Scorch (Virtues & Lies 2)

“The other girl,” he murmurs. “They ummm…they…fuck. They think she was…ummm…the tests…” Taking a deep breath, he pauses, his expression sombre. “They believe she was sexually assaulted.”

I can see him study Arabella’s figure. My heart fucking howls with the possibility. Why else would we have found her in the state she was in?

Every part of me burns with agony.

“Do you think…” He stops as I shake my head.

I can’t verbalise it. I refuse to speak it until she can tell me herself. If something that barbaric happened, I want her to tell me. I want to look in her eyes, and I want to take it all away.

“Fred…” My choked voice rumbles low, making her shudder.

It’s the first sign she’s coming to. Her breaths are still muted and hoarse.

“Did you see the girl? How? I…I don’t understand how… Fuck, Christopher. Is that what they do to them?”

I blink the hot tears filling my eyes away. “Freddie.”

“She did a number on him, but I wish he was still alive. I wish I could make him feel every ounce of pain he—”

“He’s dead. We can’t bring him back to kill him in any other way, so we just have to find the others.” And I want to do that so very bad. If it wasn’t for the fact Arabella is in here, I would be out there. Hunting every single motherfucker.

Coming closer, Freddie bites his lip. He’s got that look on his face that says he’s struggling.

“I can’t stop thinking about that girl. I tried to see her, but the staff won’t let me in. She’s too scared. They had to sedate her so the doctors could get the full measure of her injuries, and it got me wondering.”

“About?”

He swallows, eyes reddening. “Lucy.”

“You can’t guess her situation by another woman’s condition.”

“I do know that, but I still can’t stop thinking what if that’s all she’s known all these years. Abuse. How does a person survive that?”

“I don’t know.” My strangled reply comes out as a hoarse whisper.

Arabella stirs again, this time blinking into the morning light. It’s snowing and the fog has dimmed the brightness of day.

“She’s waking up.” His lips turn up with a sigh. “I should go.”

He’s leaving before I get a chance to say anything in return. I was waiting for it to hit him. I knew that he would be obsessing over all the possibilities and scenarios in his head. We’re so alike in that way.

Finding my phone on the tallboy beside the bed, I set up a reminder to call him later. I want to check on him, make sure he’s not driving himself spare.

“Is he okay?” Arabella’s croaky voice breaks the silence.

My tight chest eases somewhat at the softness of her voice.

“Yeah,” I lie to her.

Last thing I want is for her to stress over something she doesn’t have to. And I know she’ll stress over Freddie.

“How are you feeling?” Turning onto my side, I brush her hair back.

It smells off, bloody. Nothing like her usual sweet scent.

“Achy.” The rattle in her throat becomes a barking cough, and it kills me to see her work so hard for her breath. “But how is he? Really?”

“He’s shaken up. We all are, Belles. I never thought we’d be here again. Like this…”