Chapter Seven
Ashland
I paused in the doorway to my bedroom, checking again to be sure the Lakers Girl was breathing. Why I had let her sister talk me out of taking her to the hospital, I wasn’t quite sure. Something about the plea in her wide grey eyes so similar to her older sibling’s. It triggered a basic tenet inside of me. Protect and defend those in your care.
How and why had someone done this to a poor defenseless girl?
News flash, Ash. There are evil people in the world.
Yeah, I knew. Linc’s father came immediately to mind. I was looking at the evidence of someone else with a similar sadistic bent. The Lakers Girl’s face was so swollen she was hardly recognizable as the girl I had been chasing. Her scalp was shorn, nicked in a few places, leaving her completely bald. The top of her ear had a particularly nasty slice. And remembering those bruises on her ribs, my fingers curled inward. I wanted to kill whoever had done this. Yet as I continued to stare beneath my fury a softer emotion, but a strong one began to work. My fingers loosened, and I regained control as it took hold of me.
Yeah, there was evil, but there was beauty, too. I was looking at it. The way those two were tangled together holding one another, comforting each other even in sleep. There was a lot of love there.
It had taken them a while to settle, especially the sister. At least the Lakers Girl had been out since Gloria left. She was going to hurt like hell in the morning. For now I didn’t see any reason not to let her, let both of them, sleep.
No one ever in my bed but me. I let out a self-deprecating sigh. Well, that had gone out the window tonight.
The younger one stirred, shifting even closer to her sibling. Her movements lowered the covers. I moved closer to draw them back up but then stopped. Their fingers were linked together under the blanket. My next breath lodged inside my chest.
An old memory surfaced.
Linc. Me kneeling beside his bed. Taking his hand and squeezing it tight trying to convince him that he wasn’t at fault for the beatings his father gave him.
Abuse did awful things to a person’s soul. How long had these two dealt with it? Their fear and distrust seemed ingrained. I got the impression that it had been awhile.
Instead of chasing her, I should have coaxed her. She might have stuck around the surf shop and confided to Simone or Karen. Tonight might have been avoided. I felt responsible. I felt something more, but I didn’t analyze it. I had to fix this if I could.
~ ~ ~
“I told you what the paramedic said last night. If you still won’t let me take her to the hospital, then she just needs to rest. So let her rest.”
“But her eyes.”
“Swelling. It should go down in a day or two.”
“How can you be so sure?” Hollie asked. At the bar the petite strawberry blonde teenager twisted her small hands together.
“Experience, unfortunately. I had an uncle who used to beat up my cousin on a regular basis. Ice when she wakes up then warm compresses. We’ll get your sister better. Trust me.”
“I appreciate your help. For last night. For everything. And no offense, but I don’t know you well enough to trust you.”
“Fair enough. But I think you need to consider trusting someone. You can’t go back on the streets with her like this, and you’re not much better. You’re so weak you can barely stand.”
“You don’t understand.” She pushed away from the counter and straightened her shoulders. I noticed that just that small effort made her limbs tremble.
“Then enlighten me.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not? Do you think whoever did this can get to her or you here? Not fucking likely. Key card entry just to get into the building. Then a code I change out regularly for the private elevator to this floor. Then a regular key to get into the penthouse. You’re safe here. And Gloria didn’t see you. I didn’t even mention your name. I respected your wishes. I helped you. I don’t plan to stop helping you. My friends have been helping your sister all along. Why not trust us? Why not trust me?”
“Because…”
“Because,” a different voice repeated, a sweet melodic one, and the pan clattered as I shoved it to the back of the stovetop. I turned and immediately had to school my features to pretend I wasn’t disturbed by the Lakers Girl’s appearance. Face even more swollen, if anything she looked worse right now than she had last night.
“Because we can’t.” Her hands fluttered in front of her chest. I tried not to get angry again but failed as I registered the dried blood stains on her tank.
“Hollie,” she began. Taking another step forward, she winced and would have gone down except her sister had scooted off her stool and flashed to her side. The significantly smaller girl ducked under the older one’s arm becoming her crutch.
“We’ll discuss it later.”
“Well discuss it now,” the Lakers Girl said firmly, frowning at her sibling.
“No.” The two exchanged a look. A test of wills. One squinting through the narrow gap in her gaze while the other’s determination flashed in her eyes. As bad a shape as the Lakers Girl was in, I knew she wasn’t going to give in.
“Hols,” she gentled her tone. “We decided. We’re in this alone, just the two of us.” She swayed suddenly. Her sister’s knees buckled under the additional weight. I rushed over catching and lifting the Lakers Girl before she could hit the ground like the younger one had, right on her rear.
“You stay,” I stated firmly. “I’ve decided for both of you.”
“Bbbut…” The one in my arms trailed off as I narrowed my gaze on her.
“You’re in no shape to argue. And neither is she.” I cast a quick glance to the younger. She had regained her feet, but tottered as if a grommet sized wave might knock her over. “This is ridiculous. Both of you back in the bed.”
“No. I…”
“It’s not up for debate,” I barked as I strode effortlessly back toward my bedroom with the older in my arms and the younger one in tow, her footsteps silent, her labored breaths audible.
I gently placed the Lakers Girl back in my bed. She hadn’t just sagged into me. She had sighed, inhaled deeply as if my scent had been a healing elixir, and then she had burrowed into me as if my arms were the safe harbor she had always sought. I liked that. I liked it a lot. Liked the way she had felt in my arms. Yet, I frowned as I untangled her grip from my neck because she weighed much too little for someone who had to be at least five-foot-seven.
“We can talk more about you staying here after I bring you some food and you get some more rest.” I handed her an olive branch. I had no intention of letting her leave, but I sensed she would be more cooperative if she felt like she had some control of the situation. It’s how I would feel certainly. I also did it because I needed to reboot the dynamic between the two of us. I didn’t want her running from me anymore. I much preferred the burrowing and clinging. “I’m Ashland Keys, by the way.”
“I…I know who you are,” she stuttered. “I mean, I know you’re the drummer for the Dirt Dogs. Everyone in OB knows that.”
“Ok.” I nodded, accepting that. OB was a relatively small community, though in all the years we’d been a successful band, I’d never gotten used to strangers knowing me by name. “But we haven’t been formally introduced, right? Not that there’s been a lot of time with you running and me chasing you all over town.” I dropped down to a knee beside the bed. I was a big guy. Someone had brutalized her. I didn’t want her to perceive me as a threat. I also wanted to acknowledge my part in us getting off on the wrong foot. “I’m sorry about that. Sorry I scared you. That wasn’t my intention. Do you think we can start over?”
She nodded. “I’m Fan…Frances.” She shook her head subtly as Hollie sank onto the bed beside her.
“Nice to meet you Frances.” It felt better than nice. It felt familiar somehow, probably only because of all the time I had spent in pursuit of her.
Grimacing, she reached up and touched her bald head and ducked her chin to her chest.
“Well, the circumstances aren’t nice. I’ll give you that. But we can try to make the best of it, starting with getting you both fed. I was just getting ready to make breakfast. I don’t have a ton of culinary skills, but I can scramble eggs. And toast some bread. Would that work for both of you?”
They nodded.
I stood. “Alright then I’ll get to it.” And yet I lingered just a moment longer. My gaze encompassed both, but I settled it on Frances. She was the one in charge. And her eyes, even just the slivers I could see compelled me to hold it.
“Don’t give Hollie a hard time when I leave the room.”
“I wasn’t…”
“You were.” I cut her off. “I get that you’re wary. I think I understand more than you think I do about your situation. Hollie did the right thing last night calling for help. You can’t keep going this alone. Whoever hurt you isn’t going to stop hurting you, and the next time will likely be worse.”