2. - – Hartley #2
Laying awake until the room started to brighten with a gray glow, I went over and over everything that happened, not just with Palmer, but also since I woke up here almost frozen.
In an attempt to make Kade believe I fell asleep I kept my breathing slow and even, not tossing and turning like I wanted, though my throbbing ribs wouldn’t allow me to get comfortable.
Eventually, I heard his footsteps retreat down the hallway where I presumed their bedrooms were located. He stayed with me for a few hours, but I guess he finally got tired enough to go to his bed.
In the low light from outside I could make out everything in the room.
As the day awakened, the light didn’t get any brighter.
Snow was coming down hard and the fireplace was just embers.
Feeling a little cold and needing the bathroom, I got up and added one of the logs to the grate behind the screen and poked at the dying embers to wake them.
Then I went to the half bath they showed me last night.
I really wanted a hot shower, but without clean clothes to change into it wasn’t as appealing.
I avoided looking at my face. I could feel how my eye was swollen and my cheeks ached.
When I left the powder room, I almost walked right into Trick.
His hands shot out to keep me from falling when I startled.
He quickly removed them from my arms and gave me a bright smile.
I couldn’t help returning it. His dark hair was mussed from sleep and he had a little boy quality in his pajama pants and henley.
All three of them were so tall and well built with carved features and square jaws.
They looked like movie stars and if I had any clue who the latest stars were, maybe I would recognize them.
Wishful thinking I know, as if a scared, beat up, nobody like me would be lucky enough to be rescued by a trio of famous, handsome, kind men.
Escaping into all those romance novels was messing with my head.
Following him back to the great room, I sat on the sofa and covered my lower half with the blankets that were still warm from my fake sleep. A sigh left my throat and Trick looked over his shoulder at me, then went back to adding more logs to the low flame.
Kohl entered the room and surveyed the scene, his eyes landing on me with concern. When I met them he smiled gently.
“Want some coffee?” he asked.
“Yes, please.”
“How do you take it?”
“Black is fine.”
He was back in mere moments with a mug and a towel wrapped around an icepack.
“For your eye…it looks worse this morning. Would you like some pain reliever?”
“Sure. Thanks.”
After swallowing the pills I sipped on my coffee in between holding the ice pack to my face.
“How are you feeling?’ Kade asked when he came into the room wearing sweats and a tank, his tattoos on full display.
A true artist had done the designs, and they were so mesmerizing, mostly patterns. But also a wolf, a full moon, and some things I couldn’t see fully to know what the whole picture would be. I only have one tattoo and it wasn’t by choice.
“I’m sore but alive, thanks to you three.”
“It was purely luck that Kade spotted you,” Trick explained.
“However you found me, I can’t thank you enough. I would’ve died out there.”
Kohl cleared his throat, “Do you remember how you ended up on the side of the road?”
Taking a grounding breath to fortify my resolve, I knew I needed to answer them this morning. They saved my life and took care of me…they’re still taking care of me. I need to respect them and they deserve a bit of my trust.
“Not everything. My uh, ex-boyfriend, was angry with me yesterday. I tried to explain to him that he had it wrong, I didn’t do what he thought, but he lost it.
He hit me and I tried to escape. He caught me and hurt me.
Then he told me if I wanted to get away so bad he would drop me off.
He hurt me until I was unconscious. I don’t remember anything else until I woke up here. ”
The three of them looked ready to murder Palmer and I was worried. They didn’t need to get hurt in my mess…he's a powerful, evil man.
“What hurts this morning?” Kade asked.
After a quick survey of my injuries I was embarrassed to answer, but I forced out the words, “My head is pounding, my eye is throbbing along with my ribs. The scrapes on my hands only sting when I get them wet. Really my whole middle hurts, it feels like I was run over by a train.”
“We all have first aid training, but Kade has some practical medical experience. Would you let him check your ribs?” Trick queried.
My nerves immediately made themselves known. I looked at Kade for some type of reassurance and he gave me a gentle grin.
“I’ve worked in an urgent care office every summer since high school and I’ve taken EMT courses. I promise not to hurt you.”
“Okay.” My voice was so low I’m surprised they could hear it. But they moved into action with my answer. Kohl and Trick left the room. Kade came and sat across from me on the coffee table again.
“Do you want to do this here or go into one of the bedrooms?”
“Here.” I couldn’t keep my voice from shaking.
“Are there any injuries on your legs?”
“My knee hurts.”
“What about your middle? You said your ribs ache, anywhere else?”
“Yeah. My stomach, and…”
He stared into my eyes, well the good one at least.
“And…?”
Tears flowed and my lip trembled, my body shivered at the memory.
I couldn’t say it. I shook my head and a sob escaped.
I slapped my hand over my mouth as the tears continued to fall down my cheeks and dripped from my chin.
He reached out and took my hand, holding it gently until I could meet his eyes.
No judgement on his face, no anger, just never-ending patience and kindness. Something in my chest relaxed.
“Did he sexually assault you?” His voice was rough but controlled. His other hand was squeezed into a tight fist, but his eyes remained calm, caring.
Nodding, I took my hand from his, shame filling me. I wrapped my arms around myself and sobbed. He rubbed my back, a soothing gesture from someone who cares. No force, no pain, no repercussions.
He whispered, “It’s not your fault, Hartley. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. You haven’t done anything wrong. I know it’s easy for me to say when I’m not you, but I promise there’s no judgement, and no blame on anyone but him.”
When I calmed down to hiccups, he asked the next difficult question.
“Will you let me look under your shirt and pants? I promise to only look at the injuries, I’ll touch you as little as possible. I won’t move your undergarments. If you’re comfortable, when we finish the visible injuries, we can talk about the rest.”
It was too difficult to look at his kind face.
My shame and fear were overwhelming and I locked them down and went into my safe space in my head, where I mentally escape when the pain is too much.
Nodding for him, I lifted my arms so he could move my top, while I imagined the beautiful waterfall.
In my safe haven there’s a lush green forest with a path along a brook, and it ends in a pool with a tall waterfall emptying into it.
It’s peaceful and nobody can hurt me there; no shame or physical pain can reach me.
As he carefully moved my pants, I focused on the fawn drinking from the brook.
It saw me and approached for a scratch on its cheek.
Then it wandered off and an enormous wolf came into the clearing.
It approached me with gentle eyes. I wasn’t afraid of it because nothing can hurt me in this space.
The imaginary wolf sniffed my hand and licked the back of it.
I reached out to pet his giant head and he leaned into my caress.
His gray and rust fur was marked with black around his warm eyes.
He chuffed a soft sound and rubbed his side against my legs.
Then he sat in front of me as if he would guard me from anything dangerous.