by Lucia Grace
If he said anything else after that I have no fucking clue. My pulse is thrashing so fast that the blood pumping in my ears is drowning out everything around me. Seeing red? It’s a thing, because a red mist has tainted my vision, blurring everything into a red haze.
That motherfucker is dead. I’m going to rip him limb from fucking limb so slowly he’s going to wish he were fucking burning alive instead.
“She’s pretty beat up, Dame. She’s barely conscious, has a head contusion I’d say she got from falling when she was trying to get away.”
My body is shaking from rage as I take in the view in front of me. Shattered front door. Toppled over chairs and stools. A turned over table. Fuck, what did that cocksucker do to you, sweetheart?
As Kayson finishes telling me about Ace’s additional injuries—her severely sprained ankle, her bruised arms, torso, and thighs—I hear shouting and a commotion from behind me. I turn my head to see Officers Brinley and Thompson dragging that lanky motherfucker, Teddy Wilkes, in cuffs. He’s resisting and cursing as they make their way to the parked squad car.
He’s about to wish he was never fucking born.
“That bitch had it coming. She’s wanted me since we were kids. Ouch, fuck, the cuffs are too damn tight. Do you hear me?”
My rage ignites into an inferno. My blood boils. I lose my fucking shit.
Without a second thought I spin around, Kayson’s voice fading out, and I charge that motherfucker. Brinley and Thompson don’t see me coming until I’m right on top of them, right arm cocked back, aiming for this asshole who dared put his hands on Ace. My Ace.
I don’t say a word as I smash my fist into the side of his face. The extended hours I’ve spent in the gym these last couple of months paying off. The sound of his jaw against my knuckles fueling my rage.
“How does it feel, motherfucker? Huh? How about taking on someone your own size, you piece of shit.” I get another punch in to his side, right in the kidney, before I fist my hands into the front of his bloodied T-shirt and get right in his face. “I’m going to make you wish you never even looked in Tracey’s direction, let alone put your fucking hands on her, you stupid cunt.”
Brinley and Thompson aren’t able to contain my fury, and as I let go to lay into him again, I feel arms loop through mine from behind to pull me back.
“Calm the fuck down, Damon,” Kayson hisses in my ear. “You’re causing a fucking scene. Do you want to be tossed in the back of your own fucking squad car?”
Then before I know it, Captain Beasley is in my face, and a line of my fellow officers are standing between that dead motherfucker and me. Dead because I will fucking kill him.
“Stand down, Miles,” Captain grits out between clenched teeth.
My own jaw grinding and ticking so hard I’m surprised my teeth don’t snap in half to their fucking roots.
“I get it, Damon. Ms. Cole is a lovely girl, but you need to rein it in, son. Now. Don’t make me slap these cuffs on you, too.” His glare holds understanding, as he looks into my eyes a couple of inches above his own.
I toss my arms up to dislodge the hold Kayson has on me. “I’m fucking fine,” I grit out, chest heaving. I’m coiled so tight with anger my skin feels about ready to shred from my body. I’m vibrating with rage as flashes of what Ace just went through race through my mind.
Groaning and bitching draws my attention to the dead man walking, or more like limping, as Brinley and Thompson quickly shuffle him to their cruiser behind the captain, who is still standing in front of me. “Ouch! Fuck, man. Are you just going to let that pig get away with assaulting me? You saw him! He was a fucking wild animal coming at me like that.”
I scoff, loudly. Assault? Wild animal? I’ll show you crazy, motherfucker.
Brinley and Thompson get him to the car and open the door. “Well, aren’t you going to do something?” Teddy whines like the bitch he is.
They shove him into the backseat without tucking his head down, so it bounces off the top of the open doorframe, causing him to cry out in pain yet again. “I’ll show you ‘pig’, fucker.” I hear Thompson mutter. “And we didn’t see a fucking thing. Looks like your injuries are from when you got your ass handed to you by a woman that you brutalized and attempted to sexually assault,” he grinds out before he slams the door.
My rage ignites all over again at Thompson’s reminder.
“My office, tomorrow morning. You hear me, Miles?” Captain yells in my face before he walks off with two rookies tailing him. Giving off instructions on how to finish securing the scene and making way for forensics and cleanup.
“Let’s go,” Kayson demands. “Paxton has her all loaded and is already on his way to Mercy General. He and his partner arrived on scene first. Maxwell and I came on scene in another bus after Paxton called in for backup after taking in what happened. Maxwell and I are heading out now. I assume you’re following?”
“My shift was almost finished when I heard the call radioed in, so yeah, I’m fucking following.” Fucker. I’d lay my badge and gun down right now if it was between seeing Ace and finishing out my shift.
Beep… Beep… Beep…
Why won’t my alarm turn off?
Lifting my arm to silence the offending noise, pain shoots through every cell of my body. What the hell?
A dull throbbing ache settles over me as a groan erupts from my dry lips.
“I think she’s waking up.” I hear whispered on a gasp from beside me before some shuffling.
“It’s okay, Tracey. We’re here for you, babe. We’re right here.” Is whispered on my other side.
Sam? Confusion settles over me. Here for me? Why would they need to be here for me?
“Wh-what…” I trail off. Speaking that one word exhausts me beyond anything I’ve ever felt before. My throat feels as if I swallowed a handful of gravel.
I feel eyes on me, so instead of trying to speak again, I attempt cracking my eyelids open. They feel as heavy as my arms beside me, but I manage to open them slightly before slamming them closed once more. The blinding light above me making my throbbing head feel like it’s splitting open.
“Ugh,” I groan. The vibration of my protest jarring my head even more, causing my stomach to roll with nausea. I wince.
“Damn it.” I recognize Amber’s voice. “Hold on, girl. Let me dim the light.”
From behind my eyelids I can tell the lights have been turned down. When I open my eyes again, I let out a sigh of relief that the harsh lights are almost completely turned off.
Looking up, I see three sets of tear-filled eyes staring at me with worry etched all over their beautiful faces.
“Let me get the nurse,” Sam says before she exits the room, returning a second later with a pleasantly plump older nurse in tow.
“Why hey there, sweet thing.” She smiles brightly. “I see you’re finally awake. I’m Nurse Rita. Let’s take some vitals and then I’ll go get the doctor to check you over.”
“What happened?” I ask while I watch Nurse Rita putter around. “Why am I lying here?”
Ember takes a deep breath, while Sam and Amber share a look before Amber speaks up first. Clearing her throat she asks, “What do you remember? Anything?”
“What do yo-you mean?” I wince at my dry, scratchy throat, and Sam grabs a small plastic cup with water from Nurse Rita and brings the straw to my lips so I can take a few small sips. I sigh in relief and thanks before Ember cuts in.
“You were attacked earlier tonight, sweetie,” she whispers through a tortured look. I gasp. Sam and Amber fight back tears. Nurse Rita finishes recording my vitals and silently leaves the room.
“Attacked? What…what do you mean? Oh my God!” Then it all clicks. “One minute I was closing up shop and then the next…” I slam my eyes closed as visions of what I remember assault me all at once. His calm demeanor. His brutal hands. His disgusting words.
“It’s okay. Deep breaths. Just take your time,” Em soothes.
“He—he ju
st broke through the front door. Gl-glass shattered and…” My voice hitches. My throat burns from holding back the sobs that want to burst through. “I tried to calm him down, but Teddy just said he was there for me. I knew—I could see in his face he was going to hurt me. I tried to escape him, but I couldn’t…” I trail off before taking a deep breath and continuing. “The last thing I remember is him getting me to the ground, climbing on top of me, then punching me a few times. But then it goes dark.”
“That cock sucking motherfucking cunt face of a douche lord,” Sam exclaims. Not caring that the door to my room is wide open. “He’s lucky he’s in lockup, let me tell you,” she adds as she slams her fist into her palm.
I can’t help it. I know it’s not funny, my aching body proof of what I lived through, but I laugh anyway. Three sets of eyes focus on me giggling in my hospital bed. I begin to laugh harder until a sob breaks free.
“Oh, Tracey,” Ember coos before she gently sits by my right hip and wraps a delicate arm around my shoulders after I gingerly sit up. Amber taking up residence and the same action to my left. Sam stays at the foot of the bed, a hand resting gently against my non-injured leg.
“I’m okay.” I sniffle. “I’m okay.”
“It’s okay to not be okay,” Amber whispers gently as she rubs soothing circles against my back. I just nod my head as the tears keep falling.
She’s right. I’m not okay. I feel violated and betrayed and so damn weak. And I hate feeling weak. But right now I just can’t bring myself to care that I’m breaking in front of my three best friends. Because I know they’ll catch me. Just like we did for Ember, they’ll do it for me.
Silence fills the room. Even my cries are silent sobs. My body too battered to do anything else. Until Ember shatters the quiet with her next words.
“Kayson said that Damon—”
“Damon?” I stop Ember from finishing. His name making me freeze. “Please tell me he wasn’t there?” I quietly plead. Praying he wasn’t on duty. That he didn’t see me like this. That he doesn’t know what happened to me.
“Sorry, Trace. But he was. And Kayson said he flipped out—went ballistic—charged Teddy, punched him and everything.”
“Serves the fucker right.” Sam interjects.
“Took Kayson, two other officers, and the captain threatening suspension for him to stand down.” Ember continues.
I gasp in horror. “Oh my God.” He punched Teddy?
Knowing looks cover the faces of my three best friends. What they know, I have no idea. I just can’t believe that he’d do that. Damon loves his job. Lives and breathes for it. I understand that knowing I was brutally assaulted would cause him anger, but no way would I ever guess he’d jeopardize his position of authority because of me.
I’m still reeling from this revelation when a tall, slender woman, I’d say to be in her late fifties, walks in. “Nice to see you awake, Ms. Cole. I’m Dr. Hardy. Let’s take a look at you and see how things are now that your body has had a little time to rest.” She smiles a pleasant smile meant to put me at ease, which I’m anything but as I wait to hear what was done to me. With the way my body feels, I’m terrified to find out.
I swallow harshly before replying. “Hi. Please call me Tracey.” I try to smile, but more tears well up in my eyes.
“Okay, Tracey. If you hear anything at any time that you need me to elaborate on, or if it becomes too much and you need me to stop then please let me know. Okay?” I nod in acknowledgement before she continues. “Well, you were barely conscious when you arrived here, due to several hits to your head. As a result you have a concussion that I want to keep an eye on for another twenty-four hours. Along with a severely sprained right ankle, a few bruised ribs, and a handful of other bumps and bruises.”
A quiet sob breaks free before I can help it. The girls surrounding me all offer comfort before I nod my head that I’m okay.
Dr. Hardy offers a sympathetic smile before continuing when she sees I have my tears under control. “Due to the concussion and the pain medication we administered, as well as wanting to keep you off that ankle, I’ll be keeping you the rest of the night and tomorrow for monitoring. If all goes well we can discharge you tomorrow evening. It may be best to stay with someone for the next couple of days.”
“Stay with someone?”
“Yes.” She nods. “Someone who can keep an eye on you because of the head trauma and help you out while you get used to the crutches you’ll need to use. Which I’d say would be for about a week, but then you still won’t be able to do any stairs or much walking for an additional week to allow for your ankle to heal properly. Plus you’re going to be sore for the next several days—”
Dr. Hardy stops abruptly as she takes in the look on my face. I’m overwhelmed and I know she can tell. I take a few deep breaths.
“It won’t be a problem, Doctor. Tracey can stay with my husband, who’s a paramedic, and me for as long as she needs.” Ember looks down at me after she’s done addressing Dr. Hardy.
“Oh, Em. No, I don’t want to have to put you two out. You’ve barely been married more than a month. I can’t impose—”
“Oh hush, would you? You won’t be imposing. I know Kayson won’t mind. Honestly, you can stay as long as you need.” She smiles an encouraging smile at me, telling me that she means what she’s saying. Then she looks back up to the doctor.
“I’d say just for a couple of weeks would be good,” Dr. Hardy confirms. “The first few days you’ll need to watch for signs of a more serious or worsening head trauma. Like severe headaches, vomiting, confusion, changes in speech, things like that will be important to make note of. Then it will be keeping her ankle as stable as possible. It may not be broken, but the severity of the sprain means you need to be off of it as much as possible for a week, then the next week will be light walking in a boot we’ll provide for you. After those initial two weeks I’d like you to make an appointment with your regular physician for a follow up.” She explains further.
“So it’s settled. You’ll be staying with Kayson and Em, and then Amber and I can make trips in to check on you, too.” Sam interjects. Smiling a sweet smile at me to let me know all will be okay. Amber squeezes my hand she’s been clutching, since Dr. Hardy began going over my injuries, in agreement.
I finally nod in surrender. No longer trying to fight their help. “Okay,” I breathe.
“Great.” Em claps as if I’m coming over for a slumber party and not to recover. But I just smile at her excitement over being able to help and having me over. She has a heart of gold and I know she’d do anything for me. “We can set up my office into a spare room for now since you won’t be able to do stairs. And—”
“She’s staying with me.” Is rumbled through the room, interrupting Em.
We all swing our gazes to the doorway where it originated. Dr. Hardy excuses herself when the tension fills my hospital room. Damon’s standing there, still in full uniform, looking delicious as always and causing that deep ache to settle low in my belly. Even beaten black and blue, and feeling like a Mack truck hit me, he still affects me like no other.
“Wh-what?” I stutter out. Shocked not only by his sudden presence but by his words, too. Hard hazel eyes hit me full force when I look back up. His stance defensive, his body strung tight.
“She can stay with us, Dame. It will probably be better for everyone that way.” Ember tries to save me but Damon isn’t having it.
“It wasn’t a request. There isn’t an option. She’s staying with me.”
Four sets of familiar eyes stare back at me, but I only care about the deep brown pair that always holds me captive. Ace is looking up at me from her hospital bed, her round face paler than usual. My heart constricts in my chest at the look of anguish and pain, along with shock and confusion, troubling her beautiful face.
Her beautifully bruised and battered face. Fuck.
I just look at her. Taking her all in. Her right foot on top of a pile of pillows, keeping her
ankle elevated. Her small, curvy body settled amongst the blankets and sheets of the hospital bed. The slight rise and fall of her chest beneath her johnny revealing her shallow breathing, no doubt because of the pain caused by her bruised ribs.
My blood feels like lava running through my veins at the reminder. Not that I’ve forgotten. No fucking way I ever will.
The arrival at the crime scene.
Kayson telling me what happened.
And especially laying my eyes on Ace for the first time at the hospital.
I’ll never forget. Ever.
I take a deep breath meant to calm me, but it’s no use because all I can keep envisioning is what her delectable body must look like covered in bumps and bruises. I keep imagining what that fucker must have put her through tonight. And I keep thinking how enough is e-fucking-nough and it’s time for us to put that night behind us once and for all and move forward.
Together.
Because no way will she ever be left alone and vulnerable and unprotected ever again. I’ll make sure of that. I may not be good enough for her, and I may not be able to give her exactly what she wants. My past too dark—too vile—to allow it. But I refuse to sit back and let her think that I feel anything less than how I actually feel.
I refuse to sit back and let Ace think that she isn’t everything I’ve ever wanted but wouldn’t allow myself to have.
It’s time to claim what’s mine. What’s always been mine. And I’m starting now.
“Hey, Ace,” I say after I clear my throat. Bringing myself back to the present.
“Hey,” she replies shyly, looking uncomfortable.
I step into the room, away from the door.
“Officer Dimples,” Sam greets me.
Followed by ‘hellos’ from Em and Amber. Ace’s hands fidget in her lap.
“Glad to see you’re awake.”
She looks up at me. “I’m sorry you had to see me like that,” she blurts out.