her hand.

“Of course we are okay. I want to talk to you about something.”

She looks worried. “What’s that?”

“Stop blaming yourself. You and Damien had nothing to do with the sicko’s plan. It’s none of our faults.”

I can’t believe the relief I see in her face.

“Love you, girl.”

“Love you, too, bestie.”

She gets on the bed and hugs me, causing us both to burst into tears.
My emotions are out of control today.

As we start to settle down, Sam leans her head against mine. “So, I’m starting an awareness program to help educate students on how to avoid situations like the one you were in last night. I’m meeting with the university board this afternoon to discuss. We are going to put a huge emphasis on girls speaking up against sexual assault and knowing it’s not their fault.”

More tears start falling down my face. “You’re pretty damn special, Sam. If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.” She gives my hand a squeeze. “What happened after I passed out?” I ask, knowing she’ll give it to me straight.

She takes a stuttering breath as we sit there together. “Damien came into the house in a panic, looking for you. He tore off up the stairs, and I followed. When I came up, you were out cold in his lap. He was trying to wake you up as I kneeled down beside you. You were lifeless. All color had drained from your face, and your breath was shallow. Brad came out of my room, calling you a whore and a bitch. Damien handed you off to me, and then he pummeled Brad’s ass. It took four guys to peel Damien off of Brad.”

For a second, she stops to take in a deep breath. “From there, Damien came rushing back to your side. When someone announced the paramedics had arrived, he carried you downstairs and left in the ambulance with you. He didn’t leave your side the entire time.”

Hearing about the aftermath through Sam’s unfiltered mouth makes my stomach drop. “Is Damien in trouble for hurting Brad?”

“Charges might be pressed, but he has a huge team of lawyers on it, so I highly doubt anything will happen.”

More tears start to fall down my face. The thought of Damien getting into trouble for that just feels wrong.

“He’ll be fine, sweetie. I’m going to apologize to Damien for taking your phone away from you and for not letting the two of you handle the disagreement about the party.” She gives me a reassuring look.

“Sam, you don’t need to do that. I was just as much a part of that as you were. For now though, I need Damien to know that I’m safe, so I’m going to be a little more understanding of his overprotective actions. I know he’ll be on edge for a while, so just be patient. I don’t want you to think I’m choosing him over you, but I can’t let him worry, especially after what just happened.”

Sam’s eyes glass over as she tries to hold back her tears. She lays her head down beside mine, and we begin whispering back and forth, like we used to as kids.

“I get it, and I understand. I won’t get involved in your relationship with him again. You’re strong enough to handle him yourself.” She gives me a wink. “I just miss seeing you all the time, but I know that our lives are evolving. We will always be best friends. As long as he treats you right, that’s what matters. It’s just hard sharing you.” She looks at her watch. “I need to get back to the sorority for a meeting. Love you, girl.”

“Love you, too.”

With that, Sam leaves with some pep back in her step.

Damien strides in shortly after and sits down next to me. “How did things go with Sam, baby?”

“Good…great. She’s my best friend in the whole world. I hope you know that I let her take my phone. It wasn’t under duress. I wanted to show you that I’d be okay, and I’m so sorry for that.” I start to choke up. “Sam never meant to disrespect our relationship. This has been an adjustment for her…and me, too. It’s not a bad change. It’s just different from what we are used to. Unless you try to take me out of her life forever, Sam will respect our boundaries.”

He kisses me on my head. At this point, he’s avoided touching my face because of the terrible bruises. “Baby, I’d never do that, and I know her actions weren’t meant to lead to what happened. I just need to know you’re safe.”

“I don’t want to worry you.”

He kisses my forehead as all that sinks in. “On a happier note, the doctor said we can go home.”

I cannot help my answering smile. “What about the officer?”

“He’ll just have to come to where you are.”

Thank goodness. A real bed sounds so good right now.