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Chapter 7

His hand clamped over my mouth and I bit him. I fell to the ground after the first punch and he quickly tried to undo my jeans. I tried to defend myself, screaming for help again as he attacked me but he was so much stronger than I was. My heartbeat was so loud in my ears that I didn’t hear someone else approach us. Dan was suddenly on the ground with someone over him. I looked up and wanted to burst into tears, “Dad?” How did he know where to find me?

He bent down to me and I saw tears filling his eyes, “Yeah baby, it’s me.” I tried to take deep breaths but I felt like I couldn’t breathe. He ran his hands over my hair but stopped when I flinched. My head was pounding from it being smashed up against the wall. His expression turned irate, “Alex, Mike, get her out of here.” The next thing I knew, I was lifted off the ground. I was determined not to cry, but the pain searing through my body was so intense. I buried my face in my hands, pressing my palms into my eyes so the tears wouldn’t seep out. I flinched when I heard Mike telling Nick to stop as Dan started to groan. I knew that Mike would protect Nick, but I still didn’t want Dan to hurt him. He was a monster.

“You’re safe Ally, it’s okay,” Alex whispered. I shook my head, not lifting it from my hands.

“Give her to me,” I heard and I didn’t have to know who said it. I knew that as soon as he grabbed me that it was Nick. The only one I could let my guard down with. I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face into his neck as I finally let go. My sobs came in gaping gasps and I was having trouble breathing. “Shh, Ally,” He whispered as he rubbed my back. He stopped immediately as I whimpered in pain. “We need to get her to a hospital,” he mumbled. “Mike,” he said as I heard a van door open. He tried to sit me down but I clung to him desperately.

“No,” I whimpered. He nodded and climbed into the van, pulling me with him.

“Get us to the nearest hospital,” he said angrily. I hoped he wasn’t angry with me. “Are you coming Alex?”

“Yes,” he said stepping into the van and hanging up his phone. “Hospital is expecting us. Did you kill the fucker?”

“Shh,” he whispered harshly. “Ally, baby,” I heard in my ear. “You need to calm down. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly.”

“I can’t,” I whispered. “It hurts so bad.” He unzipped his hoodie and wrapped it around me.

“Thanks,” I mumbled, trying to calm down. I gripped the front of his t-shirt and whispered, “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.” I was going to lose it again if I didn’t stop.

“Shh, just worry about calming down,” he whispered, kissing my forehead. The van suddenly stopped and Nick stepped out, never letting me go.

The ER was almost empty, and we were greeted almost as soon as we walked in. “Hello Ally? My name is Dr. Mathis, I’m going to help you get better okay?” The young woman smiled at me but I knew better. The last time I trusted a stranger in this city I was attacked.

I clutched Nick tighter, “Ally, you’re gonna have to let me go so they can take care of you okay?” He took a deep breath and pried my hand from his, “do you want me to come in the room with you?” I looked up at him and saw the pain etched on his face. He was trying so hard. I wanted him to come with me so bad, but I could tell how upset he was. I could be strong. I shook my head and followed Dr. Mathis into an examination room.

Everything was a blur as she examined me, and asked me questions about the attack. A nurse held my hand for support and I was grateful for it, but it wasn’t Nick’s hand. I wanted him. “Do you feel like you can walk?” I blinked as I realized that Dr. Mathis was asking me something.

“Huh?”

“Can you walk out of here or do you need a wheelchair escort? You must be in a lot of pain,” she said.

“No,” I said quickly. “I can walk.” She nodded and I followed her out the door. I saw Nick and Alex immediately and tears flooded my eyes. They were both clearly visibly upset and I felt like a complete idiot because I’d caused them to be that upset.

“Mr. Carter,” said Dr. Mathis. “Can I speak with you for a moment?”

Nick stepped over to the doctor and asked softly, “What happened?”

Dr. Mathis looked at me and I rested my head on Alex’s shoulder, closing my eyes. “While she does have a lot of bumps and bruises, be grateful it’s not a lot worse. Her hand is broken in three places, and how the bones are broken, it’s from her trying to defend herself against the attacker.” I saw Nick tense and tried not to notice it. I looked up at Alex as he started to rub my shoulder, and saw him staring angrily out the window, “She has some bruised ribs but nothing that shouldn’t heal within a few days. She does however have a mild concussion. From where it’s positioned and what she told me, it looks like her attacker banged her head against the wall a few times to try to knock her out.” I was about to cry as it was slowly starting to sink in what Dr. Mathis was saying. “Just keep an eye on her, if she complains of blurry vision or intense pain, get her to a doctor immediately.”

“Okay,” Nick said tightly.

“I have here some medicine to tide her over for the next few days.” She handed Nick two pill bottles. “This one is just a mild pain reliever; she should take no more than three times a day.” She lowered her voice but I could still hear her, “and the valium is if she’s having trouble sleeping. I’d say give her one tonight but her blood alcohol level was fairly high.” I closed my eyes as Alex’s head snapped to me. Nick gave me a sideways glance as he frowned. “As for you, I’d keep a close eye on her tonight, it might be a long night, and she’ll probably have nightmares.” Not just nightmares, I was awake and it was all I could think about.

“Thank you,” said Nick.

“Ally,” said Dr. Mathis. I looked back at him, “please try and take it easy okay? You’re safe now,” she smiled gently and I wanted to believe her. “If you feel tired, it’s okay to go to sleep.” I nodded numbly and looked up at Nick. I just wanted to leave.

“Let’s go,” Nick said as he reached for my hand. He opened the door to the van for me and tried to smile at me as he sat down. Alex shut the door and immediately put his head in his hands as he sat down. I wanted to drown myself in my misery for hurting them both like this.

I was so stupid.

“Go around back,” said Nick as we pulled into the hotel. Mike walked into the hotel first and I was grateful that Nick stood next to me. I wanted to cry at the uncomfortable silence that surrounded us.

Alex got out his key card and looked over at me before opening his door. I wanted to hug him. But I couldn’t. “I love you,” he mouthed to me. I smiled sadly at him as Nick opened the door to our suite.

“Why don’t you go get changed,” he said. I nodded silently and walked into my room. My pajamas were on my bed thank God. I knew there was no way I was going to be able to get a shirt over my head so I just changed into my pants and kept Nick’s sweatshirt on. “Ally?”

“One second,” I called and tried to get my pajama pants pulled up.

But he didn’t listen and opened the door and frowned, “Do you need help?” There was no way he was going to help me change. No. Way. “I’ll get all of this stuff out of your way,” he took the clothes that were strewn about the bed and stuffed them all into the suitcase, and then turned down the bed for me.

He was about to say something when there was a loud knock on the door. I gripped his arm when he went to leave. He kissed my head lightly and said, “Why don’t you go in my room while I get the door.” I nodded. I loved that he knew that I didn’t want to be alone tonight. I quickly shut the door as I heard Brian’s voice. “Hi,” said Nick.

“Alex told me what happened, is she okay?”

“She’s fine,” he said. “I however, am not.” I frowned. He wasn’t?

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m going to find that mother fucker and I’m going to kill him if it’s the last thing I ever do.” My eyes widened. I had never heard him talk that way before.

“I know you’re upset-”

“Upset? Brian my daughter was attacked tonight because of something she heard me say! How can I not be upset?” I heard a loud thud but I didn’t know what it was.

“Nick-”

“I haven’t seen her in 17 years and she’s still fucking everything up,” he growled. I froze. He was talking about my mother.

“Calm down, for Ally’s sake,” I heard Brian say.

It was silent for a moment before I heard, “you’re right. Fuck.” I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. I felt it slowly slipping away as the tears started pouring down my cheeks like a faucet. “I don’t want her to be alone right now Bri, we’ll see you tomorrow.” I buried my face in my hands as I heard the door open. He was beside me in an instant.

“Do you hate me?” I tried to sound coherent.

“No,” his voice cracked and it sent me into another round of tears. “I could never hate you baby. Never,” he whispered fiercely. “Don’t you ever think that I could.” He grabbed the bottle of water that was on his nightstand. “Take a sip, it’ll help you calm down.”

But I shook my head, “I don’t want it.”

“Ally, please, you need to rest and I don’t think you’ll get any if you don’t calm down,” he whispered desperately. My composure struggled again at the tone of his voice and I tried to hug him but the pain in my side was killing me. “Don’t move,” he whispered.

“I was so scared,” I whispered. “How did you know where to find me?”

“I don’t know,” he whispered. “I was lucky.” No, I was the one who was lucky. “Thank God we found you in time.”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I’ll never run off again.” And I meant it. I would never be this stupid again.

“Alexandra,” he said, “now is not the time to talk about this. You need to rest.”

But he needed to know how sorry I was, “no,” I said. “You need to know.”

“I do know,” he said as he moved me and laid me down. “Now drink this and rest.”

“Wait-”

“No,” he said, interrupting me. “Drink this and rest.” He handed me the bottle and I frowned. “Don’t argue.”

“Will you leave me?”

His expression softened, “not even for a minute.” I nodded and took the bottle, drinking the whole thing, not realizing how thirsty I was.

I ignored the pain this time as I hugged him, “thank you for saving me. I love you,” I whispered.

He took a deep breath and whispered, “I love you too Ally. I love you so much baby.” He kissed my head and pulled the covers up over me, “now rest.” He turned on the television and moved to lie beside me. I looked at him for a moment before I closed my eyes, feeling the weight of what happened sink in.