Chapter 36
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Jenna
Liam leaped to his feet and spun toward the hospital room door.
Two sets of footsteps skidded to a stop. His broad back, with every muscle bunched, blocked my view of whoever was coming, and I tensed up too in response, but I relaxed at the sound of Nicky’s voice. “Stand down, big guy. It’s just us.”
Juliette followed more hesitantly. “Is...is she okay?”
“I’m fine. Just walk carefully around the growly bear. He probably won’t attack.”
They came over to the hospital bed where I was propped up, and we hugged while Liam hovered over us. I could tell he was biting his tongue to not tell them to be careful with me.
“Why don’t you go get a c—a bite to eat?” I stopped myself before saying coffee, thank goodness.
I was infinitely grateful for Liam’s support, especially when I had to talk to the police and get the rape kit.
Even though I insisted he didn’t rape me, apparently what he did counted as rape, which was messing with my head in a way I didn’t want to think about yet.
However, as much as having him by my side and holding my hand helped, the agony on his face also added an extra layer of horror to the whole experience.
I didn’t want to say or do anything else that would make him look like that ever again.
I definitely couldn’t ask him to get coffee.
And even though I knew he didn’t want to leave, I didn’t want him to have to hear it all again.
“Sure, Firefly. I’ll give you time with your friends.” His fingers carefully grazed my jaw, and he pressed his lips against my temple in a lingering kiss before he pulled back to look into my eyes. “I’ll be right outside the door. Holler if you need anything.”
I watched him walk away, my heart breaking at the sight of his tense shoulders and clenched fists, like he was fighting to hold himself together.
Juliette followed him, and when he turned to her, she wrapped her arms around his waist. They hugged for a long time, and I was so grateful to Juliette for comforting him when I couldn’t.
I needed to get out of this hospital for both our sakes.
Liam gently closed the door behind him, and then, with all of us crying, I told Juliette and Nicky everything.
It was a shock even to myself how far back I had to go to tell them the full story.
I’d really messed up by ignoring so many huge, glaringly obvious warning signs.
I felt so foolish for insisting on going to work and making Liam get that damn coffee.
“It’s not your fault,” Nicky said. “He’s a psychopath. He would’ve just kept trying until he got you.”
Juliette glared at her. “That doesn’t make it any better.”
I tried to force a smile. “Maybe a little.” It didn’t, but I didn’t want to debate how I was to blame.
“What now?” Juliette asked. “Do you need to stay here?”
“They’re worried about aspiration pneumonia from throwing up while I was gagged. I got a chest X-ray and I’m waiting to see what else they need to do.”
“Anything else physically wrong?” Nicky asked.
“I’m sore and achy everywhere, and my head is pounding. My shoulders hurt from how he held my arms, but they think they’ll be okay.”
“Aren’t they going to check?”
“I would need an MRI, and I don’t think I can handle that now.” A shiver ran through my body. “It’s too confined, too much like being held down.”
“I’m so sorry, Jenna,” Juliette said. “Are your parents coming?”
“They’ll get a flight tomorrow night, or maybe the day after.”
“Are you freaking kidding me?” Nicky looked furious.
I shrugged, wincing at the pain that shot through my shoulders. “My dad has an important meeting. And my mom has a thing, too.”
“More imp-important than you?” Juliette was so mad she could barely get the words out.
“I know, but I’m not surprised, and honestly, I don’t know if having them here will even make it better.”
I knew they cared. Maybe I did too good a job convincing them I was okay.
My mom cried and my dad was furious when I told them, but then it got uncomfortable, so I assured them I was okay and that he didn’t actually rape me.
They asked me if I was sure I was okay, and that’s when they whispered for a minute and came back to say they were so happy it wasn’t worse, and since I was okay, they’d come after their meetings.
Then they talked about all the things they had going on that made it so hard to leave, and I hung up as soon as I politely could.
“What about Tyler?” Juliette asked.
“I left a message for him to call me.”
“You need to give him enough time to come with them,” Nicky pressed.
“You don’t think your parents already told him?” Juliette asked.
“I hope not, since he hasn’t called yet.”
Their faces, already sad, fell even further, so before they could say anything else about how I should call him again, I changed the topic to the exact opposite…a family who was so supportive, I wasn’t sure how to handle it. “Liam’s parents are already on their way. They should be here soon.”
“Are you okay with meeting them now?” Nicky asked.
Not really. “It’s not the first impression I hoped to make.” And all I wanted to do was curl up with Liam and Thor and cry, and I couldn’t do that if they were there.
“They know what they’re coming for, and Dylan has said they’re very nice,” Juliette said. “Hopefully it will be okay.”
“Yeah, I’m sure it will be fine. Liam needs the support too. Speaking of that, do you know if the guys are coming?”
“They were trying to get coverage from the next shift so they could leave early. I’m surprised they’re not already here,” Juliette said haltingly, texting Dylan as she spoke. “What the hell! I can’t believe it!” she yelled, and before the words were even out of her mouth, Liam ran back in the room.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, rushing to me.
Juliette’s cheeks reddened. “Nothing, sorry. Dylan just told me Chief Asshole won’t let the next shift relieve them early.”
Their battalion chief was an asshole. Even I couldn’t deny he deserved her name for him. He’d caused so much trouble for Juliette and Dylan.
Liam shrugged. “I know. I appreciate the thought, but they’re not coming in here and I’m not leaving, so there’s no need for them to just sit in the waiting room. I already told them that.”
“You know they’ll be here as soon as they can,” Nicky said. “They care about both of you.”
Liam scowled. “No one is coming in her room.”
“They can come. It’s fine.”
“You don’t need—” He cut off with a shake of his head.
“They won’t bother me.” I didn’t think they would, at least. Although, honestly, I didn’t know how I’d react to a bunch of huge men crowding around me. I knew and trusted them, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about anything anymore.
What if I did freak out if they came in?
What if I couldn’t handle seeing anyone anymore?
Or doing anything? How would I work in the library again?
Go back home? Or go anywhere? If I was more scared than ever, and my fear was what got his attention, but denying I was scared is what made me stupid enough to ignore—
“Shh, Firefly. Look at me.”
Look at me, darling.
My eyes squeezed shut and a whimper climbed up my throat.
“It’s okay, Firefly. I’m here. You’re safe.” Liam brushed his hand over my hair and cupped the back of my head, warm and steadying.
I grabbed hold of his wrist and opened my eyes to see him so close to me his face filled my whole vision. “That’s it. It’s just us here. You’re safe.”
“I-I’m okay.”
“You will be. And I’ll be right here the whole time.”
I just nodded, clinging to him. I didn’t know if I’d ever be alright again. But I really, really wanted to. I’d fight like hell for it.
Juliette sniffled, drawing my attention back to her and Nicky.
“Sorry, I didn't mean to freak out and worry you. I’m okay.”
“Don’t pretend to be okay for us.”
“I’m—”
I was cut off by my phone vibrating loudly on the table.
Liam looked at it as he handed it to me. “It’s Tyler.”
Nicky and Juliette left to give me privacy, promising they’d take care of Thor and be back soon. I thanked them and answered the phone as Liam gave them his key and alarm code and settled into the chair next to me.
“Hey,” Tyler said.
The words stuck in my throat.
“Jenna?”
I tried, but a strangled sob was all that came out. Liam held my hand and caressed his thumb across my palm.
I watched his thumb rub back and forth, soothing me.
The veins and muscles in his hand and forearm danced under his smooth skin.
It felt like a lifetime ago that he’d touched me everywhere.
That I’d melted into him and begged for more.
Now the only touch I could think of made me want to vomit again.
Would that tiny taste of heaven tease me forever? A peek at what I could have had if only I hadn’t been so afraid and vulnerable that I attracted a psycho and so stupid that I walked right into his trap? How could it ever be the same again?
I vaguely heard Tyler in my ear, speaking as though from a distance. “Jenna, are you there?”
I gave myself a mental shake, trying to focus. “I—I need to tell you something.”
“What is it? I’m getting ready to go out soon.”
“I was...I was almost…” I couldn’t make myself form the word.
Liam held his other hand out for the phone, offering to spare me from having to say the words that I didn’t want to say to my little brother.
I shook my head.
“Jen Jen?” Trepidation trickled into Ty’s voice.
“Something happened today. At work,” I managed, my words weak and shaky, like me. “There was a construction worker there. Well, he’s probably not actually a construction worker. But I thought he was. And he…he…uh, I went into an empty room with him.”
Liam’s hand tightened, and I felt his scowl without even looking.
“What the fuck, Jen Jen. What happened? What did he do to you?”
I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, fortifying myself. “He...he undressed me...and touched me. And he gagged me and hit me. But I hit him with pliers, and then Liam came in and stopped him before he...you know.”
“Are you okay?”
I let out a tremulous breath. At least the hardest part—telling him—was over. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay.”
“My God, Jen Jen, I can’t believe it. I’m so sorry. Did they catch the fucker?”
“Yeah, he’s going to go to jail. He raped a woman in the park last week. And probably more people too.”
He let out a string of curses I’d never heard from him before. “Wow. You got lucky.”
“Yeah, I guess I did.” I didn’t feel lucky. Even though I knew it could’ve been—would’ve been—much worse. He was planning to rape me and murder me.
“Please come to my graduation,” Ty pleaded. “I want to see you. I haven’t seen you in so long, and now this. Come so I can make sure you’re okay and we can all be together.”
“I can’t,” I whispered.
“Why not? So you can work in the place where you were almost raped? Fuck them. Come be with your family where you belong. Let Mom and Dad take care of you. You’ll be safe here with us.”
Bile crawled up my throat, burning a trail in its wake, and shivers took over my body, and I couldn’t breathe, and the world was starting to go gray, and I just wanted to give in and let it all go dark because this was too much to feel. It was all too much.
“Firefly.” Liam’s warm, strong hands held me. “You’re safe. Breathe with me.”
I closed my eyes and shook my head.
“Open your eyes, Firefly. I’m right here. It’s just you and me, and you’re safe.”
I opened my eyes and locked onto his gaze. Saw his love and concern there, but his anguish too. I took a trembling breath, and then another. I hated seeing him like this. “Sorry. I’m okay.”
“You have nothing to apologize for.” His eyes roamed over my face, and I wondered what he was seeing. I hadn’t looked in a mirror yet, but my skin felt raw where the tape was, and tight and swollen where he’d grabbed and hit me.
The pressure in my chest eased, but then a different panic threatened. “Tyler? Did he hear all that?”
“No, I hung up. You can call him back when you feel ready.”
I wasn’t ready, but I couldn’t leave it like that. Before I could call, though, a knock sounded at the door. Liam jumped up, standing between me and whatever danger lurked in the halls of the hospital. He relaxed only slightly when the pulmonologist introduced himself.
“Is she okay, doc?”