Dog breath wasn’t pleasant, but it was better than admitting she had no idea who she was. What if she didn’t belong with them? Or worse…
What if they had done this to her?
Silence surrounded the room as they allowed her to catch her bearings. Her mind was a blank space, there was nothing there but useless information. Nothing to indicate who she was or where she came from.
She was just…empty.
It wasn’t a good feeling to not know what was going on in her life. How she’d let herself become a victim of a crime, she couldn’t even recall.
“Would you like something to eat or drink?” the person on the floor asked quietly, interrupting her inner turmoil.
Gazing up into his apple green eyes, she saw nothing but concern reflecting back at her. Taking a chance, she replied, “Yes, please,” just as her stomach rumbled loudly.
The guy on the bed chuckled lightly at the sound as he got up from his perch. They both offered her a hand up to her feet. Unsure of whether to take their offer, she stared, uncomfortable with not knowing who anyone was.
“It’s alright,” the dark-haired hottie whispered with a smile. “You don’t know us.” Pointing towards the large dresser against one wall, he told her, “There are sweats and t-shirts in there. Help yourself. Come on, Ace.”
She watched as they reluctantly left her alone with Roxie, indecision on both of their handsome faces. Flashing them a reassuring smile, she waited until the door was closed before gingerly getting to her feet. As the blanket slid down her body, she realized all she was wearing was her bra and panties. Embarrassment tinged her cheeks knowing they must have undressed her.
Looking down her body, she was shocked to see so much bruising. Everywhere. There was very little skin untouched by large black and blue marks. Fear coursed through her in waves as she thought of the pain she must have suffered, the fear she would have felt.
How could she have angered someone so much that they’d assault her so brutally? Her thoughts immediately circled back to the two men waiting for her. She didn’t get the vibe that they were those types of people. They appeared genuinely concerned about her.
Which begged the question…
Was her attacker looking for her?
Searching through the dresser, she found a pair of sweats that fit a little snuggly and the legs were too long, as well as a baggy sweatshirt. Tossing them on, she left the room with Roxie on her heals.
Needing answers, she followed the noises down the short hall. Rounding the corner, she saw the two men ladling soup into bowls at the stove.
Without preamble, she blurted out, “Are they looking for me?” Both men spun around.
“Who?” the one called Ace asked her.
Waving her hands frantically up and down her body, she said, “This, all of this. Are they looking for me?”
Ace looked back to the dark-haired man before answering. “Not as far as we can tell.” Clearing his throat, he continued, “No one is.”
That deflated her.
She had no name.
She was beaten.
Of course, no one was looking for her.
Needing confirmation, she asked them, “Did you do this to me?” Remaining steady, she held her breath waiting for their answer.
“Have a seat,” the quieter of the two told her, disbelief in his voice.
“No,” her voice nearly wavered, “not until you tell me.”
Setting a bowl on the island closest to her, he asked, “You don’t remember?”
Closing her eyes, she tried to picture something, anything that would help jog her memory. Nothing came. Except...
“Oh God!” Bending over at the waist, a horrible thought occurred to her. Maybe they did do this. Maybe she asked them to. “Oh God,” she repeated over and over again.