Redemption (The Protectors 8)

Because where I should have seen the black ink from the tattoo, I saw only white foam. I automatically flipped on the overhead light so I could see better. The additional light helped me see the dark ink of the tattoo, but something wasn’t right. My eyes fell to a yellow bottle on the floor next to Levi’s feet.

“What-” I began as I read the label from where I was standing.

Oven cleaner.

My eyes flipped back to Levi’s wrist and I shook my head in disbelief.

“What the hell?” I yelled as strode forward and snatched Levi’s arm so I could get a better look. The blackness I was seeing wasn’t the tattoo at all. It was his fucking skin!

“What have you done?” I asked, completely horrified. The white foam on Levi’s wrist was bubbling. I glanced at his face and saw that sweat had formed on his brow and his face was pale and drawn tight.

In pain.

“Jesus,” I said as I snatched the bottle of oven cleaner off the floor and turned it around to read the label. I dropped it as soon as I found what I was looking for.

Lye.

One of the ingredients was lye and it was currently burning away the layers of Levi’s skin. I yanked him none too gently to his feet. I knew I needed to get the shit off him, but I was afraid of the damage I’d do if I just wiped it away with my shirt or something else. I needed to get him to running water. But the second I began pulling him from the room, Levi fought back.

“No!” He tried to rip his arm free. “I need to make sure it’s gone first!”

“Stop it!” I shouted and then I bodily dragged him to the kitchen.

“No!” Levi screamed again, but I ignored him and pulled him to the sink and turned the water on. But he was fighting me so much that I knew I’d only end up hurting him more if I forced his hand under the water.

“Levi, stop,” I said, but he only fought me harder.

“It’s not who I am!” he cried.

Guilt tore through me as I realized I’d done this to him.

Because I hadn’t been willing to listen.

And because I’d been waiting for proof that he wasn’t a good man. I’d condemned him to try and ease my own conscience.

“Baby, I know,” I said as I released his arm and grasped his face between my hands. “I’m sorry I didn’t give you a chance to explain. But please, please let me help you.”

Levi began to cry. “I’m not like them!” he said brokenly.

I had a good idea of who them was. “Levi, I know you’re not,” I said quickly. My heart felt like it was going to pound out of my chest. Every second that shit remained on his skin, the more damage it did. “Baby, please, let’s get it off and then we’ll talk.” I kissed him softly and tasted tears.

Levi finally nodded his head even as more tears fell from his eyes. I quickly adjusted the temperature of the water so it was lukewarm and then turned down the pressure so it wouldn’t hit his skin with too much force. I choked back a sob when I put his wrist beneath the flow of water. The foam disappeared and immediately revealed a large oval burn that was black along the edges and an angry, splotchy mix of uneven skin that ranged from black to pink to red in color. Bile rose in my throat as I realized just how many layers and layers of skin had been burned away. I was tempted to use my hand to try to clean the wound since it seemed like not all the oven cleaner was coming off, but I didn’t want to risk causing more damage. Levi was quiet as I worked, but I knew he had to be in extreme pain.

“Leave your arm under the water, okay?” I said as I began searching for a clean towel. I grabbed one from beneath the sink along with a roll of paper towels. Once I returned to Levi’s side, I realized he was starting to mentally check out. “Baby, I need you to stay with me,” I said as I gently put my hands on either side of his face. The move seemed to help him focus, but instead of speaking, he merely nodded.

I quickly folded several pieces of paper towel into squares and then got them wet. “Levi, I’m going to cover the burn with the paper towels and then wrap a regular towel around your arm so we can keep the area wet until we get to the hospital.”

“Hospital?” Levi said and immediately began shaking his head. “No, I’m not going to the hospital.” He started to pull his hand back so I carefully grabbed his arm to keep it under the water.