“Layla... my name is Layla," she says in a soft voice.
“I’m sorry we had to meet under these circumstances, but I’m awfully glad we found you before you became a grizzly meal," I say with a small smile.
“You’re due for your next round of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, and pain meds. If you're in pain, I can get them ready for you right now?”
“I'm okay right now, thank you.”
"Okay, we'll get to those a little later," I say.
“Is there anyone we can call? Any family that’s looking for you?”
Her gaze turns down, and after a minute, she shakes her head no.
That’s not good.
“No one?” Blade asks, and I glare at him. He shrugs.
“No, it was just me and my junkie mom, and she’s…. dead. Overdose I think, maybe, not sure. She was dead when I got home, so no, I don’t have anyone.”
My heart hurts, and my guts twist at the thought of her having no one, that she has to try to get through this horrible ordeal all alone.
I glance at Roadblock, and he has that protective look in his eyes again. I don’t foresee Roadblock letting her go anywhere. I feel the same feelings flow through me, and I glance at my other brothers to find they all have the same look in their eyes.
“Anything you’d like to ask us”? I ask.
She glances away and gets this haunted, faraway look in her eyes and says so softly I have to strain to hear her, “You should have left me to die.”
I grit my teeth at that. No fucking way was I leaving her to be mauled by a fucking bear after she’d been mauled by fucking monsters. No way.
“I couldn’t do that, sweetheart. It’s not in my nature to leave someone helpless and injured and walk away. You're looking at a room of men who leave no one behind."
“I think…. I’m tired, and I’m ready for those pain meds now.”
“Okay, sweetheart. I’ll help you back to bed and get them ready.”
“I'll get them ready," Checkmate says, getting up to head for the fridge to get the meds.
I help her get back into bed and rehang the bag on the coat rack. Checkmate walks in and hands me one of the three syringes.
“Just gonna stick these in your IV, and then we’ll leave and let you rest. No one will bother you. I promise. You’re safe.”
Her eyes meet mine with the saddest look I’ve ever seen.
“I’m not safe, not until I’m dead, and there is nothing you can do to me that hasn’t been already done.”
I narrow my eyes, grit my teeth, and say, “No one is getting past us, sweetheart. No one in this state has our level of training or the highest-level security clearance. I swear while you're under our protection, no one will lay a finger on you, including us. We do not harm the innocent, especially women. Only bad guys.” I watch her eyes as they widen for a few seconds, and she swallows and nods.
Let that sink in, sweetheart.
“If you need anything, just call out. We’ll be out there. You get some rest, and when this saline bag is finished, I’ll remove your IV since you can take in fluids and swallow pills now.”
"Thank you," she says, and after I get the last syringe pushed through, I leave her alone, closing the door most of the way.
Layla
I wake with a scream like I always do and instantly cower in fear, waiting for men to come at me with fists and boots to hit and kick me and tell me to shut the fuck up you stupid whore.
I’m soaked in sweat, and my heart is pounding a hundred miles an hour. Will I ever get one dreamless sleep again?
Just then, the door opens, and Roadblock rushes in, followed by the other three huge guys. This guy though is freak-of-nature huge. He reminds of the terminator and has that same kinda robot feel to him.
I blow out a breath, move to cover my face with my hands, and wince at the pain when I touch my face.
“You okay, Butterfly?”
I look up and have to turn my face to see him out of my eye that’s not swollen shut.
“Why do you call me that?”
He looks down, slightly uncomfortable, before he looks up at me with this pained look in his eyes.
"You just looked like a beautiful, broken butterfly when we found you. I don't know. It just popped into my head."
I don’t know what to say to that or how I feel about it. The broken part? Yeah, I’m broken into so many bits and pieces it ain’t funny. But the beautiful part and the butterfly? No way in hell. I’ve never been what one would call beautiful, but now, definitely not. I’m so fucking scarred and hollow. No, beautiful is so far away – like from here to mars far away.
I stare up at him.
"The broken was the only part you got right." I lay back down, pull the covers up to my chin, and stare down at the floor.
Terminator walks over and kneels on the floor, and I flinch on instinct. I feel my heart rate speed up. When I look up at him, I see a softness come over his face and in his eyes that I never expected was possible for the Terminator.
"You don't have to be afraid of me. I'd never hurt you. Not in a million years would I ever hurt you." I stare at him, searching his eyes. I can tell he means it, and I think I may be seeing a side to him that not many people have ever seen before. Don't know how I know, but my gut just does.
He reaches up slowly, and his hand slides over my forehead and over the top of my head, so soft and gentle, and I don’t remember anyone in my entire life ever touching me with this kind of softness. I feel my eyes prick with the sting of tears, so I close my eye and take a deep shaky breath, slowly letting it out.
He keeps petting me, and it feels so good to experience this comforting touch, especially after the brutality and torture I’ve endured for the past… what… six months or so. I lost track.
“It’s okay, Butterfly. You’re safe. I won’t let anyone ever hurt you again. I promise.”
I just nod, feeling the tears start pouring down my face, and I can’t stop them. I don’t know if I’m crying because of what I endured or because of his unexpected gentleness that I’ve never felt before.
“It’s okay. I’ve got you, Butterfly. I’ve got you.” He stays there, sitting on his knees, one arm braced on the bed and the other just keeping a soft rhythm, petting my forehead and my disgusting hair that feels crunchy and gross and matted. But he just keeps up with this soothing gentle touch. I can’t help but soak it up. Before long, I’m falling asleep even though the tears keep coming.
Chapter Eight
Homicide
I think my brothers and I are in shock that the meanest, coldest mother fucker I’ve ever known just comforted a terrified, abused, young rape victim. I’m standing there in total shock and awe at seeing this side to him and grateful he was able to do what he just did. Her tears gutted me. Hearing her say the broken part was the only part he got right destroyed me.
I mean, I guess she would feel broken. We found her body broken and bruised and bloody. I can’t fathom how emotionally destroyed she must feel. We haven’t even learned all of her horrors yet and maybe never will, but from what we just witnessed and examining her body, I can imagine she must feel hopeless, no chance at ever feeling whole again.