“I said I’m fine,” I snap.
He lets out a weary sigh. “Okay, okay. I’m going to write you a script for some pain meds, and emergency contraception should you need it—”
“I’m on birth control.”
He nods. “Your blood work will be back in a couple of days.”
“Thanks.” I hesitate. “You haven’t told anyone about... you know?”
“Ellen—”
“Ellen?”
“The Jaggers’ housekeeper. She and Remi were present while I performed my initial observations.”
Shame burns through me. They both saw what he did to me. It makes sense why Remi was so nice to me earlier.
“You don’t need to worry. They understand that this is your story to tell.” He gives me a weak smile. “And James is happy for you to stay here until you figure things out.”
“Great.” I smile tightly.
I have no intention of staying. Part of me still doesn’t understand why Jayden brought me to the Jagger house in Sterling Bay in the first place. He could have taken me to Shelbie’s house, or the emergency room in the Heights.
But no, he brought me to the one place I would never have chosen to come myself.
Even though I know I can’t go back to Warren, not after this, I know I can’t stay here either.
Once again, I’m lost and alone.
My parents died when I was young, and I moved in with my great aunt. But she got sick right before the summer and died. With nowhere to go, Warren and his dad had taken me in. It wasn’t ideal, but it was better than the alternative.
I’m still only seventeen, a minor. And I have nothing.
No one.
My life is a fucking mess.
“Okay, I think we’re all done here.” The doctor looms over me. “I know it feels desperate right now, but there are people out there who can help you. Counselors—”
“I’m good. Thanks, doc.” I can’t disguise the sarcasm in my voice.
Counselling won’t help someone like me. Someone bound to a life of heartache and pain.
“Very well. Goodbye, Kennedy.” He hesitates, the anguish in his eyes obvious. He’s a doctor. His job is to help people, to make things better. I guess James Jagger pays him a hefty fee to make house calls, especially one like this. But when you’re one of the richest men in Sterling Bay, it’s probably pocket change.
I just don’t understand why. Why has he gone to all this trouble... for me?
The reason stares back at me as Dr. Miles opens the door.
“Conner,” he sighs. “She specifically asked for you to—”
“I’m not in the room,” he argues. “But she can’t stop me from standing outside my own bedroom door.” His eyes flash to mine, and I cuss under my breath.
He isn’t going to make this easy.
He’ll never let me just walk out of here.
I need a plan.
But right now, I can hardly move, so I’ll have to give myself some time to recover first.
“I just want to talk,” Conner says over the doctor’s shoulder.
“Well, I don’t.” I let out an indignant huff.
“Conner.” It’s a female voice, but it doesn’t sound like Remi.
Jesus, what is this place? A hotel for stray kids?
The second the door closes, the silence is deafening. I don’t want company, but being alone brings its own nightmares. No matter how hard I try to keep them at bay, the memories infiltrate my mind.
Screwing my eyes shut, I try to think of something—anything—but what happened.
“Warren, you’re hurting me.”
His grip on my hair tightens. “Hurting you? I’ll fucking kill you if I find out anything happened with you and Jagger.”
“It... it didn’t,” I breathe, clamping my hands around his, trying desperately to claw his fingers from the hair at my scalp.
Warren shoves me into the wall, the air whooshing from my lungs. “I saw the two of you.”
“Talking,” I implore, holding up my hands as a shield. “We were just talking.”
“And what did you tell him, Kenny? Ay? What the fuck did you tell him?” His eyes are wild, spittle flying from his lips.
When he’s like this, it’s impossible to get through to him.
“I-I didn’t tell him—”
His hand wraps around my throat, squeezing so tight I see stars. “Jagger’s still got a hard-on for you. Everyone knows it. Well, let’s see if he’ll still want you when I’ve ruined you.” He starts clawing at my clothes, my breasts, my pussy. His touch is cruel. Rough and painful.
“Warren, please. Let’s just forget about tonight. I’ll make you feel good, baby. I’ll make you feel so good.” I try to kiss him, but he pins me in place, slamming my head against the wall. Pain ricochets through my skull as stars swim across my vision.
“I’m going to enjoy this.” He chuckles darkly before dragging his tongue up my cheek. “And when I’m done with you, Conner Jagger won’t ever look twice at you again.”
I wake with a start. My breathing is ragged, my pulse drumming in my ears. It’s dark, the room still and quiet.
There isn’t a part of me that doesn’t ache or hurt. But the pain is already less intense. Hopefully, it means I’m healing fast and can leave here soon.
Something shifts over in the shadows and I freeze, fear choking me.
“H-hello?” I manage to say.
“It’s me.”
I strain against the darkness to find Conner sitting there, his expression haunting.
“You’re watching me sleep? Really? That’s messed up,” I sneer.
“Kenny, please... I just needed to know you were okay.”
“I will be when I get out of here.”
“And go where? Back to hi—”
“Don’t. Don’t you dare.” Anger bubbles up inside me.
He drags the chair closer, his eyes fixed right on mine. “What happened?”
I know then that he isn’t going to let this go.
Conner is going to push and push, until eventually I snap.
“I was attacked.” The lie rolls off my tongue. “After we talked, I started walking home and someone must have...” I trail off.
“You’re saying you don’t know who did this?” His eyes narrow.
“It’s the Heights. Shit happens.” I shrug.
“Kenny, come on. I saw the bruises at the party. You don’t have to lie to me. I can protect you.”
“Protect me?” I balk. “You think you can protect me?”
“Yeah. I have resources, money... you can stay here and we can—”
“Conner, stop. Just stop. This isn’t a fairy tale. You don’t get to ride in on your white horse and rescue me. This is my life.”
“Kenny, please, just think about it. You don’t have to go back to him. Not if he’s hurting you.”
My heart thunders in my chest. It would be so easy to say yes, so easy to let him try and fix this... but the harsh reality is, Conner is the reason I’m in this situation in the first place.
This is all his fault.