He stood up and grabbed the back of his neck, “I don’t understand. Even after what he did you still are wrapped up on him. Why is your heart breaking he’s the one who did wrong.” Dan said.
I shook my head, “Dan, it’s because I love him. And he hurt me, it takes time to heal you know.” I told him.
“You love him? You love him and not me? How, why? I told you this would happen. I warned you and did you believe me? No you didn’t. I said he couldn’t treat or love you like me. You just caught him cheating on you and you still sound like you’re going to go back to him. What the hell makes him so great? Why is he so much better than me?” Dan said.
I got nervous because this was the Dan I knew when we were dating. All this time I thought he’d gotten over us and he hadn’t. I stood up too, “Dan I think I should head home to let all of this sink in. can we talk about this tomorrow?” I asked. As I looked at him I saw his hair looked wild from him running his hands through it and tugging. His eyes looked purely wild. I was brought back into the time when he grabbed me. Landon’s warning echoed in my head, that his reaction wasn’t normal and to be careful. I brushed it off at the time but it appears it held some weight. I needed to get out of here; he seemed on the verge of breaking.
He shook his head, “no we need to talk about this now. Now before you go home and he sweet talks you into taking his side. I need you to get this now!” he roared.
I stepped to the side and towards the door. “Dan, I think we’re both high on emotions right now. My head is all over the place with everything that happened tonight.” I tried again.
He walked forward and gripped my arms. I immediately winced, it didn’t hurt but I remember last time he touched me this way and it did. I tried to talk to him calmly and keep any fear or anger out of my voice, “Dan, please let me go.” I asked him.
“Lucy why are you doing this huh? I fucking love you.” This time his grip tightened to the point of pain. Worse than last time.
“Dan please? You’re hurting me. You’re holding me pretty tight.” I told him.
He began shaking me violently, “you’re not listening Lucy! I’m trying to help you. Trying to show you love but you’re not fucking hearing me.”
“Dan this is hurting. You’re hurting me. You spoke about Landon hurting me, but you’re doing it with your hands.” I told him.
His eyes narrowed, “but I can’t break your heart right? Because you don’t love me.” He asked.
I was afraid so I decided this time I needed to lie, “yes I love you but now’s not a good time.” I told him.
He gave me a big smile and placed a huge kiss to my lips. I kissed him back but by this point I was paralyzed with fear. I tried my best but it must not have worked. He pulled back and looked at me with narrowed eyes. I saw the anger building up and he bared his teeth.
“You lied. You don’t love me, I can tell.” He said.
“I didn’t l-“I started but was cutoff when he slapped me. My head whipped to the side and I stumbled back but he had a hold of one of my arms still.
“Don’t you dare fucking lie to me, do you love me Lucy?” he asked.
I nodded as tears gathered in my eyes. “You’re hurting me Dan.” I whispered.
“I don’t care, answer the question. Do you love me?” he asked again.
I whimpered, “Yes I love you.” I told him.
“Then prove it. Take off your clothes.” He said releasing me.
I stumbled back. “I – I – No. why would I take off my clothes?” I asked him.
“I knew it. I fucking knew it” he said advancing on me. I ducked under his arm and ran for the door. He caught me by my hair and yanked on it. I yelped as he threw me to the floor. I tried to get up and he kicked me in the stomach. I tried again and he kicked me in the ribs twice. I wasn’t giving up and every time I tried to get up he kicked and stepped on me. My stomach, ribs, legs. After a while I had to stop trying completely, my body was in too much pain.
I watched him walk to the door, and lock it. Fuck, that wasn’t good. He came back to where I was and grabbed me by the hair and threw me on the bed, my scalp was screaming in pain. He climbed on top of me and the only thing I could do was scream.
“HELP, PLEASE HELP ME!” he punched me in the jaw and it felt like it fell apart. The tears were flowing out of my eyes and all I could do was whimper. He stood and turned off the light. There was still some light filtering through the window so I could still see everything. He ripped off my clothes. He tugged down my jeans and literally ripped the rest off of me in shreds.
He stood up and removed his clothes. He grabbed a condom out of his pants pocket. I closed my eyes. It hurt to try to move my jaw, and my entire body was screaming. I let myself go numb. This was happening whether I liked it or not and there was nothing I could do about it. He put his fingers inside of me, and began pumping. There was nothing… I didn’t feel it even though I knew he was doing it. He growled in frustration I guess because my body didn’t respond. He got comfortable on top of me and pushed himself inside. He began pumping and I closed my eyes. I dreamt of a life that was free of everything that’s bad. I knew there was pain in my body from what he was doing, but it didn’t register. I’ve checked out of myself I was like a third party that couldn’t do anything to stop what was happening in front of me so I just watched it play out.
I knew when he came and his body shuddered. He stood up and took off the condom. He put back on his boxers and pants and leaned back over me. He began kissing me and I knew it hurt but I didn’t feel it. My jaw was done for. He leaned back and said, “tell me you love me.”
I mustered up all the strength in body and spit in his face. Love that you bitch. He punched me in the face and everything went black.
A while later I woke up and heard my phone. I tried to remember what I did with it, but I couldn’t remember anything. I reached out and pain shot through my ribs. That’s when I felt it. Pain everywhere, throughout my ribs stomach and even between my legs. What happened to me? I felt around and got hold of a strap and pulled it to me and the ringing stopped. It started right back up again and I found the strength to pull it from my bag. I saw the name said James. I answered it and my jaw hurt so bad I didn’t want to talk.
“Lucy? Lucy is that you? Are you there?” I heard him frantically saying. “Please Lucy if that’s you tell me. Dean and I have been searching for all of you for hours I need to know everything is ok.”
This was the one time in my life when I really needed someone. And deep down I felt like I could depend on him. I mustered up all the strength in my body to get myself to talk. “Dad.” I said.
“Oh my god Lucy. What happened, where are you, are you okay? You don’t sound good.” He sounded like a fucking wreck and then I heard Dean in the background sounding equally stressed.
They could help. “Dad’s… I need help. I’m alone but I need help please.” I croaked out.
My dad sobbed and it broke my heart. Dean came onto the line, “Lucy please tell me you’re okay, where are you?”
“Not ok. Help me please I hurt…” I told him. He asked where I was and I couldn’t remember, “Don’t know” was all I could say. I couldn’t speak anymore and I’m sure those words came out slurred and messed up but he seemed to understand what I said.
I heard talking and I hung on listening to him for comfort. He kept talking to me and asking questions and all I did was make noises without moving my mouth. He asked if I was hurt and I made as close as I could to a yes noise. Then my phone went dead. I had faith that they would find me. With that last thought I fell back into unconsciousness.
When I woke, I heard beeping. I was in a hospital. I turned my head to find James slouched in a chair with his head down. He appeared to be sleeping.
“James?” I said. God my throat was so dry. I tried to sit up and pain shot through me and I cried out. His eyes popped open and he surged forward.
“Lucy, what’s wrong? Stay still let me get the nurs
e.” He said seeming panicked.
He left the room for a few seconds and then came back in and took my hand. “Lucy, how did this all happen? God, I’ve never…” he paused while he seemed to gather himself. “I’ve never been so scared before in my life. Who did this to you?” he asked.
I shook my head because I didn’t know. I don’t even know what happened to me. All I knew was the pain I felt. The nurse came in and checked my vitals. Shortly after the doctor came in.
“Hello Lucy, I’m doctor Rodriguez. Do you know why you’re here?” he asked.
I shook my head and said, “I only know pain.” And he nodded. He turned to James and asked if he could leave the room so he could speak to me in private. James seemed reluctant but he left. When the door closed behind him the doctor inched closer to the bed.
“Well let’s run over what we know. You have a lot of swelling. Your jaw was dislocated, you have some fractured ribs and you suffered a concussion from a blow to your head. When you get a look at your body, don’t be shocked. There will be a lot of bruising and swelling. Someone beat you pretty bad.” He sighed before continuing, “Lucy you were raped. We ran tests on you and you came back clean. Whoever did this, used protection and there was no DNA for us to get. You also lost the baby. I’m sorry.” He concluded.
Someone beat me up and raped me. And I lost a baby? “I’m sorry. I’m confused, what baby?” I asked him.
“You didn’t know you were pregnant? I figured as much when we ran the tests and couldn’t find any traces that you had taken any prenatal measures. That was why I asked your father to leave the room since I wasn’t sure if this was something that you wanted anyone to know.” He explained. I nodded.
“Is anyone else here?” I asked. I needed Landon right now. I remembered the day in the shower. That’s when it must’ve happened. God, we made a person and some monster who tried to destroy me killed it.
He sighed, “Well considering the circumstances I guess I can tell you this much. Your siblings are here as well although not in the waiting room.”
That confused me. There was a knock on the door and a cop entered followed with Dean and James. He nodded to the doctor who excused himself and left the room.
“Hello Lucy, I’m detective Richards can I ask you a few questions?” he asked. I nodded and he took out a notepad and pen. “Can you tell me what happened?” he asked. I shook my head and he frowned. “Why not?”
I cleared my throat, “I don’t remember. I only know what the doctors told me.” I explained.
This got me a sigh, “maybe if I tell you what we know it will help jog your memories.” I nodded wanting more information. “None of you had returned home, and your parents were worried. They tried calling all of you for a couple of hours. Finally you answered and said you were hurt. We traced your phone and found you at a house. There were a few kids still lingering around and we cleared the place out. We found you in a bedroom alone unconscious. During our search for you we found Landon a couple of rooms down. He was also unconscious in a room alone naked. However, unlike how you were beaten to unconsciousness, someone slipped him the date rape drug. We also found Nick in a closet drugged by a sedative and Melanie was found in the basement beaten.” He informed me. I gasped.
“We were all targeted?” I asked. I felt the tears prick my eyes. I can’t take this, it was too much.
“Yes. It appears that Nick and Landon were drugged so that you and Melanie could be attacked. Nick just seemed to have been drugged. He doesn’t know who did it. Someone stuck him with a needle from behind. They must’ve dragged him out of sight when he passed out. Landon however, was slipped a lot of drugs. The date rape drug is not as instant as the sedative and that must be how he got up to the room. I don’t see someone being able to carry a guy his size through a party and up to a room without being noticed. There was no sexual intercourse; however, we found saliva on his genitals. Your parents informed us of your relationship so we tried to compare it to yours and it didn’t match. We were looking to see if maybe the attacks happened after or while your two were being intimate. But it appears not, there was definitely foul play. Melanie was only beaten but it was done with brute force. We believe she was beat with a bat. She endured a lot of blows to the face and that seemed to be the target. It looked bad but it’s mostly artificial. She will heal fully without the need of any surgery. She went down to the basement looking for Nick because she believed that’s where she saw him go. Someone cut out the lights and began wailing on her. When we found her she was barely conscious, but had been in too much pain to move. She has cracked ribs and some other injuries around her body that she sustained during the attack. You were the only person who might’ve had the opportunity to see your attacker. We believe they’re all connected and if we could find one link we’ll be able to put the entire thing together. We explained the phone call to the doctor and he informed us it’s possible that the blow to your head is affecting your memories. Would you consider meeting with a psychiatrist to try to help you gain back the memories of the night?” he asked. I nodded. I wanted whoever did these things to us to be caught. We were all attacked. I mean they drugged and beat us.
“Can I see them?” I asked. I had to make sure that they were really ok.
Dean nodded. “You can see Nick and Landon. They’re about ready to hurt someone if they don’t get in here. But this all needed to be done first. You won’t get to see Mel until you guys leave. With your injuries they don’t want you guys moving around yet.” He informed me. I nodded, I wanted to see her too but I couldn’t risk us getting hurt anymore.
Dean left the room with the detective on his heels. James came over and placed a kiss to my forehead. “We spoke about this, and when you guys are released you and Mel will stay at my place. Since Samantha can be there throughout the day to help while you guys heal.”
“We’re coming too then.” I let out a breath, Nick.
James turned around, “I know how close you guys are, but there are only so many rooms. I don’t have a huge home, it’s just big enough.” He explained.
It makes sense, my father had a lot of money but he wasn’t one to flaunt it. “We can share rooms with them.” Landon threw back.
James gave him a weary look, “um, I know you guys are together. But I don’t think I could sleep at night knowing all of the things you could be doing to my daughter in my home.” He visibly shuddered.
That got a laugh out of me. It reminded me of Dean, and how he tries to keep it out of his mind. “Dude, she’s injured we probably can’t do anything your thinking about. Besides, I wouldn’t do that if she’s hurt.” Landon told him.
James sighed and threw his hands up, “oh fine. It’s not like you guys won’t find a way to sneak in or kidnap them or something anyway.” He placed another kiss on my head, “I’ll let you guys have some time.”
Landon came over first, “Oh Lucy.” He said looking me over. I had no idea what I looked like, but the horrified look on his face told me it wasn’t good. He sat down on the side of the bed and grabbed my hand.
Nick inched closer until he could get a good look at me and gasped. I gave him a small smile to reassure him. “FUCKKK!” he roared and walked to a wall where he punched it so hard it dented in. “I’m going to fucking kill somebody.” He swore.
“Nick I’m going to be ok.” I told him.
He spun around and stalked to me, “Lucy don’t fucking play with me. We know what happened to you. Someone is going to fucking pay for what they did to you and Mel. Someone beat the shit out of you guys. I’ve seen Mel already. Whoever had the balls to do this shit better have the balls to deal with the consequences! Someone fucking beat Mel with a bat! Someone fucking beat you up with their fist and raped you. Someone fucking loaded me and Landon with drugs. And someone fucking violated him!” he finished pointing a finger at Landon. “None of that is o fucking k. so don’t try to placate me because you know it too.”
I cleared my throat. So none of them knew
that I was pregnant. I don’t even know how far along I was. I’m sure I could figure it out if I did the math, but I didn’t even want to know. It would hurt too much. “You forgot one thing Nick.” I told him.
His eyes narrowed on me, “what did I forget Lucy? Please don’t tell me there’s more. I might really lose it.”
I let my gaze lock on Landon who was watching me wearily. He looked like he was barely holding it together on my behalf. I know he wanted to yell and scream he was strung so tight. But I had to tell him this, he had to know. “Well, whoever did this also killed someone last night.”
Landon’s eyebrows shot up and he looked at me confused. I know, sure if someone had died that would’ve been a part of what the police found right? “When they beat me up, they killed our baby.” I whispered.
Landon searched my eyes looking for answers to questions I didn’t know. I wanted to know what he was thinking. I looked up to Nick and saw him watching on with wide eyes. I could tell he didn’t know how to process this piece of information either. “You were pregnant?” Nick asked.
I nodded, “yes, but I didn’t know until the doctor told me that some dick beat it to death inside of me.” I replied honestly.
Nick looked at Landon for a long second. His head was down. I needed to talk to him about this. I think Nick thought so too because he said he was going to check on Mel and he’ll see me a little later. When he left I grabbed Landon’s hand. “Landon? Talk to me.” I asked him.
He looked up and I could see the tears in his eyes. Oh my. I squeezed the hand that was holding mine and tugged. He shook his head, and I wanted to cry. He didn’t want to be near me. I let go of his hand and tried to hold in the tears. Was it because I had gotten pregnant? Lost the baby? Or both. Is he disgusted by me because someone else touched me? Did he blame me for not remembering or for this all happening?
“Lucy.” Landon said in a whisper.
Losing Her (The Lexington Series Book 1) Page 34