“I rode around for a bit to clear my head, then stopped at Chelsea’s.”
“And she let you in?” I asked, remembering their massive fight.
“Only after I sweet-talked her.” He smirked but deadpanned quickly, taking a sip of his drink.
I tapped the top of the bar before walking away, apprehension coating my skin as I walked down the hallway. Every step I took closer, heightened my nerves, the beat of my heart picking up its pace at the thought I had to pull her out of the security of the room and into the lion’s den. While the guys weren’t going to touch her, there was a possibility a few of them wouldn’t be their most polite selves. Not that most of them would normally win an award for etiquette.
I rapped my knuckles against the door, counting to three in case she wasn’t decent. The memory of her standing in front of me naked last night elicited anger I’d never felt before. Not only from the sight of the fresh bruises scattered among the healing ones, but that she’d been treated so badly, she felt like she had to give me her body in exchange for taking her away from those monsters. Deciding it best to hide my emotions, I kept my expression flat, or at least I hoped I had. Frightening her even more than she probably already was could only do further damage.
I turned the handle and slowly opened the door before peering inside. Maddie stood in the middle of the bathroom in nothing but a towel, bent over the sink spitting out the toothpaste she used to brush her teeth. She appeared to be lost in her own world because she never noticed when I entered the room. It wasn’t until I was directly outside the bathroom, did she turn her head and look at me, letting out a small shriek once she saw me.
“I knocked. I guess you didn’t hear me.” I rested my arms against the doorframe.
“I didn’t.” She tightened the towel around her chest, her eyes taking on a panicked look. “I… I fell back asleep for a few minutes. I only just now took a shower. I’m sorry.” She backed further into the bathroom even though I hadn’t moved at all.
“That’s fine. No problem.” My words came out slower than usual, my tone soft, much like one would talk to a frightened animal who was about to bolt.
Her breaths evened out while she watched me. I must’ve looked a certain way because she frowned. “Is everything okay?” she asked tentatively.
“Yeah.” My cheeks puffed out before I released the air from my lungs. “Uh… I gotta… bring you out there.”
She grabbed onto the edge of the sink. “Out where?”
“Out there,” I answered, pointing toward the door. “To the common area.”
“Why?” Her voice trembled and I wanted nothing more than to give her a hug, to assure her that nothin’ was gonna happen to her.
“The president of our club asked me to.”
“Will he… will he force me to have sex?” A tear coursed down her cheek. My heart broke right then, and if it was the last thing I did, I’d make those fuckers pay for what they did to her.
“No. I guarantee he won’t touch you. No one will.” I briefly wondered how many times I’d have to say the same thing before she believed me.
Maddie and I stood staring at each other, and if I wasn’t mistaken, I thought I detected a hint of curiosity shrouded behind her gaze. She didn’t seem to be frightened of me, not much, at least.
Taking her all in again, I deemed that her eyes were almost too big for her face, but in the cutest of ways. Her bottom lip was slightly fuller than her top, and her nose was small and in perfect alignment with the rest of her face.
Maddie was beautiful, and while I tried not to focus on her physical attributes, I couldn’t help but picture her in various positions on the bed behind me. My thoughts were in bad taste, but as long as I didn’t voice them, no harm, right?
She watched me intently, her eyes never leaving my face, and for the first time in my life, I felt scrutinized, but I couldn’t say if it bothered me one way or the other.
Finally, she shifted her feet and looked downward, clutching her towel as if she feared the material would suddenly disappear.
“Oh, sorry. I should let you get dressed.” I turned and moved to walk away.
“Can you wait for me? I don’t want to go out there by myself.”
With my back still to her, I said, “Of course.”
Her plea disturbed me. I hated that she thought I would make her fend for herself in a place she didn’t know, around men who were strangers to her.
Although… I was a stranger to her.
A fact I wanted to rectify and soon.
16
Fully dressed back in the clothes I arrived in, I stood in front of the mirror, staring at the shell of the person looking back at me. I barely recognized myself. My chocolate-brown hair was dull and lifeless, much like my pale green eyes. My skin was pasty and slightly sunken in, blotches of discoloration painting my cheeks and neck, the sight of bruises a common thing for me to see on myself.
“He said you’ll be fine,” I muttered to my reflection, breathing in and out to calm my rising nerves. My vision blurred with unshed tears, and for a second, I contemplated locking myself in this bathroom, refusing to go with Lincoln out to the common area where his president was waiting on me.
I’d trusted before, and it hadn’t worked out for me. Why would this time be any different?
Lincoln rapped twice on the bedroom door before entering. “You ready? They’re waiting.” They? I shook my head so fast I was surprised I didn’t fall over.
He was next to me a few strides later, placing his hand on
