Eight
I struggled to open my eyes. Finally getting one open, I blinked as the room came into view. Why did my face hurt? Reaching up with my left hand, I almost knocked myself out when something heavy hit my forehead. What the hell was on my wrist?
I was lying in a bed in a room I didn’t recognize. I started to panic, my breathing growing erratic. My legs trembled; they wouldn’t let me get up.
Where was I? Where was Jiji?
I had to get up, find her, get away. Something warm rolled into my side, and I realized Jiji was sleeping beside me. She was okay; I could relax. Closing my eye, I said a silent prayer that we had gotten away from Aden.
Opening my eye again, I looked around for a clue as to where we were. My gaze landed on a person sleeping on a cot pushed up against the wall. I studied the sleeping form and couldn’t help sighing at what I saw.
His muscled arm was thrown over his head; colorful tattoos swirled from his shoulder down to his wrist. His inky black hair fell over his forehead, and I could see part of his chest, also covered in muscle and tattoos. He was really tall, his big feet and part of his leg hanging off the cot.
Licking my lips, trying to wet them, I couldn’t help but think of that old wives’ tale about how big men’s feet were in relation to another part of their anatomy.
Unfortunately, before I got more than a peek his eyes popped open. Had he heard me move? Like a big cat, he was instantly on his feet and beside me.
“Hey, babe,” he said, smiling down at me. “How you feeling?”
“Sore,” I croaked. “My throat still hurts.”
“Shh, babe, Boomer left some pills here for you to take so the pain will go away.”
I shook my head no. “I don’t like the way they make me feel,” I said in a whisper. “I look like shit, don’t I?”
He cocked his head to one side. “Nah, that black eye looks good on you with all that red hair. It takes away from the freckles. But babe, if you and Jiji wanted to see me that badly, all you had to do was call,” he joked.
I tried to smile but my split lip wouldn’t let me. “Ouch,” I said.
Then his face turned serious. “I found your medical ID cards in your purse and spoke to the two cops that showed up. They made the nurses take pictures of your injuries. They will want to take a formal statement from you, but the doctor told them you needed to rest—recoup a few days first. You slept all the way home from the hospital.”
Trying to lift my arm, I moaned in pain. Gently, he reached out to help me. “You have a cast on that wrist, babe; it was broken but they set it while you were out.”
“What else is wrong with me?” I asked him.
“None of your ribs are broken, but you’ve got severe bruising down your side. Boomer was worried about your kidney, but the last couple times you went to the bathroom no blood was in your urine so he thinks they might just be bruised too.” I could feel the heat creeping up my neck when he mentioned my pee, but I got what he was trying to say. He went on, “You have a concussion but none of the bones in your face are broken.
“Tish, Jiji says you kicked Aden in the balls before he could rape you…” He hesitated before continuing. “He didn’t touch you there, did he?”
I dropped my eyes when Jameson mentioned my near rape, but he wouldn’t allow it. He put his fingers under my chin, making me look at him.
“Tish, this is not on you, it’s on that cocksucker. Now tell me, did he touch you?”
I looked at him and slowly shook my head. “He grabbed my breast when he cut my top and bra off, but he was too busy trying to get his pants off before he got to mine. I took the opportunity to kick him in the balls as hard as I could when he did.”
Light laughter came from Jameson as he spoke. “Remind me to hide my balls when you get mad at me. Do you know what happened before you got there, Tish? Jiji says my mom and Aden were arguing and she tried to intervene.”
Looking away from his eyes, I started to cry. “I’ve been a horrible friend, Jameson. I didn’t see the signs of abuse, or if I did, I wouldn’t let myself believe them,” I whispered. “She needed me and I was too stupid to pick up the clues. On the ride, here she told me he’d been hitting her for some time. She said she was in the hospital once when he hit her too hard. She was supposed to be at your cousin’s wedding, so I never saw her hurt.”
I cried harder. “She said he threatened to rape her too, that she would be a better substitute for your mom, whose time was coming. He told her he had information on you that could put you in jail for life. If your mom tried to leave him, he would tell the police. I didn’t know, Jameson, I didn’t know.” Shoulders shaking, I tried to control my sobs. “I’m such a loser,” I whispered. Looking up at him pleadingly, I said, “If I disgust you, I will leave, but please let me stay ‘til I know Jiji will be okay.”
“Tish, baby, you didn’t do anything wrong. Nothing, do you hear me! What you did do was protect my sister, getting her to safety. When she needed you the most, you stepped up. I swear to you, both of you are safe here. That fucker Aden is a dead man walking,” he vowed.
I tried to smile, but my lip split open again, and blood began running down my chin.
“Damn, doll, hold still I’ll get a rag,” he jumped up from the floor, walking fast into the bathroom and turning on the light. I could see his back muscles move as he grabbed a rag, wet it in the sink, and brought it back to me. I reached out for it, but he gently shooed me away, cleaning up my lip and chin.
He lifted me by sliding a hand under my shoulder. “Open your mouth, Tish,” he said, slipping two pills onto my tongue. “Swallow, babe.” I chased them down with a couple sips of water. He laid me back down on the pillow. “Get some sleep, Tish, let the medicine do its magic. Jiji is right here and so am I.”
I closed my eyes and tried to relax. Behind my closed eyelids, I could still see the picture he made lying on that cot. It made me feel warm and safe. All too soon I felt the pull of the pills and I drifted off to sleep.