by T. R. Graves
"The nurses have coffee in the lounge. I'll get you some and be back in a flash," Tess says, darting for the door.
Lorenzo says, "I don't want the nurse's coffee. I want you to go down to the cafeteria and get me one of those big fancy cups of coffee."
Tess stands still. She's unable to move and afraid to leave me with Lorenzo.
"What the fuck are you waitin' on? Go!" Lorenzo yells, charging toward Tess and slapping her.
Like most men in the commune, he's perfected the art of hitting women without leaving a mark. Tess grabs the side of her head where he's struck her and ducks out of the room, going in search of Lorenzo's special coffee and leaving him alone with me.
Lorenzo stares at me like he does every single time we're alone. There's no mistaking what he's thinking or what he wants. I feel a surge of fear shoot up my spine.
With a predatory sneer, Lorenzo says, "I know I told you we're gonna take things slow, but I don't really have to do that now that Owen's given me his permission, Emi."
Lorenzo reaches over and grabs onto the sheets that are tucked and folded meticulously around me. Little by little he pulls the covers down, uncovering every square inch of me. His stare grows more heated with every inch he reveals.
As soon as my bare legs are completely exposed, he reaches over and grabs the ankle nearest him. His gaze travels up, settling right between my legs. I twist, doing my best to hide myself from his view. He doesn't let that bother him. His hand massages my foot and slides up to my calf where he lingers. Like a wild wolf, he's watching my reaction, smelling my fear, and basking in his dominance.
Soon, his palm moves up to my knee, pulling it toward him and spreading my legs apart. I'm not sure I'm going to get away from him this time, and I almost lose it. Seeing my panic, Lorenzo's breath hitches with his own sadistic excitement. Embracing his sociopathic tendencies, he keeps going until he's halfway up the inside of my thigh. That's when I put my hand over his, stopping him.
"Please don't do this, Lorenzo. Not here. It ain't right with me bein' sick and all."
As if on cue, every machine behind me goes crazy. The piercing alarms are signaling the fact that Lorenzo is causing life-threatening symptoms... ones that are making dizzy. Neither the alarms nor my pleas slow Lorenzo.
"I don't give a fuck if you're sick or not, Emi. I just want you, and I don't care when or how. I've waited long enough. I can't tell you how many summer nights I snuck into your room at Tess's and watched you sleep. I jacked off while I watched you every one of those nights. I want to be with you... cum all over you without having to jerk myself off."
He snatches my hand away from his and keeps moving up my thigh. Before I know what he's doing, he has my other hand on his crotch and he's moving it up and down.
When he reaches my panties, he rubs his fingers along the edge of the elastic. Just as he's about to snake his way underneath them, the door behind him slams open and a team of people descend upon my room.
Nurse Nightingale eyes Lorenzo with the same degree of contempt I have for him and says, "Sir, we're gonna have to ask you to leave until we get her stabilized."
Like earlier, she's not really asking him to leave. She's telling him what he's going to do. He stands between me and her, and for the briefest moment, I think things are about to get ugly. Then, he rolls his eyes, steps to the side, and leaves the room, slamming the door with enough force on his way out to make me jump.
Tope
Is there no end to the ups and downs I'm going to endure with this woman?
I mindlessly stare at my cell, reading and rereading the text sent by Baby.
Baby: Are you at the hospital?
Me: No. I'm at the office. Why?
Baby: Something's wrong with Emily. The researchers messaged me and said her vital signs are out of control.
Instantly, I called Sheila. For the last ten years, she's been the nurse manager for Gran's part-time office. After she explained to Gran that his tedious office visits weren’t nearly exciting enough for her, Gran agreed she could work at the hospital on the days his clinic was closed. They're very close, and I suspect he's the only person on the planet who could tease her by calling her an adrenaline junkie who thrives on taking care of people who are dying without getting a stare ice-cold enough to make you regret your words.
As I suspected, she refused to give me any information on Emily, but she did promise to go check on her and to call Gran if Emily needed anything.
Impatient and anxious, I grab my keys with a plan to rush back to the hospital—knowing Owen might be there—with as much reckless abandon as Levi had the day I'd ordered him arrested.
Emily
Seconds after Lorenzo leaves, a frantic Tess runs into the room. She's carrying the giant cup of coffee that Lorenzo demanded she fetch for him. Delirious with fear, anger, and hate, I stare at the cup, repulsed by all it represents. With an animalistic growl, I snatched it from Tess's hand and hysterically sling it against the wall. I begin jerking the wires and hoses and tubes off. I have every intention of leaving the hospital, running as far away as possible, and never looking back.
"Emi, you're too sick to be out of the bed. Let me help you get back in," Tess says, gently guiding me back toward the bed.
The nurses join Tess in her efforts. Right then, even Sheila Nightingale is no match for me.
"Get away from me. I'm leaving here, and I'm never comin' back," I say hatefully, pushing everyone away from me.
I take two steps before I have to grab on to the side of the bed. The room's spin nearly brings me to my knees. On a mission, I take another step. Then another step. I'm going to make it toward the door and toward the freedom I crave, if it kills me.
Abruptly, the room is twisting as if a tornado has just touched down. I take a knee, clutch the mattress, and concede that I'm not well enough to make my escape. At least, I'm not now. I will be soon, though. When I am, I'll leave and go someplace where no one knows me.
At that very moment, I'm not even sure I'll tell Levi when I leave or where I'm going. I don't want anyone to talk me out of it, and I don't want to put anyone in danger when the men of my commune come looking for me. And they will.
I begrudgingly climb back into my bed and let the nurses tuck me back in. When they hook me back up to the monitors, they go crazy with beeps and alarms, which does nothing for my already fragile nerves.
When I hear the door to my room slam open again, I glance toward it and am shocked to see Tope—complete panic dripping from him—burst into my room and look around like he's personally going to kill someone.
"What are you doing here, Tope? Where's Levi?" I ask shakily.
Tope ignores my every word. He rushes toward me and says, "What happened, Emily? Did someone hurt you?"
I was so angry and determined earlier it never occurred to me to cry, but as soon as I see Tope's rage and realize his only concern is for me, I crumble into a sniveling ball of tears. Tope pulls me into his arms and hugs me, kissing my head over and over.
"If anyone—and I mean anyone—tries to come in here, I want you to tell them she's resting and can't be disturbed, per Dr. Bryson's orders," Tope says.
"We will," I hear someone say. I don't need to look up to know it was Sheila who agreed like these were orders she'd be happy to carry out. Herself.
"Tess, you might want to go out to the waiting room and talk to Owen and his boys when they get here because they’re not getting back into this room today."
Tess is real worried when she says, "Tope, I'll do the best I can, but you know how they are when they want somethin'. They ain't gonna tolerate not seein' her if that's what they want."
"Do the best you can, and I'll deal with them if necessary. I have police officers everywhere, and they’re all ready to arrest them if they step one foot out of line."
Tess's acquiescence is assumed because she leaves just like Tope requested. As soon as the nurses see I've calmed down and all the dinging stops, they leave, too. Af
ter they’re gone, Tope climbs into the bed, puts his arm around my shoulders, and pulls me into his chest.
I don't battle him. I don't have another ounce of fight left in me. Instead, I lay my head on his chest and think about how upset he was when he thought someone was hurting me. I'd have expected that reaction from Levi, but not Tope.
"Emily, I know..." He sighs dramatically. "I know you just met me, but I've been studying your family and you every day for the last year. I've built a career swearing to people that I'm going to put an end to your father and his criminal activity. Until we met in the forest, you’d always been a beautiful girl in most of the pictures lining my office. Tess had always told me you were different, but it took meeting you for me to understand she’s right. You aren't just beautiful. You’re kinder and more caring than even Tess claimed."
I quietly listen to him. I've known since the day at the lake that he's the DA who’s trying to arrest Owen and my brothers. After today and seeing the way he and Tess are when they’re together, I suspect she is funneling commune information to him.
Later, I'll ask more questions about that. Right now, I have a bigger problem.
"Lorenzo's gonna rape me the second I make it back to the commune, Tope. I'm not goin' back. As soon as I'm better, I'm leavin' this hospital," I confide, reaching up and wiping away a tear tickling my cheek.
I feel the growl of anger rumbling deep down in Tope's chest. I pat him like he's a protective guard dog that needs to be calmed.
"I'm not tellin' you that so you'll do anythin'. I'm tellin' you so you'll know what to tell Levi when I disappear. I don't want him to think anythin's happened to me."
"Listen, you're smart enough to know that Tess has been working pretty hard to make the commune safe for lots of women, and I've been helping her with that as much as she'll let me. Of all the women in that commune, you're the one she's been fighting the hardest for. If you leave now, everything we've been working on will unravel." Tope reaches up and stressfully runs his hands through his hair. "If Lorenzo’s out of the picture, do you think you'd be relatively safe in the commune? I know it's not the ideal situation, but I'm taking it that Lorenzo is the real reason you've finally decided to run away."
Remembering Marcus, I duck my head deeper into Tope's chest and whisper, "There are other reasons, but you're right. Lorenzo's been touching and groping me ever since Owen's told him we can get married. If I stay there, he's gonna do what he wants, and everyone's gonna look the other way, thinkin' it's his right and tellin' me to accept it." My resolve hardens. "I'll kill myself before I let him touch me again like he did earlier. I swear that."
Tope's hands are in my field of vision. They clinch into fists when I talk about Lorenzo.
"You know better than anyone that he's a hotheaded asshole. I'm going to antagonize him a little bit once he gets back to the hospital. When he does the only thing he's good at—hitting women—I'll have him arrested and held without a chance of bond. That should buy both you and Tess some time. Do you think that will work?"
I think about it. Tope’s right. Lorenzo’s the only reason I'm afraid to go back to the commune. I probably should be afraid of Owen and my brothers, but I've lived with them long enough to know how to avoid them and their anger.
"Yeah. I think that'll work. Are you able to do that?"
Tope pretends to be offended by my question. "Please. I'm the district attorney. If anyone can have him arrested and held without bond, it would be me. Owen’s going to be some kind of pissed when he gets arrested, though." Tope laughs, but his heart isn't in it. He knows this is equivalent to waging war against Owen and The Community.
I'm not laughing. "Don't mess with 'em, Tope. You don't know what their capable of doing. I do."
Tope puts his hand underneath my chin and makes me look him in the eyes. I'd forgotten how absolutely beautiful he is until this very moment. I study every perfect line of his perfect features. I feel his breaths, and—while I'm sure I'm imagining it—I can still smell the lake's fresh scent coming from him. His fragrance reminds me that I've already broken out of my shell. Now, I need to fight for my freedom, and fight I will. Tooth and nail.
"You'll be away from them soon, and when you are... you can tell me every horrible thing you've seen and every crime they've committed against you. I swear on the man I am that they will pay for all of it. I'll not rest until you feel your every wrong has been righted," Tope says with a passion that tells me he believes every word he says and he's committed to me and Tess's cause as if it were his own.
He hugs me to his chest and kisses the top of my head again. Then, he pulls his phone out of his pocket, dials a number, and starts talking without waiting for formal greetings. It's obvious this is someone he talks to frequently... someone who doesn't need the niceties.
"Baby, I want two women police officers here at the hospital. I need to antagonize Lorenzo Bijou until he assaults one of them. From there, he's to be arrested and held without bond. Tell them not to mess with anyone else."
Baby. Her again.
It's all I can do not to roll my eyes. I still remember Levi talking about Tope's and Chloe's wild sex. In fact, he said they were so loud he could hear them three doors away.
Shaking me from my reverie, Tope sits straight up. "What did you tell him when he called?"
Baby answers Tope. I can hear her talking but can't make out even the first word.
"God dammit! Tell all of them to take him as a priority if he shows up here. I'll deal with him myself."
Tope digs his finger onto a button on his phone. Then, he begins dialing again. "Levi, what the fuck are you doing? You're supposed to go back to Gran's house and wait for me."
Just like when Tope was talking to Baby, I can hear Levi talking, but I can't make out anything he's saying.
"I'm with her now, and she's fine. Do you want to talk to her?"
Protecting his eardrum, Tope takes the phone from his ear. Now, I can hear his every word and they’re filled with angry curses.
I take the phone from Tope. "Levi!"
As soon as I say his name, he stops his ranting. "Em... babe, are you all right? Why’s Tope there? Did something happen?"
"I'm fine. Tope came back by to check on me. While he was here, he and I worked out a plan to keep Lorenzo away from me."
"Mother fucker! I knew something had Tope back over there. Did Lorenzo get all handsy again?"
I can hear Levi's teeth grinding together. I cannot and will not lie to Levi.
"Yes, but Tope and I are takin' care of him. I don't want you to worry about me."
"I should fucking be the one there with you... not Tope," Levi says. He's worked himself into a frenzy, and it's my job to calm him down.
"Levi, does it matter who's here workin' this thing out as long as it gets worked out? Tope's helpin' me because he cares for you. Right now, I'm willin' to take advantage of his generosity no matter the reason for it. Tell me where you are."
"I'm nearly at the hospital."
Using my stern voice, I say, "Levi Ian Bryson, I want you to turn that car around and go back to your granddaddy’s house like Tope told you to do. I'm fine."
Levi doesn’t say anything.
"Levi, please do this for me," I say softer and gentler.
Groaning, Levi says, "Why oh why do you keep pulling that card? You know I'll do anything for you. I'll turn around and go to Gran's house, but I'll be back in the morning when Gran does his hospital rounds. Nothing you or Tope says is going to change that," he says. Then, with a tenderness that almost crushes my heart with its love, he says, "I-I need to see you, Emily. I miss you. I love you. I want to jump out of my skin the entire time we're apart."
I smile and look away from Tope. "I know, Levi. That's how I feel."
Neither of us says anything for a few minutes. We just listen to the other breathing. Finally, Levi adds a new condition to his list of demands. "And... you can tell Tope I'm going to need a few minutes alone with you in the morn
ing."
My face burns bright red. I know exactly what he's suggesting, and suddenly, I want Levi in that exact same way, more than I've ever wanted anything. Soon the fire burning my face has spread to my chest and stomach. Everything he says and does melts me.
Self-conscious, I laugh and whisper, "I'm not tellin' him that, Levi."
Levi chuckles, satisfied by the reaction he elicits. His mood has definitely improved. "Don't worry. I'll tell him myself. I'll also tell him he better not be hitting on you. He forgets that I know him better than anyone else. I know how much he likes you, but you're mine. I don't care how many pictures he has of you."
I roll my eyes. Clearly Levi doesn't understand that I'm little more than a case for Tope. To him, I'm the poster child of the women who've been beaten and abused by the men of The Community. Nothing more. Nothing Less.
"Don't worry. No one wants me but you and..." I don't finish that thought. I don't want to mention Lorenzo's name.
As if speaking the words aloud would make them true, Levi is barely audible when he asks, "Em, did he touch you?"
I know Levi is talking about Lorenzo and not Tope. Had he asked his question a few days ago, my stomach would’ve revolted on me, but I'd been pumped full of all kinds of medication that prevented nausea. My stomach still aches, but that's the extent of my symptoms.
I nod even though he can't see me. "Yeah. But he didn't go as far as he was hopin'."
"What's Tope going to do?"
"He's havin' Lorenzo arrested without bond so I won't have to worry about him for a while."
"Perfect. Maybe Lorenzo'll have to be someone's bitch while he's in. It would serve him right. Tope's definitely a good man to have in our corner."
"I'm not going with you on the bitch thing, but I do agree with you about Tope. I'll have to make sure he knows how much I appreciate all of this one day," I say.
I look over at Tope and see he's studying me with an intensity that should make me uncomfortable, but it doesn't. Instead, I smile sincerely toward him, and he winks back.
