by Taylor Rose
I ripped that ass wipe off of Figgy as fast as my body would let me. Pulling him away from her should have brought me a sense of calm, but it only fueled the rage flowing through my veins. Blinding me.
“YOU PIECE OF FUCKING SHIT!” I bellowed. My voice held such hatred, I didn’t recognize it as mine. I pounded my fists into his body as hard as I could and kicked him with all of the strength my legs had. “You think beating on a woman is fun? Huh? Let’s see how you like it, asshole!”
I thought about taking the knife he used to cut up the women who holds my heart in her hands, and stabbing him in the chest with it, but decided against it. Going to jail was not on my bucket list, no matter how much I wanted that sniveling bastard dead. I beat him until the anger in my heart started to leak away, making me realize I had someone way more fucking important I needed to be focusing on. With one more kick, I hit his head, hoping to make him pass the fuck out. I turned and saw something that literally tore my heart in half. I realized now, that what happened to me wasn’t so bad. I could handle my own pain. My own demons. But knowing that she had to deal with this hurt so fucking bad, I felt like I was dying.
She was laid out, with horrific words etched into her skin from the blade. “Whore” was cut into the skin of her stomach, so deep that her skin was peeling back. “Bitch” was marked underneath her right breast, and “Slut” was carved underneath her left breast. So deep, that the scars would be on her beautiful body for the rest of her life.
Haunting her.
Reminding her.
Taunting her.
If the cuts from my hockey blades were still scarred on my back, I knew for a fact those would always be on her. The fact was confirmed by the bottle of vinegar sitting by her head. Vomit started rising through my throat, because now it made sense as to why she wasn’t bleeding from her cuts. That mother fucker poured vinegar on her open wounds, which caused them to seal. There was no doubt in my mind that was the reason he did it. He wanted her to look at those words, and think of him every single day.
Leaving the asshole who hurt her beaten to a pulp and lying in a heap on the floor, I headed over to the beautiful, broken women laying on the floor in front of me. She didn’t need my anger. She needed my strength.
My compassion.
My support.
But most of all, she needed my trust.
While I was busy kicking ass, Cooper untied her wrists and took the duct tape off of her mouth. I pulled the shirt I was wearing over my head, needing her to be covered from prying eyes. I slipped it over her head effortlessly, and then I cradled her in my arms. Hopefully, she felt an ounce of safety being in them, because I would never hurt her. I placed a chaste kiss on her forehead to let her know that she was not alone. I walked out the front door, needing to get her to the hospital. She needed medical attention no matter what. Cooper was following close behind me with Squirt in his arms. While I wanted to focus on Squirt, I couldn’t right now. Figgy needs my attention, which meant Cooper had to take care of Squirt for me.
“You’re safe now, baby. You’re safe,” I rasped, my voice cracked with emotion. I needed to comfort her the only way I knew how; with words. Her body shook in my arms; from pain, from fear, from my voice. I wasn’t sure. Right now, I wished I could read her mind so that I would know how to make her feel better. All I wanted was for her to feel better.
“Thank you, Charming,” she croaked out in a voice so hollow, so broken, it physically hurt me to hear it. After a few seconds, Figgy was asleep. Out cold in my embrace, without a second thought.
I jogged down their flight of stairs, her small body bouncing with each step I took until my feet hit solid ground once again. Walking as fast I could without running, we reached the parking lot in record time.
Once we got to the car, Cooper placed Squirt in the front seat while I climbed into the back seat with Figgy still cradled in my arms. I handed Cooper my keys and he looked at me with pain shining through his eyes. He turned on the car and started driving as I closed my eyes. I leaned my head back into the headrest and took a deep breath in hopes that it would help me calm down. But, as soon as the air hit my lungs, it overwhelmed my senses. The acidic smell coated my nostrils, leaving me breathless.
Old memories started to float to the surface, but before they made their way to my mind I pushed them down knowing that now was not the time to deal with my own demons. Instead, it was time to slay Figgy’s.
“Hospital?” Cooper asked me, his voice was harsh and breaking with only the one word and showing me how much this had really affected him.
I pulled Figgy’s body tightly to my own, cradling her head on my chest. I ran my fingers across her forehead, swiping her hair off of her face. My other arm was hooked around her knees, holding her in place. Using my thumb, I rubbed small circles on her thigh. I couldn’t stop myself, I needed to feel her skin against my own. Relishing in the feeling of her body being so close to mine.
Words wouldn’t come out of my mouth, so instead of speaking, I nodded. Letting him know that was exactly where I wanted to go.
This was one of the reasons I never told Cooper my own story. While he would have been there for me, he would have felt it just as much as he was feeling this. The fact that he let Figgy leave, and this was what happened to her was eating him up inside. Cooper had such a huge heart, and while it was an amazing thing, it also made him feel responsible for everyone he knew.
The thing about abuse is, when you’ve lived a perfect life, one where you were loved and cherished, you don’t think about the other side of the spectrum. You don’t think about the fact that there are kids out there that are being abused verbally, physically, and sexually, because you never went through it yourself. But when you have been through it, it’s all that you can think about. You think why me, what did I do to make this happen to me? You wish you were like the kids that have the perfect, loving families. You wish that you were normal, yet you can never get the abuse that happened out of your head, let alone fathom it happening to others.
Cooper was one of those. One of the one’s whose life was almost perfect. For him, knowing that abuse was something that was happening all around him, without his knowledge has brought him to his knees. He knew my life with Mitch wasn’t the greatest, but I never told him about the constant verbal slam downs and beatings I received. I knew it would affect his personality this way.
Poor Cooper. The only thing worse than actually being abused yourself was knowing that it’s out there, and that there’s nothing you could do to stop it.
The car stopped, pulling me out of my thoughts.
Cooper put the car in park and hopped out of the driver’s seat at lightning speed. He made his way around the car and opened the passenger seat door, grabbing Aqua in his arms, he started walking towards the emergency exit. Halfway there, he turned his head. His eyes connected with mine, and I knew that I should be getting up as well, rather than just sitting here. I opened the back door and carefully twisted my legs so that they were both firmly planted on the ground. With ease, I pulled myself and Figgy out of the car until I was standing.
I moved her in my arms just a little bit to get her in the most comfortable position possible and in five big strides, I was standing by Cooper once again.
Cooper and I walked into the emergency room without delay. Once inside, Cooper took a seat in one of the waiting room chairs with Squirt still crying in his arms. The thought of Squirt having to see Figgy this way made me mad. Her childhood would now be tainted with what happened today and this was something she would never be able to forget.
I briskly walked up to the check in station, wanting to get Figgy seen as soon as possible.
Before I could get there, my feet skidded to a stop. Standing no less than five feet away from me were a few of my team mates.
Nash Stickelton, Declan Saber, and Eight Inviernos.
Unable to form words, I just stood there with my mouth hanging agape.
> What the actual fuck?
“Kieran,” Eight yelled, trying to get my attention. His voice and demeanor frantic as both of his hands were waving me in their direction.
Drawing in a deep breath, I walked over to where they were all standing.
I opened my mouth to ask them all what they were doing here, but before I got the chance, a nurse rushed over and started ushering us all down the hall.
I coughed, trying to clear my throat so that I could actually use my words.
“What’s going on?” I asked them. I didn’t care who answered at this point.
“Well, about that…” Saber stumbled over his words, trying to explain. Anger pooled in his eyes, hatred gleaming from somewhere deep down. His eyes hadn’t left the broken girl in my arms since we approached.
“Saber’s wife’s a cop,” Sticks quipped.
“And?” I asked more annoyed this time, not understanding what that had to do with anything.
“We were all at his house playing poker, dude. All of a sudden there was this radio call to all the cops in the area and a message about you and Cooper being there. Something about someone needing medical attention,” Eight explained, staring at the ground as he spoke. He was unable to meet my eyes.
“So we all rushed here to make sure you guys were alright,” Sticks mumbled, slightly ashamed.
Well, that was kind of nice of them.
“And now, I’m really fucking glad we did,” Saber growled, his eyes were trained on Figgy’s body in my arms. “They’re going to pay,” he vouched, pledging vengeance for the woman in my arms.
“A-fucking-greed,” I declared.
“Is she yours?” Sticks asked.
“Fuck yeah,” I declared, knowing without a doubt in my mind that this woman was now and would forever be mine. I may be an asshole, but that didn’t mean I felt nothing. I had a beating heart in my chest just like everyone else. It was just only ever meant to beat for the woman in my arms. This, I already knew.
About a minute later, we ended up in a private room in the back of the hospital. Once inside the room, the guys closed the door and all lined up against the wall.
Faces ashen.
“Can one of you go get Cooper?” I asked.
Eight jumped off of the wall and ran out of the room. Looking up, Sticks caught my gaze and shrugged his shoulders as if Eight’s weird behavior was actually normal.
It didn’t matter to me, he could have three heads and I wouldn’t care.
Holding Figgy tightly in my arms made me feel better.
“So, you’re married, rookie?” I questioned him. “Never would have expected that.”
Saber slowly lifted his head and our eyes locked. My eyebrows hit my hairline. His eyes had become pools of melted copper, swirling around crazily. It was almost as if he were possessed.
“No one ever does,” he muttered. His head dropped back down so that he was staring at the ground once again. It was then that I noticed his hands were clenched into fists at his side, his anger was pulsating off of him in waves.
And I thought that I had issues.
As if he could read my mind, Sticks met my gaze again and nodded his head. He was agreeing with me.
Fucking shit.
A knock sounded on the door, drawing me out of my thoughts and an older looking man stepped inside the room. Wrinkles stretched across his skin, and white peppered his hair. His white lab coat looked worn down, from so many uses. His eyes locked on mine, and then fell to the broken girl laying in my arms. Sorrow shined through his gaze.
He cleared his throat, coughing a little to strengthen his voice.
“I’m Dr. Harper, set her on the table, would you?” he told me, his voice horse.
Nodding my head, I slowly placed Figgy on the table. Unable to break all contact, I held her hand as she lay there.
The doctor washed his hands in the sink, and then pulled some gloves on with a snap. Slowly, he pulled my shirt off of her body, exposing the horrible words etched into her skin.
“Mother fucker,” erupted Saber, the sound of his fist hitting the wall was very clear.
“Jesus,” hissed Sticks.
“Fuck me,” Eight snarled before curing in Spanish.
“This can’t be happening,” Cooper growled loudly.
“Figgy,” Aqua whimpered, her voice wobbly with emotion. Unshed tears shone in her eyes.
My head snapped up, hearing her in the room. I hadn’t even noticed that they were here. She clung to Cooper as if he was a life jacket, her little legs wrapped around his middle, her arms wrapped around his neck.
Cooper growled again, his body taut with tension. He didn’t get the best look at her before, but now that he’s seen her, his eyes blazed with anger. If looks could kill, his would murder.
Never again.
Never again would they feel helpless.
Never again would they be afraid of someone.
Never a-fucking-gain would either of them feel alone.
Never again would these girls have to go through something like this.
Never.
Dr. Harper kept quiet. One of his hands covered his mouth, and the other leaned against the wall to steady his balance. His eyes never left Figgy, but his gaze was hollow. As if he was submerged in a memory.
“Excuse me,” Saber grumbled as he pushed his way out to the hall.
Dr. Harper’s head snapped up, suddenly more alert.
“She can’t be in here,” he murmured, pointing to Aqua.
“She’s my sister,” Aqua griped, not in the mood to be bossed around. “Jelly, tell him,” she said as she patted Cooper on the shoulder.
Cooper grumbled something to the doctor, and proceeded to sit down in one of the chairs with Aqua happily placed in his lap.
Sticks was silently watching, eyes trained on everything going on.
Cooper talked to Eight, and then handed him a set of keys. Within a second, Eight was no longer in the room with us. No idea what that was about. I shrugged my shoulders, not even wanting to know.
Without another word, Dr. Harper got to work on Figgy. He took swabs of her wounds, measured the bruises on her wrists and ankles, everything; the whole nine yards. With much ease, Dr. Harper moved around the room, quickly and efficiently testing her with every machine he had direct access to. Finally, he leaned down to her abdomen and sniffed.
His body snapped rod straight, his nose wrinkled up, his face contorted with horror.
“No,” he whispered, fear and pain lacing his tone. His eyes took on that lost look once again. “This can’t be.”
A crash sounded outside the room, loud and booming, shaking the walls.
“Kieran?” Figgy’s voice rasped, her hand squeezed mine. My head snapped to hers, her face flushed with color.
Leaning down, I kissed her on the forehead. “I’m here, baby,” I murmured against her skin. “I’m here.”
“Where am I?” Figgy asked.
Her little pink tongue darted out and licked her bottom lip.
My god. Get a grip, dude. Now is not the time.
Clearing my throat, I muttered, “The hospital, baby.”
Grabbing the shirt she was wearing, I pulled it lower on her body. Covering up the evidence from her night. Shielding her.
Her head quirked to the side as if contemplating the truth of my statement.
“What happened to you, dear?” Dr. Harper questioned as he leaned up again the wall. Figgy’s eyes flared with shock before understanding shown.
She looked around the room, finally noticing all of the people crammed into the small area. Panic replaced her shock as she looked at the occupants of the room in front of her.
“I… Um...,” she stumbled over her words, her eyes staring at the ceiling.
“Baby?” I asked lightly, not wanting to scare her more than she was.
“It’s a long story,” she mumbled.
Sticks grumbled.<
br />
Cooper growled.
Both of them wanted to know. They needed to know for their own sanity.
So I sat there with her and held her hand. I squeezed, showing her she had my full support. Her head moved up, her surprised eyes locking on mine. Whatever she saw there gave her the strength she needed.
She took a deep breath, letting the oxygen slowly fill and empty from her lungs.
“Are you going to tell them later?” she questioned me, her head tilting to the side in the direction of my team mates. I nodded, there was no way I could keep it from them after the way they saw her.
She nodded, and took another deep breath.
“Life isn’t always pretty, it can be ugly and messy. Remember that life’s greatest lessons are usually learned at the worst times and from your worst mistakes,” she breathed out. Her eyes were misty with unshed tears.
“I met Buzz at a time in my life where I needed a hero. When I needed someone, anyone to care. At first, everything was great. Normal even,” she confessed while fumbling with the hem of my shirt. “Later, things got ugly. Evil. He became controlling. What I ate, where I went, what I wore, how I talked… Everything. He calls them my lessons, when I disobey him and he needs to put me in my place,” she laughed, hollow and eerie. “This,” she pointed at her body, “was my latest lesson.”
“What?” I choked out, bile rising up my throat.
Un-fucking-believable.
Cooper gasped.
Sticks’ face had drained of all color; his right hand was clenched around his cell phone while his left hand was stuffed in his pocket. He walked out of the room without a word to anyone, slamming the door in the process. I couldn’t blame him.
“You’re not going back there,” I growled, my free hand clenched into a fist at my side.
Figgy opened her mouth to speak for herself, when the doctor beat her to it.
“No, no she’s not,” he demanded. He cleared his throat. “Actually, she can’t.”
“Fine, I won’t go back,” Figgy huffed, clearly exasperated.
“It’s not safe, Miss…” Dr. Harper whispered.