A woman ran to her and looked over her face. “Oh my God. Who did this to you?”
Tara tapped her shoulder. “Harley, this is Amelia. The other ones are Zoe and Lindsey.”
“Here, sit down,” Zoe said.
Lindsey came to her with a bag of peas. “Let s get this on your face.”
“Here are some Tylenol, Harley,” Tara said. She handed her three and a glass of juice.
“Thank you, guys, so much.”
Zoe wet some paper towels and started wiping the blood from her face. He’d hit her nose and made it bleed, but she didn’t think it was broken. Her split lips would be achy for a while, and she’d have to take care not to open her mouth too wide so it could heal. It was the gash on her forehead where the most blood was coming from.
Harley noticed it had already stopped. She couldn’t ever remember having this much help with anything. She pretty much had been on her own since her parents died. The fact that her father killed her mother and then himself right before her eyes would eat at her for the rest of her life. She always wondered why he spared her, maybe because she was only five at the time.
That night would forever live in her memory. Fortunately, she didn’t have the nightmares she did in the beginning.
She was sent to her maternal grandmother until she was eight, when her grandmother died. She went to a cousin’s place, which only lasted a year. She spent time with her paternal grandparents, but they were both so old they were dead by the time she was fourteen.
Her saving grace was her Aunt Marie. Harley had gone to live with her and was happy. Her aunt made a huge effort to make her life as normal as possible, and she’d been happy for the first time since that fateful night she lost her parents.
Since she’d moved away from her aunt, Harley called her often but hadn’t returned to see her in two years. That was mostly because of Eric, but she was also ashamed of the woman she’d become—insecure, timid, and afraid of her own shadow. She also kept her a secret from Eric to protect her because she had no idea what the man would do. He might use her aunt to keep her in line.
If her aunt saw her like that, she’d be so disappointed.
“Would you like to lay down for a while?” Amelia asked.
“Can I have a shower first?”
“Of course. I’ll go ask Fury which room you can use.”
“Let’s wait to put the bandage on your forehead until you’re done in the shower,” Lindsey said.
“This way, Harley,” Amelia said from the doorway.
“I’ve got your bags,” Rage said from behind her.
She hadn’t even known he was there.
Several of them walked up the stairs and down a hallway. Amelia opened a door. “You can use this as long as you’re here.”
“I won’t be staying long. I promise.”
Tara gripped her hand. “We’d like you to stay as long as you want. We can always use help.”
“They’re right, babe,” Rage said behind them. He set her bags on the bed.
“I’ll see. I won’t be a parasite. I work hard.”
Tara set her hand on Harley’s head. “Everything will be okay. Hop in the shower. I’ll go down and get you some food, and Lindsey will wait and bandage your forehead. Call out if you need any help.”
“I’ll get some fresh ice,” Amelia said.
“I can’t thank you guys enough,” Harley said.
“You’re good, babe. I’ll check in with you later,” Rage said.
“Thank you.”