“You guys just don’t have a lot of luck, do you?” the detective asks.
“Not really. What’s going to happen to him?” I ask as they load the bloody mess of a man into the back of a squad car, just a few bandages in place to show where I’ve been.
“Attempted rape is pretty serious. It’ll be up to a jury. I assume she’ll be pressing charges.”
Rape.
The very sound of that word makes me feel like doubling over and heaving. This can’t be happening right now.
My fucking father almost... It doesn’t seem possible. I know he’s fucked up on all sorts of drugs, but this? I hope he finds the same justice in prison.
“Hell yes,” I growl.
“Good. I’ll see you in a little while. Maybe I’ll have some news on Rene when she gets back from Vegas tomorrow. I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks,” I sigh while walking back inside.
Ash is reading a tabloid beside Bity, both of them laughing as though she wasn’t just attacked by the man who spawned me.
“Damn she’s tough,” Wren murmurs softly while walking up to me, keeping his voice quiet enough to escape Ash's ears. “Most girls would be hiding in their room right now. I would be hiding in my room right now if that had happened to me.”
“She’s not as tough as she wants everyone to think,” I sigh. “She’s just good at faking it.”
Wren pats my back as I walk over to Ash, and she smiles up at me as she uncrosses her legs for me to sit down beside her. I don’t sit right away though, I’m almost scared to get too close.
“Can we have a second?” I ask Bity, and he nods before kissing her forehead and walking away.
Everyone else disperses, and Shannon walks in holding Trip.
“I’ll watch after him tonight. You two probably need to talk.”
Ash looks a little distraught by the thought of losing her child for a whole night, but she nods and lets her walk away with the sleeping boy in tow.
I finally sit down beside her, and she turns so that her leg lightly rests atop mine. I’m surprised contact with me doesn’t make her cringe.
“I’m so sorry, Ash,” I murmur through a choking strain.
“Tag, it’s not your fault. It’s not like Damon’s the first old sleaze to cop a feel either,” she jokes, trying to downplay the severity of the situation.
“You know that’s not all he was trying to do. I don’t see how you can even look at me right now.”
She takes my hand in hers, and she pulls it close to her lap as she stares at me without any fear tainting her perfect eyes.
“This was not your fault. You’re not your father. You saved me… again. It seems to be a habit you’ve formed. I love that about you.”
My heart almost flips up to my throat. I could have sworn she almost told me she loved me. It’s almost impossible to catch my breath now.
“Let’s get some sleep. We’ll deal with all this shit tomorrow,” she says sweetly.
Without Trip in my room, I don’t have any reason to ask her to sleep with me anymore.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll stay with you tonight. I sure as hell don’t want to be in the bed Damon was in until it’s burned and replaced.”
She says it
with a jokingly light air, but the fear in her touch proves she needs someone tonight. I’m just glad it’s me.
“With the way things have gone lately, I wouldn’t sleep anywhere else.”