Chapter 36
He’s mad; he’s lost his damn mind. “This is”—he opens his arms up, showcasing the room and the blacked-out window, the plastic on the floor— “All your fault. I would’ve left you alone.
You were no fun anymore, but having your bullyboys turn up just made me mad.
Embarrassing me in front of the neighbours.
” He’s pacing again, walking from left to right in front of me.
Then he stomps up to me, his hand in my hair gripping so hard I can’t stop crying out as the pain from the earlier hit stabs though my head.
He doesn’t let go, just tugs and tugs as he shakes my head from side to side.
“Stop, Simon. Stop. I don’t know what you’re talking about. How can you blame me? I don’t know what happened. Let me go. We can talk about it sensibly. This isn’t you; you don’t do this. I’m sorry I hurt you when I left, but I don’t know anything about any visit.”
What does he mean? How was Royal here? I can’t think properly. My ears are ringing from the first punches. Even if Royal was here, it still doesn’t make sense.
His hand relaxes and releases my hair, and I sag back on the chair. The ropes around me loosen and fall away, and I think I’m being let go. “God, Simon, thank you.” I look around for my clothes but can’t see them.
“I’m not finished with you yet, boy.” His hands are fists, and as much as I try to defend myself, he’s too big, too heavy, too lost in rage to stop. I do the only thing I can think of and curl up into a ball and take the kicks and punches until I give in to the pain and lose consciousness.
The light comes on, making me curl up tighter, but it’s not Simon. There’s more than one set of footsteps; has he come back with other men? No, someone is crying, then someone is next to me. Oh god, at last, it’s Royal. He’s here, how did he find me?
I flinch when he touches me. Can’t he see how much I hurt? “This is your fault.” Tears burn my already burning eyes. “He said it was your fault.”
I hear him gasp, and his hand leaves my face. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.”
“No, don’t go.” I try to lift my hand, but it hurts too much. “How did you know?”
“Finn called me. He’s here with me. We’re getting an ambulance for you; it won’t be long. Can you stay still until they come? I don’t know how bad you’re hurt.”
“It’s really bad, Royal. He was crazy. Where is he? Have the police got him?” I try to open my eyes, to sit up but neither seem possible. I groan and shift, looking up at Royal. He gets the message and lifts me tenderly, but I still wince.
The crying is getting quiet now. It’s Finn, and he looks devastated. “S’okay, Finn. Don’t cry, please don’t cry.”
The sound of heavy footsteps from outside the room stops Finn from getting closer. I’m shocked to see Drake with the paramedics, more shocked when the police follow them in.
Royal shifts so I’m looking at the lady. She’s blurry; I try to focus as she kneels. It only takes them seconds to decide I need to be in hospital.
“We’ll follow in the car,” Royal says as he leans in. His lips touch mine so briefly and softly, I could’ve imagined it.
“No, don’t leave me. Not again,” I beg, reaching for him. He looks at the Paramedic who nods.
The accident and emergency department is loud and frantic.
Full of nurses and doctors rushing from left to right and drunken yelling.
I wince at the noise as I’m pushed straight through to a large cubicle full of people waiting, gowned up in plastic aprons.
I tune out everything but Royal’s face. They prod and swab and take x-rays of all my limbs, and unless I’m asked specifically, I ignore them.
Royal doesn’t seem to know where he can touch me but ends up with his hand softly on my arm.
The back of my head is stitched shut; there is a debate over what split it open and decide it was some kind of bar.
Royal is asked to leave the room while they work.
I can tell he’s not happy about it, but they need the room.
I listen as they discover more injuries, the dislocated knee, the probable broken ribs, my broken nose.
Then they ask the question I’m glad Royal isn’t here to hear, because the answer is yes. The embarrassment and the pain of having my arse checked is enough for me to cry again.
When I’m in a private room, a heavy sedative is warming my blood, easing the pain and making me sleepy.
Royal seems to be settled in a wide faux leather chair, his eyes already closed.
I’m tired, but when I close my eyes, all I can see is Simon, his knuckles bloody and bruised as he leans over me.
The way he shouted how useless I am, how he whispered that he was going to fuck me until my arse would be ruined for anyone else.
He laughed as he did it, said that he was going to leave me to die, no one would know where I was.
Who was going to guess that you’d be back with your ex.
As my eyes finally drift shut, a nurse comes in to check for signs my concussion is worsening.
“Memphis, what day is it? Who’s the Prime Minister,” and some other crap I don’t think I got right.
“How’s your pain? On a one to ten scale.
Ten being the highest pain.” She looks at me so sympathetically that I start to cry.
As I sniff, even my throat hurts. “It’s about a nine. The pain.” I sniff again, the sound enough to startle Royal awake.
“Memphis, you okay?” He shoots the nurse a look like she just stole his puppy.
I try to laugh, but it hurts, and my tears break and course down my cheeks. “Yeah, I mean no, not even a little bit, but I will be. I need to sleep, but he’s there when I close my eyes.” More tears fall even as I close my eyes.
“He’ll never touch you again, I promise,” Royal says as I finally drift off to sleep, thanks to a top up of pain meds.
Two voices are speaking quietly when I wake up.
My eyelids feel like they weigh a ton as I try to open them.
The pain around them must be from the bruises that are swollen so much I see through slits.
Drake is here; they are standing close as they speak.
I can’t hear what’s being said, but it looks serious.
“Drake.” My voice sounds weird. I try to clear my throat and repeat his name.
I remember being choked so hard I thought I was going to die. That’s a sure-fire way to make my throat hurt. They step back from each other and look at me. Royal is straight to my side again. Holding my hand with one hand and brushing the hair from my forehead. “Hey, how d’you feel?”
“Like it took Mike Tyson ten rounds to knock me out.” I try to joke, but it falls flat when Royal doesn’t smile. “What are you whispering about?”
“Nothing important.” He kisses my cheek, and I wince at the tender touch.
“Why did he say it was all your fault? That you visited him and you forced him to seek me out,” I croak out. “When did you see him?”
“Last weekend, when you thought I’d cheated on you. I’m so sorry I got it all wrong. I never thought he’d do this. The police are here and want to talk to you. Are you okay to do that yet?”
Am I ready to tell them everything he said and did? Not in front of Royal and Drake. “Yes, but without you two. I can’t do it with you listening.”
He looks surprised, but nods and looks at his brother. Drake tips his chin up and steps towards the door. Royal dips his head and kisses my forehead. “I’ll be outside.”
When I’m alone, I tip my head back, then groan at the pain it causes. My eyes flutter closed until I hear the click of the door handle and footsteps. This time I’m not going to like who I see when I prise my eyes open.
“Hi. I’m Sergeant Malcolm Sergeant, yes that’s really my name. This is Constable Mike Andrews.” The deep voice matches the solid man in front of me. His shoulders are as broad as Saint’s, but unlike my friend, there’s no humour in his eyes. “Is it okay if I call you Memphis?”
I remember not to nod but say yes instead. “Yes, that’s fine.”
“What can you tell me about Simon Mansbridge. Not about last night, not yet, we’ll get to that, but him as a man.”
This surprises me. I don’t know where to start.
“From when you first met him. Just a general overview to begin with.” He smiles, and it changes his severe face to a friendly, open one.
With a shaky smile, I talk, starting from when he first approached me in the club.
I choose not to be embarrassed about my lifestyle; they need to know exactly how Simon changed over the time I was with him.
I have to stop a few times for some water, but I don’t want to miss anything, so even though I’m exhausted, I keep going.
“Do you have any idea who hit you on the head?” Sargent asks when I get to yesterday.
“No, I didn’t see them. They must have been following me to be there at the time Simon stopped.
I woke up naked and tied to a chair. He was so angry with me, but I have no clue why.
He said Royal visited him. I didn’t know what he was talking about.
” I explain what happened when Royal stopped talking to me.
“We’ve spoken to both Mr Fosters,” Andrews tells me.
“Oh, okay. I still don’t understand why he said lost everything. Anyway, that’s when he started to hit me. I don’t know how long it was before he untied me. He…he,” I stutter as I try to tell him what came next. “He… Fuck, this is hard.” I close my eyes as if the memory can be blocked out.
“Take your time. The medical team have filled me in on your injuries, but I need you to tell me,” Sargent says so gently.
“Yeah, I get it. He forced himself on me and penetrated me. He was rough and violent.” I can’t say the R word; it’s humiliating enough talking about all of this.
“He said he was going to ruin me for anyone else. I believed him. When he-er…finished, he started hitting me again, kicking and stomping on me. I thought he was going to kill me. I passed out again, and that’s it until Royal turned up.
” I’m drained. I need to sleep. I need to ask one more question. “Have you found him?”
“Yes, he’s in custody at the police station. I’m going to see him now. I assume you want to press charges.”
“Fuck yeah, I do.”