Sheltered

Chapter 5

Austin

The woman at the registration desk has given me no less than ten dirty looks since we sat down in the waiting room. Luca hasn’t raised his gaze at all, but that’s fine. She can think whatever she wants. I know what I am and what I’m not.

I guess the only unfortunate thing would be if they called the cops on us.

Not only because that’s not something I want Luca to have to explain, but also because it could cause problems with us getting out of here.

I have no idea the type of reach that Damien might have in this fucked-up city, but I know him knowing we’re here is the very last thing Luca needs.

I’m thankful that the waiting room is large at any rate.

It’s slow today too, with only a couple of people sitting in various chairs around the room.

They keep stealing glances at Luca. I guess I can’t blame them, but I almost want to tell them to stop staring.

Like he’s some kind of fucking freak show or something.

Right now, Luca doesn’t need my anger or fear.

He needs my calm. So I channel the version of myself who walks into burning buildings for a living and keep myself relaxed.

I don’t death-glare the older woman across the room who keeps glancing at Luca and clutching her metaphorical pearls.

I don’t tell the dad of the little boy coughing his head off that he should teach his son it’s not polite to stare.

I want to, don’t get me wrong. God, do I want to.

I know Luca can feel their eyes on him, and I know it has to be making him uncomfortable.

But it’s not worth it. If anything, it would probably embarrass him more.

“Luca Pierce,” a woman calls from a door to the side of the emergency room.

Luca’s eyes snap up, and Pearl Clutcher looks away quickly. About time. I stand, waiting for Luca to do the same, and after a second, he does. I can tell it hurts him. That moving hurts him.

How the fuck did this become his life? How did he get to this point? I have no idea, and maybe I never will, but I’ll forever be thankful he called me. That we kept in touch and he had someone to call.

I follow him through the double doors and into the room the woman leads us to.

Her eyes dart between the two of us, concern and a bit of anger reflecting in them.

Luca looks up at her. “This man isn’t my abuser. He’s getting me away from him. So if you would be so kind as to hurry it up and stop silently judging so I can get out of here and safely out of this fucking state, I’d appreciate it.”

I can’t help the tiny grin that forms on my lips. There’s my Luca. She shakes her head quickly, then jumps into action. “I’m just going to check your vitals real quick.”

I watch as she wraps a cuff around his upper arm. I’m expecting both his blood pressure and his heart rate to be high, so it’s no surprise when she tells him his heart rate is ninety-eight beats per minute and that his blood pressure is slightly elevated.

After taking his temperature, she walks to the door. “The doctor will be in shortly.”

“Thanks,” Luca mumbles.

When the door closes behind her with a soft click, he turns to me. “I’m sorry that everyone is looking at you like you’re some kind of monster.”

I shrug. “It’s not a big deal to me, Luc. They can think whatever they want.”

“God, my head hurts so fucking bad,” he says, squeezing his eyes closed and dropping his face into his hands.

“What else hurts?” I can’t help but ask.

Luca groans. “Head, mostly. But my stomach’s queasy, probably because of my head. My ribs, my throat.” He stops and clears his throat. “I should probably have the doctor check for rectal damage…”

My stomach drops like a lead weight, my heart damn near punching its way out of my chest. I try to swallow past the burning lump in my throat.

“Is that something he does to you a lot?” I ask carefully. Luca doesn’t answer. I guess it doesn’t really matter. Once is enough. It’s too many. “Were you awake when this happened?”

He glances up at me, anger flashing in his eyes. “I don’t fucking know, Austin. I woke up with cum on my thighs. Does that make you happy? Do you want all the sordid details of my life?”

As soon as the words leave his mouth, his expression shifts to panic. “I’m sorry. I—I’m so sorry. Please don’t—”

I cut him off. “Luca.” When he stops his rambling apologies, he stares at me with wide, terrified eyes. “I will never hurt you,” I say slowly, trying to make sure he really hears me. “I’m very sorry for asking you intrusive questions. It’s none of my business.”

He hangs his head, letting out a pained laugh. “I asked you to come here. I literally invited you in and asked you to save me. I think you’re owed at least a little bit of an explanation.”

I’m not sure that I like that. I take a deep breath, closing my eyes against the anger burning in my chest. “Actually, I’m not owed anything.

I’m deeply thankful you called me. I’m glad you trusted me.

I’m glad you knew you could, but I’m not owed a fucking thing.

I’m sure that’s what he conditioned you to think, but it’s not the truth. ”

Luca presses his chin to his chest, breathing in deeply through his nose for a second. “I’ll be so glad to get out of here.”

I feel the same way. There’s a knock at the door, and then it’s being pushed in. “Hello, I’m Doctor Moran.”

Luca exhales slowly. “I’m Luca.” He lifts his gaze to the doctor. “I’ve gotta be honest, Doc, I need to get out of here. How quickly can we get this done?”

I pat my thighs. “Luca.” He looks at me. “I’m going to give you privacy for the exam, okay?” I glance at the doctor. “Can I sit right outside the door?”

He nods, his bushy gray eyebrows drawing together. “That should be fine.”

When I push myself to my feet, Luca catches my hand in his, and I turn to him. “You’ll come back, right?”

The fear in his quiet plea is unmistakable. “Of course. As soon as the doctor gives you the all-clear, I’m booking us flights, and we’re getting the hell out of here.”

I give his fingers a squeeze and let his hand fall from mine, then turn and make my way out of the room and into the hall. Sitting down on the floor—which is probably not advisable in an emergency room—I pull my phone out.

I’m not sure how long this will take, or if the doctor will even let Luca fly today, but there’s no harm in looking for flights. I’ve never been so thankful for my small savings in my life. I was saving for a down payment on a house, but it’s fine. I can make more money.

I’m not sure I ever would have forgiven myself if something had happened to Luca.

There’s a flight leaving in five hours that has seats available, but I’m not sure it’s a good idea to book it yet.

The only bad thing is that the only other flight isn’t until tomorrow morning.

I guess we could get a hotel room for the night, but that’s more money to spend—again, not a huge deal—but also, it’s another night that Luca has to stay in this city.

Fuck. I book the flights. If I have to change them, I guess I can. I’m not worried about having to pay any fees. It is what it is, but as it stands, I want to get us out of here as soon as possible. I also don’t want to take any chances on the seats being gone.

After booking the flights, I scroll through my phone to distract myself. I’m not sure whether it’s really working, because my thumb is moving, but my brain isn’t seeing anything.

My only thoughts are of how I’m going to make a one-bedroom rental work for both of us in a way that he’s comfortable with.

I can always get an air mattress and sleep in the living room.

I want Luca to have privacy. I can also sleep on the couch, but I’m truly too tall to sleep comfortably on it.

All I know is I won’t expect Luca to sleep in the living room.

He can take my room, whatever that looks like for me.

I haven’t talked to my mom or dad about any of this. Outside of calling into work and hightailing it out of town, I didn’t tell anyone. Partly because I wasn’t sure what I was going to be walking into, but also because I didn’t know how much Luca would be comfortable sharing.

My parents have always loved Luca like their own, and they ask about him frequently.

It would kill them to know what he’s been going through.

I don’t even know how or what to tell them.

We usually have dinner together on Sundays, so I’ll probably cancel that until I figure out what Luca wants them to know.

Chances are, he’ll want the worst of his injuries to no longer be visible before he sees any of them.

My phone is a waste of time, so I shove it back in my pocket and run my hand through my hair. I can’t even remember if I combed it before I left the house to go to the airport. I doubt it. I didn’t even pack a bag. My one goal was to get to Luca as soon as humanly possible.

If we end up having to stay the night here, I’ll probably need to find a store and get a change of clothes.

The door beside me swings open, and the doctor steps out. “You can come back in. For a second anyway.”

I don’t need to be told twice. I climb to my feet and rush into the room. Luca looks defeated, his head hung once again. “Do you think I’ll be able to get him out of here tonight? I booked a flight that leaves in five hours.”

The doctor looks between the two of us. “Yes, I think he’s okay to travel.

If this were normal circumstances, I’d say that I’d prefer for him to stay overnight for observation, but…

” Dr. Moran trails off. “I’m going to get discharge papers together with instructions.

Do you need documentation on concussion protocol? ”

I shake my head. “No, sir. I’m a first responder.”

With a nod, the doctor closes the door and walks out.

“He said I could take acetaminophen for pain,” Luca says, not raising his eyes.

“Makes sense, given that it’s a lower risk of bleeding.”

Luca shrugs. “He also said I should press charges and get a rape kit done.”

My stomach tightens. “You should.”

“I don’t want to.” He swallows hard. “I just want to leave before I talk myself out of it.”

“Can I sit down here?” I ask, gesturing to the bed. He glances over, then nods slowly. Once I’m seated beside him, I let out a deep breath. “It’s totally fine if you don’t want to press charges. I think you should, but you certainly don’t have to. This is your choice. All of it.”

“He said he was going to buy me a laptop for my writing.” Luca’s eyes dart to mine before his gaze lands on the bed in front of him.

“I know it was a ploy, but some small part of me is terrified it wasn’t.

What if this is the time I get the gift, and he means it? That’s stupid of me. I know better.”

Shit. That’s a lot to unpack. “I think hope is often the last thing we lose, Luc. And that you still have hope? That tells me you can heal. But it won’t be with him.

You asked if I thought there was a market for a book about someone escaping domestic violence and riding off into the sunset with Mr. Right? ”

Luca nods, swiping quickly at his eyes. “I think there is. But it’s not about Mr. Right.

It’s about you. It’s about you loving yourself enough to say, ‘That’s it.

No more.’ And following through. That’s what you’re doing.

That’s why I’m here. He tried to break that in you, but it didn’t work, did it? ”

Luca sniffles, making my heart ache and my throat tighten. “No,” he whispers.

“What was that? I didn’t hear you?”

He looks at me in confusion. “I said no.”

I can’t help but smile at him. “A little louder. He didn’t break me.”

Understanding lights up his features, and he gives me a slight nod. “He didn’t fucking break me.” His voice is solid and sure, and I’m so fucking proud of him I could weep.

“He didn’t fucking break you,” I repeat.

“He didn’t fucking break me. I’m getting out,” he says louder. “Fuck him. I’m going home.”

Fuck yes, you’re going home, Luca. And I’ll never let him touch you again.