Chapter 8

Boy, was he a heel or what? She couldn’t even look at men without feeling scared and the way she panicked when Iris called her sweetheart chilled him to the bone. That’s what the man who shot at them called her. That’s why he decided on darlin’ anyway.

He made a mental note to remember to ask her about what they called her, so he never upset her. He continued to stroke her hair when her body jerked. Justin froze as he looked at her. Those lovely violet eyes popped open, and she sat up on the seat quickly Justin let her gather her bearings before he made a move toward her. When he thought enough time passed, he gently laid a hand on her thigh, “Hey, you okay?”

Her violet gaze darted over to him, “Today wasn’t the first time I’ve been around gunshots.” She whispered.

“Really?”

“Yeah, I’ve heard it before, but I don’t remember where, a lot of shouting and then a shot, blackness.” She mumbled.

Justin put his arm around her and pulled her close, her head landed on his shoulder.

He turned, his chin brushing against her forehead as he stared out the window.

He rubbed her shoulder.

He felt the car slow down and turn. He glanced toward the windshield and saw the small tan building. He hoped the facility had the means to handle a girl like his darlin’. If they didn’t, he’d take her where she would get the care she needed.

“Justin?” she whispered.

“Yeah, babe?” he slipped out.

“Don’t leave me alone.”

“Never, unless you want me to step out, I don’t know what all they will want to do, but if I have to step out, I’m sure Iris will stay with you, right sis?”

Iris’s gray gaze to the rearview mirror, “Of course, do you want me to drop you at the entrance or walk?”

“Walk.” His darlin’ answered. He smirked a little, she was one tough cookie, that was for sure. He pressed his lips to her forehead gently. He smiled a little when she didn’t pull away from him. Maybe saving her had put him in her good graces. He could only hope.

Iris parked the car, and she got out first. His darlin’ did too but let out a yelp when her feet touched the pavement. He didn’t hesitate, he scooped her up into

his arms, “Guess we should have had Iris drop us off, I forgot about no shoes.”

He grumbled but made his way to the hospital door.

As soon as they walked in, they were greeted by a receptionist, “Hello,” the perky blonde said bubbly. But then her gaze landed on his darlin’. “Oh my, what happened?”

Justin rubbed his darlin’s back gently, “She needs to be seen, we’re pretty sure she was held captive, but I’ll handle the bill, we also don’t know her name or anything like that, I found her in the woods off of Reed Road.”

“I see, okay, well, we’ll check her in as Jane Doe, will that work?”

“That’s fine,” Justin answered.

The woman printed the band out and placed it on his darlin’s wrist, “Okay, go have a seat, we’ll get her back as soon as possible.”

“Thanks,” Justin headed to a leather bench that matched the inside of the hospital, baby blue, instead of sitting his darlin’ beside him, he sat her in his lap. Iris sat down beside him. He saw his big sister shoot him a glance.

He looked away, feeling the heat across his tan cheeks. He had never been this way with anyone before, and he was acting foolishly. What if she was a minor? He let out a deep sigh but pulled the fragile thing closer.

She jumped when a boisterous voice yelled.

Justin rubbed her leg as Iris rubbed the top of her head, “It’s okay.” They said at the same time. Justin stood and carried her back with Iris behind them. He sat her down on the bed gently.

Her face paled when violet eyes landed on the man who called them back.

Justin took her hand, "What’s wrong, babe?” he whispered.

"I, I want someone else.” She explained.

“Okay," Justin placed himself in front of his darlin’. “She wants someone else.” He demanded.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“She wants to be seen by someone else, she was held captive, so obviously something about you reminds her of her captors, we’d prefer a woman, actually,” Justin explained.

“Oh, okay.” The man looked taken aback, but he left.

Justin sat down beside his darling, “It’s okay, babe, I’ve got you.”

She gave him a grateful smile, just as a nurse came in, a tall, leggy blonde.

“Oh, who needs to be seen?”

Justin motioned to his darling, “She does, she was held captive for we don’t know how long, we need everything checked.”

“Okay, I’ll let the doctor know,” the woman stepped forward, sympathy in her light, honey-colored eyes. She began to get the necessary vitals then cleared her throat. “Were you ever violated while you were held captive?”

“What does that mean?” his darlin’ looked at him, confusion all over her face and throughout those beautiful eyes of hers.

Justin glanced to his sister then the nurse, neither one of them were going to help, he sighed, “Did any of them force themselves on to you while you were there?”

“Oh, just when they looked at me, they always touched me almost everywhere, except well, you know, so not that I know of, they had an obsession with knocking me out with something, and they’d give me something else that I didn’t know what it was.” She admitted.

Justin shuddered a little, he hoped she was okay and that nothing was wrong.

“Okay, we’ll have you stay here, for now, let the doctor order some tests.” The nurse walked out, pulling the gray curtain shut.

“Did you ever wake up sore when you woke up after they knocked you out?”

“No.” She whispered.

“Well, that’s a good sign.”

“The one who came after me, he told me if it weren’t for trying to get top dollar for me, then he’d teach me some manners.”

Justin’s blood boiled greatly, “Prick, if I find him, I’m going to kill the bastard.”

He felt the soft hand on his, “He’s not worth it, Justin.” Their eyes locked together.

He sighed, wrapping his arm around her, and she laid her head against him. He rested his chin against her head and caught Iris staring again. Boy, was he in trouble. He rubbed his darlin’s arm as they sat there and waited for what seemed like forever.