“She is, isn’t she?” I asked, swallowing audibly when he nodded. “Congratulations, I am pleased for you both. I don’t want to worry her, so I’ll accept your orders. But I don’t like them. I don’t want anyone risking their safety to protect me. I’m not worth it, Marcus.” Tears burned my eyes when my mind conjured images of Riff or Char getting hurt or worse because my monster caught them, and a soft sob escaped my throat before I could stop it.
Sighing, he kissed the top of my head after almost enveloping me in a hug. “You are, sweetheart, just because you cannot see it, doesn’t mean it’s not true. But enough of that for now. Let me see what they did to your back,” Marcus demanded, and I stiffened. Shaking my head, I backed away toward the safety of my apartment. The only people who saw my back were doctors and nurses, and I intended to keep it that way. “Don’t make me get Ava,” Marcus warned, and I trembled. “Stay,” he added, tapping my nose before disappearing into my apartment, and I turned my head to watch him go. “I don’t want you seeing what it looks like in here, so you’re banned from your apartment until I get it clean. Not because they trashed the place, but well, I’m sure you know what it looks like when they’re done with you. I don’t want you seeing that here.”
“Because you want me to still feel like it’s home,” I finished with a sigh, and he nodded. He set down the first aid bag I stored under the sink, and I chuckled, guessing that’s where he kept his once upon a time. “Great minds think alike?” I offered with a quirked brow, and he nodded with a wicked grin. I noticed that he brought me a change of clothes, sighing with relief when he not only had a hoodie for me but my phone from Char.
“I notice he didn’t touch your face,” Marcus noted with a soft growl, and I chuckled.
“Not out here where you could see with that camera of yours,” I agreed, and Marcus snorted, although he met my gaze unapologetically. “If I didn’t notice it, well, I would no longer have faith in my ability to survive. The things you don’t notice are often the ones that kill you.” Nodding his agreement, he used a bottle of water to wet a bit of gauze, and I closed my eyes while bracing myself for what’s coming. I hated this part.
Marcus gently dabbed at the deep but not life-threatening cuts on my ribs, and the small nicks covering my waist and upper abdomen. Thankfully, the bastard left my groin area alone, where the bruises have darkened my skin from one hip to the other. Once he cleaned my skin, so it was only stained pink instead of covered in blood, he used the cream we spoke of before bandaging my wounds. He looked at the burn on my right palm next, dabbing it and using more cream, then wrapping gauze around it to protect the wound. As much as that hurt, I knew what followed would be much worse. I babbled about how he pressed my broken nose between his thumbs to distract Marcus in the hopes I could escape. He quirked his brow and gave me a knowing expression before raising his finger to give me a turn around motion.
Gulping, I did as he bid, cringing when he remained silent while his anger thickened the air. I haven’t looked in years, but I remembered what it was like the last time I checked. Thin scars that crossed each other several times covered my upper back. He paired the cigarette loving lackey with one who adored his whip. The cream I had made the scars look more faded, less angry, but they were still there. Meanwhile, my lower back received love from cigarettes and thin-bladed knives that hurt like hell. Since my back was already sensitive, their attention felt fantastic. Not. But that I could suffer it without crying out made me proud of myself. Although they’re careful to ensure they don’t risk my spine, it still ached for days after their visits.
“Oh, sweetheart,” Marcus breathed, and his anger faded to be replaced by a deep sadness that was even more oppressing. His fingers were gentle, but I still shuddered from everything he did and bit back my whimpers of pain. Usually, I was unconscious for this part during the first few days. I sighed once he began bandaging my back, taking deep, even breaths to keep myself standing still.
“Again,” I murmured, “this is but mere foreplay for what they do.” My eyes closed, and I shuddered at the thought of school with Kyler and my injuries. I tried to ignore my traitorous heart beating faster at the thought of seeing him, and how the word foreplay brought Kyler to mind. How I abhorred that whore. Albeit, my heart didn’t. Whatever. Traitor.
“Well I’m even more pleased that I interrupted and ran them off,” Marcus declared with sad eyes. “How is the tyke?” I sighed with relief that he didn’t mention Matty by name, because I wanted to scrub my apartment to make sure there weren’t any bugs before I believed it was safe. “Your visitor said he would see you at Christmas, whether or not you’re here. Asshole.”
“The tyke is okay, I returned him home with no issues. I hope I get to babysit him again soon since he was such a delight. Alas, I’m not sure when he must be watched, so I guess
