by Anna Paige
Goddamn it.
Not a minute later, Ali called back. “Okay, first thing is to get her into cool water. We need to stop the burning and relieve the pain. Can you get her into the tub?”
I looked at Lauren. “Baby, can you get into the tub for me? I need to cool you off so the burning stops.”
She shook her head, eyes still on her nails, picking at something only she could see.
“I might need a Plan B on this. I’ll keep coaxing but if she won’t move, I can’t force her. And fuck if I can pick her up again. Not like this.”
“It’s okay. Keep trying but in the meantime, get some cold compresses and lightly apply those to the worst areas, if she’ll let you. The tub of cool—not cold—water would be best but the compresses will at least help a little.”
“Then what?”
“Nothing. Don’t cover it or do anything else until Vanessa gets there.”
“Clay’s Aunt Vanessa?”
“Yes, she’s also head nurse Vanessa, and she’ll take good care of Lauren. But if she says to go to the ER, even if the movement will hurt, you have to listen to her. Got it?”
“Got it.” I walked into the bathroom and started gathering wash cloths, hand towels, and anything else I could find. “I’m getting the compresses started now. Tell Vanessa the front door is unlocked. We’re upstairs in my room. It’s the one to the right.” I paused as I submerged the third cloth in the gathering water in the sink. “And Ali?”
“Yeah?”
“I owe you one.”
“No you don’t, sweetie. We take care of our own. Give Lauren my love and keep me posted.”
We said our goodbyes and I gathered the wet cloths, turning to take them back to the bedroom when I spotted Lauren in the bathroom door. Her eyes were glassy and swollen, her skin an angry red all over. “Hey. You’re up. Are you hurting?”
She nodded and looked at the enormous tub in the corner.
“You want to try the tub?”
She nodded again.
I dropped the wet cloths to the floor and spun to the tub, adjusting the water temperature so that it was nice and cool before turning to help her step in. Her hand was hot in mine as I carefully steadied her so that she could sit down.
She hissed—either from the cold or the pain, I really wasn’t sure—before settling down in the filling tub.
In a moment of inspiration, I stepped into the bedroom and grabbed my water glass from the bedside table, dumping it in the sink before kneeling down beside the tub.
“I’m going to use this glass to get the water on your upper body a little faster, okay? This might feel cold at first and I’ll try my best not to hurt you, but Clay’s Aunt Vanessa said it will help, so I have to try.”
She looked at me with wide, doe eyes and nodded. “I know you’d never hurt me.” Her chin wobbled and she pursed her mouth to get it to stop.
I filled the cup from the running faucet and slowly let the water cascade over her scalded shoulders, wincing when she drew in a shuddering breath. I felt like I needed to have the words ‘I’m sorry’ on a continuous loop, knowing how much pain she was in.
The first few cupfuls were the worst, making her gasp and shiver all over before she finally seemed to get used to the sensation. After a while, the tub was nearly full so I reached in and pulled the plug to make room for more water. I figured with all the heat she was still putting off, just letting her soak in a full tub wasn’t going to cut it. She needed fresh, cool water on her skin and that was what she was going to get.
“I cut him,” she whispered through chattering teeth.
I continued pouring the cool water on her skin, not breaking my steady pace as I tried to decide what to say to that.
“I could feel the way the knife sliced through when I cut him.” Her head swiveled in my direction. “And all I remember thinking was that I wanted it to go deeper, but the blade was too short. I actually thought that.” Her eyes were wide, horrified at the idea. “I was disappointed that I couldn’t cut him more. I wanted to feel the knife sink deep into his body. How fucked up is that?”
“That’s not fucked up, baby girl. That’s your instinctive need to protect yourself coupled with a lifetime of pain at his hands.” I touched her chin with the tip of my finger, nudging it up so she would meet my eye. “I saw the surveillance footage. And when you cut him, when the blood started flying, all I wanted to do was scream for more, for you to slit his fucking throat because that’s what I would have tried to do in your place. That’s what I will fucking do if I ever get my hands on him.”
She shook her head, blinking rapidly. “No. You’re too good for that. I’m the bad one. I’m the one that should have done it and I didn’t. I let him get away.”
“You aren’t bad. Do you hear me? Don’t ever say that again. You fought, and you won. You be proud of that. I’m damn sure proud of you.”
Her eyes took on that familiar faraway look. “Afterward, when I was waiting for you, I thought of Teach. I wondered if he felt the same sick satisfaction when he was beating Isaac in the back yard, when he hit him so hard his face split open. I wondered if Teach would be ashamed of me if he knew how much I liked cutting Isaac.”
“No way.” I shook my head adamantly. “He would never be ashamed of you. He loved you more than anyone else on Earth. You heard what Marilee said the other day. You were everything to him and you made him proud today.”
She didn’t respond, letting herself get lost in her own mind once more.
Her shivers seemed to be getting worse instead of better, and I wanted so badly to pick her up in my arms and warm her but her skin still looked so red that I didn’t dare touch her. So I crouched there by the tub until my calves were screaming, slowly pouring cool water over her burns and waiting for help that seemed like it might never come.
•••
Vanessa actually got there in less than an hour, though it hadn’t felt like it at the time.
She examined Lauren, who insisted I stay by her side the whole time. Every time I tried to move aside so Vanessa could do her job, Lauren’s hand shot out and gripped my bicep, tugging me closer.
After Vanessa was through, we helped Lauren into my bed, still nude, and lightly tugged the thin sheet up to cover her. Her eyes drifted shut almost immediately and Vanessa motioned for me to follow her into the hall. I looked down at Lauren, not wanting to leave her for even a second but knowing I needed to do as Vanessa asked.
As quietly as possible, I leaned over and placed a kiss on the top of her head, the only place I was comfortable touching her. She didn’t stir, just sighed in her sleep.
God I wanted to hold her so fucking bad.
Instead, I followed Vanessa out into the hallway and pulled the door nearly closed behind me, angling myself so I could peer through the crack and see Lauren’s sleeping form.
Vanessa’s voice was soft but sure. “Okay, here’s the deal. The burns aren’t as bad as they look. First degree, which is good news. If it were second or third she would definitely require emergency care. As it stands now, and because you were so thorough with the cool water soak, we are looking at the same level as a bad sunburn. Not the type that causes blistering, mind you, just the miserable kind that makes you hurt all over and feel cold all the time. It will pass, but it’s gonna take some time. Luckily for Lauren, most water heaters don’t get the temperatures high enough to get above a first degree burn and nine times out of ten it won’t even do that unless you stay under the scalding water for an extended period of time.”
“She was in there at least twenty minutes. The water was normal temperature when she got in, I know because I turned it on myself, but I have no idea how long she was in there before…” I winced at the thought, remembering her huddled there on the shower floor.
“Well, it looks like you caught on before it got too bad. Don’t get me wrong, she’s going to be hurting for a few days, maybe a week, but at least there won’t be any permanent damage.” She reached into
her oversized bag and handed me a bottle of pure aloe gel and a plain white tub of cream. “Use the aloe for now. Apply it as often as she needs. After a couple of days, start using the cream twice a day, too. It’s an antimicrobial that will help stave off any possible infection. It’s just a precaution since I don’t foresee any blistering but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.”
She started toward the stairs, looking back at me as she reached the landing. “Give her ibuprofen every six hours for pain and if you see any blistering at all, even just a little, get her to the hospital to be checked out. Understood?”
I nodded obediently. “Yes, ma’am. Thank you so much for driving all the way out here.” She just waved me off with a smile and started off down the stairs. When she was almost out of sight a thought occurred to me. “Vanessa?”
“Yeah?” She backed up a few steps so she could see me.
“How long should she wait before traveling? I mean, when will she be healed enough to spend a few hours in the car?”
She deliberated a moment. “I’d say give her a day or two. By then, the pain should be ebbing enough to endure several hours in one position. Why?”
“Because as soon as she’s good to travel, I’m getting her the fuck out of here.”
Nine
Clay and Ali stopped by the next day. Ali gave me a quick hug and barreled up the stairs to check on Lauren while Clay took a seat at the table, content to let the girls visit for a while. I grabbed us both a mug of coffee and took the seat across from him.
“Dude, no offense, but you look like hammered shit,” he commented, taking a sip from his cup.
“Gee, thanks, fucker,” I deadpanned.
He sat the mug on the table, casting a glance at the upstairs landing. “You didn’t sleep last night, did you?”
“What other reason would I have to look like shit?” Sarcasm was our go-to language and despite being tired as hell, today was no different.
“Hammered shit.” He corrected ruefully. “And I think there could be a lot of reasons. Yeah, lack of sleep will do that to ya, but so will watching someone you care about go through hell. Then throw in the fact that she’s still in danger, and she’s hurting in every way a person possibly can.” He met my eye across the table. “And it’s all made ten times worse when you’re in love with her.”
“Is that right?” I didn’t have the strength to argue, to deny it, especially not to Clay. He would see right through me anyway.
“Yep.” He narrowed his gaze. “I speak from experience, remember?” He looked at the second floor landing again, his expression troubled. “The idea of Ali in that house, trapped while the fire spread… I still have fucking nightmares about it. Shit like what she went through, what Lauren is going through, it sticks with you forever.”
I followed his gaze, fighting the urge to go and check on Lauren, reminding myself that Ali was up there and she would let me know if Lauren needed me. “But you got to her in time, you saved Ali. I didn’t save Lauren, man. She saved herself. I’m the reason she was in danger in the first place. I shouldn’t have let her go alone. She practically begged me, said she needed a little freedom, and I let her go. I let her walk out that door,” I pointed to it for emphasis, my fist shaking, “and right into his fucking path.”
“Do you really think you could have kept her from going? She may have asked you out of respect but that girl is no one’s property; she has a mind of her own and you can bet your ass that she was going to go whether you wanted her to or not. I know Ali would have.” He shook his head, a smile creeping across his face. “Something you have to learn, little brother, is that when a woman asks your opinion, it’s just a courtesy. She’s gonna do what she damn well wants to do, regardless of what you say. Lauren wanted you to know she respected your opinion, but in the end, she would have still gone even if you didn’t want her to. She needed to get away, and you can bet your ass she was going to do just that.”
“Maybe,” I hedged, deciding to change topics. “Speaking of getting away…”
“Yeah?”
“If Lauren is up to it, we’re leaving tomorrow. I’m not sure for how long—as long as it takes to get a handle on this shit, I guess. The cops didn’t find Isaac and the only way for me to keep him from finding her is to get the hell out of here. I’m hoping to leave in the morning, but we may have to wait one more day if her burns are still too painful.”
He frowned, taking a sip from his mug before carefully setting it on the table. “Where will you go?”
“I’m taking her to Kade’s. I’ve already made the call. The guys are doing shows in Canada for the next few weeks and his place will be empty. There’s a round-the-clock guard at the front gate and cameras everywhere. She’ll be safe there. Kade’s expecting us tomorrow before he heads out for the tour, but he’s leaving instructions with the guard in case Lauren’s injuries need another day to heal.” I looked at Clay, pleading for understanding. “I know I’m supposed to be here for the build, but I just can’t…”
“Go.” Clay shook his head, not needing an explanation or an apology. “We’ve got more than enough help here. Ali and Talia can both step in at the diner, and Spencer and I have it covered at the job site. Don’t worry about work shit, we have your back. And Lauren’s too. You just get her somewhere safe until the investigators or the cops find this guy. And if there’s anything either of you need while you’re away, let us know. We’ll find a way to get it to you. Once you’re at Kade’s, keep your asses there.”
“Thanks, Clay. I really appreciate your help.”
He reached across the table and slapped me on the back of the head. “That’s what big brothers are for, dumbass. All you ever have to do is say the word.”
I rubbed the back of my head, narrowing my eyes. “That word wouldn’t happen to be asshole, would it?”
He just laughed and drank his coffee.
•••
It was a busy day on the visitor front. First Clay and Ali, then Spencer and Talia came by, and by lunchtime, Miss Fay had brought enough treats from the diner to put Lauren and me both into a sugar coma. Everyone was upbeat and smiling, but I could see the worry, the questions in their eyes.
The police came by to take our statements and I only wanted to kick the shit out of them once or twice for pushing for specific details regarding Isaac’s previous incarceration. Rationally, I knew they were doing their jobs but that didn’t mean a goddamn thing when I saw that look of shame in her eyes as she cast them toward the floor and recounted his list of convictions. She handled it better than I could have imagined, though. Just like she always did.
Lauren eventually excused herself to lie down, probably to get away from the barrage of questions, cutting them off and not giving a shit whether they were done or not. My girl had had enough. They apologized and backed off, saying they had all they needed and watching quietly as she made her way up the stairs to my room, where she’d taken up residence.
I told the lead officer as I walked them out that I intended to take her away for a while, until Isaac was found. He didn’t balk, only asking that we be reachable by phone at all times. They also promised regular updates on the search but that was said with less conviction, which meant I wasn’t going to hold my breath. I had more faith in Spencer than them, anyway, so I just nodded and showed them out.
After they were gone, I went up and sat on the edge of my bed, careful not to pin the sheet too close to Lauren’s body. “You’ve had a long day already and it’s barely one o’clock.” I studied her sweet face for a moment. “You tired? Because we can wait and do the aloe later if you want a nap.”
She shook her head, eyes bright and alert despite her recent dose of pain meds. “No. Let’s do it now. The stinging is getting a little better but I know I’m due for another application. And the numbing agent in it helps me sleep.”
I tugged the sheet up from the end of the bed, revealing her slender legs all the way up to her thighs as I scooted to the foot of the
bed and began the task of getting the aloe on her while causing as little pain as possible. The fronts of her legs were less pink than the backs, since the water had pooled under her no matter whether it was directed at her chest or legs or… wherever. The backs of her legs definitely got the brunt of it, so I took my time and made sure to focus there as much as possible. She remained silent for the duration, her jaw clenched in that determined way that meant she was trying hard not to let me see whatever discomfort she was feeling.
“So…” I began, letting her left leg sink back to the bed as I took her right ankle in my hands. “I was thinking we need to get away for a while, go somewhere safe where we can breathe.”
She shook her head immediately. “I can’t leave. The diner…”
“It’s already taken care of. Ali and Talia are going to take care of the diner. Clay and Spence will take care of the build. And I will take care of you.”
She remained skeptical. “But where will we go?”
“I have a friend who has a huge place, complete with guard gate and lots of security. He’s going to be out of town for a while, so the place will be all ours for as long as we want it.”
Her brow dipped, suspicion in her eyes. “How do you know we can trust this guy? And what’s to keep Isaac from following us there?”
I finished her legs and recovered them, moving up to do her arms. Once I had her right arm draped across my lap, I answered. “Because I trust him. I’ve known him for years and believe me, he’s not the type you have to worry about. He’ll probably be getting ready to leave when we get there, so you’ll have time to meet him.” I offered a soft smile. “I’m willing to bet you’ll like him immediately.”
She sighed. “That’s not really my MO, believe it or not. Just because I liked you right away, doesn’t mean I make a habit of it. You’re the exception to the rule.”
“Well, I’m honored, Miss Caldwell.”
