“Sir, please let us examine her.” I sit up and it’s a crazy amount of stuff all happening at once. The paramedics are checking her, the cops are trying to talk to me, and Brody and Jax are standing off in the distance talking to more cops. “We need to get her to the hospital now.” I jump up to follow and the cop stops me.
I stare down at him, and he shakes his head. “I need your statement before you go anywhere.”
Is this guy for real? No fucking way am I not going with her. “Sir, I appreciate that you are doing your job, but the woman I love was just beat nearly to death, so forgive me if you think I’m going to sit here and talk to you when she’s on her way to the hospital. You want my statement, you’ll find me at the hospital.” I don’t even give a fuck, arrest me. “Jax, Brody, let’s go. They’ll interview us there.”
They don’t give a fuck right now and we rush outside. I’m pissed when I see the ambulance going down the street. “Fuck!” Both Jax and Brody squeeze my shoulder and I shake my head. “Please, get me there.” We rush to the car and Jax takes off. Once we’re on our way, I start sobbing again. “Never in my life have I seen anything like that. He nearly beat her to death.” Jax reaches over and squeezes my shoulder, and Brody tries to hug me from the backseat.
“I’m not going to lie, that was some fucked-up shit back there. Blake, if we didn’t come in when we did, you’d have killed him,” Jax says. I don’t even care that I have tears dripping off my face when I turn to face him.
“Jax, I was trying to kill him,” I admit. They’re both quiet for a minute before Jax glances over at me.
“I would have too if it was Kallie.” Brody agrees, and for some reason, it makes me feel a little bit more sane.
“Brody, can you call Shannon, tell her what happened, and see if she knows how to get in touch with London’s, ummm, Laken’s parents.”
“Laken?”
I nod my head and wipe my face with the bottom of my shirt. “From what he made her tell me, her real name is Laken and they were engaged. I don’t know what the fuck to think right now. I just want to make sure she’s all right.” They both agree with me and we don’t speak of it again. After I know she’s okay, we’ll talk about everything, but right now, that’s the least of my worries.
We finally pull up to the hospital, and Jax lets me out at the emergency room entrance, while they go park. I run inside and stop at the desk. “My girlfriend was just brought in by ambulance.” She stares up at me and smiles. Seriously? She’s going to flirt with me right now?
“Hey, I know you. You’re Blake Foster. Oh my God, I’m a huge fan.”
Oh fuck. Is she kidding? “That’s awesome, thanks, but I really need to get to my girlfriend. London Tweed.” I’m crossing my fingers that’s the name she gave because I don’t even remember at this point if she told me a last name.
“Yes, she’s in ER room 106. Just go through the double doors and turn right. It’s the second room on your left.” I thank her and rush through the doors. I find her room and there’s a nurse in there with her. I walk in and the nurse smiles at me.
“You must be Blake.” I glance down at London and back to the nurse. “She’s been calling for you.” I move to her side and reach down to hold her hand.
“What’s wrong with her?” I rub my thumb over her knuckles and she squeezes my hand.
“Well, she just got back here, so I’m not sure yet. I know she needs to get x-rays and probably a few small stitches on that cut.” She smiles down at London. “I’m going to get some ice for that eye and lip. I’ll be right back.” She leaves and I move London’s hair away from her face. She stares at me and starts to cry.
“Baby, don’t cry. I’m here, I’m not going anywhere.” I lean down and kiss her lips as gently as I can. “Did they give you anything for your pain yet?”
She clears her throat and focuses on the IV. “Not yet. She just put the IV in. Blake, I didn’t want you to find out like this. I was going to tell you over dinner tonight. I swear I was.” I now know exactly where all her fear comes from. She’s afraid I’m going to be like him. I feel gutted at the thought.
“Listen, I don’t care about any of that. Especially right now, but I want you to know that you never ever have to fear me. I would never hurt you like this, ever. I’m just sorry I wasn’t there to protect you.” Just then, two officers come into her room, and I understand they have a job to do, but shit, can’t they let her get helped first?
“Ma’am, we have some questions for you, and it’s best we get them while it’s still fresh.”
I cross my arms with disgust. “Yeah, because this looks like something she’ll easily forget.” She squeezes my hand and I glance down at her.
“It’s all right.” It’s not all right. Nothin
g about this is all right. However, they start asking questions. What can I do? I just stand there and hold her hand.
“So, he was in your house when you got home last night?” I physically feel ill, listening to their questions and her answers.
“Yes.” The female officer looks at her, then at me, then back to her.
“Maybe your boyfriend should leave for a few minutes.” Not a shot in hell.
“No. We have no secrets,” she says. I don’t care who is around…I kiss her.
“I know this is hard, but did he rape you?” I stare at them with wide eyes, never having that thought cross my mind. If I thought I felt sick before, it’s nothing compared to this. I don’t know how the fuck she was able to endure all of this and still be here talking like this.
“No, he didn’t. He was too busy beating the shit out of me, breaking my computer, and torturing me with how he found me and that he was going to take me back to Florida with him.” I breathe out a sigh of relief, but still I’m sick about what happened.