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I smiled down at her. “Hello. I’m glad you let us see those gorgeous eyes. I’m starting at your head, and I’m going to press all over. If I hit a spot that hurts, please let me know. Can you do that?” I asked.

“Yes, I can,” she rasped.

“Is your throat hurting?” I asked.

“Kinda. Throat so dry.” Her voice rasped more.

“Let me get you a drink of water,” Eliana offered.

She was back with a cup and straw within moments. Blythe tried to rise but groaned. I slid my arm underneath her shoulders and lifted her so she could drink. She sucked down the water as if she hadn’t drunk in days. I let her take about half, then stopped her.

“Take a breather. Too much at once will make you sick. You can have more in a bit,” I told her as I lay her back down.

I started at her head. As I worked my way down, she would tell us where she hurt, though it was evident by the way she groaned, flinched, and hissed. By the time I arrived at her feet, she’d indicated so many spots it would be simpler to point out where she didn’t have pain.

“Okay, good job. Now, we need to look at your skin. That means we have to remove your clothes. We’ll keep you covered as much as possible with the sheet and this hospital gown. I know it’s uncomfortable to have strangers look at you, but we’re professionals. We do this all the time,” I assured her.

“Will you let us do that?” Eliana asked.

“Yes, you can do it,” Blythe replied.

As quickly as we could, we set her up. Her shirt and bra were removed.

I helped her slip the gown on. Once it was in place, it was her bottom’s turn.

After Eliana undid the button and zipper on her bottoms, I lifted Blythe’s hips so Agony’s old lady could remove her pants and panties.

I averted my head. Until it was time to look, I’d try to minimize her discomfort.

She was watching me, so I smiled at her.

“She’s covered,” Eliana said several moments later.

“Wonderful. Do you have a preference for where we start?” I asked our patient.

“No.”

“Then we’ll do it in halves. Why don’t we roll you on your side? We’ll begin with your back, then move on to your front. We’ll go head to toe,” I told her briskly.

I called out what I found so Eliana could document it. I had to hold on to my cool more than a few times. She was covered in bruises, and there were lacerations, too. By the time we were done, I was ready to kill someone. Now came the hard part.

“Blythe, I’ve got to ask you a serious question, and you need to tell me the truth. It’s important. I need to know. Whoever did this, did they rape you or do anything else to your genitals?” I wanted to spare her a pelvic and rectal exam if we could.

“No, he didn’t rape me. He only beat me,” she softly replied.

It was a relief. After answering that question, we recovered her with the gown and sheet. I offered her a blanket, but she said she wasn’t cold.

“Blythe, we need to talk to my husband. Do you want us to do it here or out there? Either works for us,” Eliana assured her.

“In here is fine.”

I went to get them. They were right outside the door. Both came traipsing in, smiling and trying to put her at ease. I further attempted to do the same.

“This is Agony. Remember, I told you he’s Eliana’s husband and my president. This guy is Dare. He’s the vice president. Guys, this is Blythe. We’re done with our examination.” I stated the obvious but didn’t know what else to say.

“It’s nice to meet you, though we wish it were under different circumstances,” Agony said first, followed by Dare, telling her essentially the same thing.

Agony spoke again, addressing me and his old lady.

“How is she? Do you think she needs to have X-rays or other testing done?”

“She’s covered all over in bruises. There are some minor abrasions, such as those on her palms and legs.

We haven’t asked her what happened or anything.

We thought we’d save that until you were here, so she would only have to say it once.

Before we do that, were Hulk and the others able to prevent anyone from leaving?

We need to question them. I don’t want whoever did this to leave,” I growled.

Before they could answer, Blythe interjected. “Wait, no one here did it. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you think that. No detainment is necessary,” she said in a flurry. Her eyes were wide, and she appeared scared.

“You’re sure? Were you here at the party?” Dare asked.

“No, I wasn’t. I came through the gate from the road. That guy, Dimitri, saw me and helped me until we ran into Bones. I swear, no one at your party hurt me.”

“Dimitri is a prospect. He went outside the gate and didn’t find your car. Where is it?” Agony asked.

“I had to leave it along the road. I’m not sure how far back toward town it is. I was driving when suddenly it stopped running. No matter how many times I tried to start it, the darn thing wouldn’t. Then I noticed that the gas gauge read ‘empty.’ I got out and walked this way.”

“Was there a reason you were coming this way?” Eliana asked.

Blythe didn’t answer her immediately. Instead, she scanned all our faces as if sizing us up. I prayed she would feel that she could confide in us. I knew at least we men were scary with our tattoos, big bodies, and cuts. We screamed what we were… bikers. Finally, she answered Eliana.

“I was trying to get out of town. I wanted to get away before he found me. After the car quit, I knew I couldn’t return to town.

That’s when I remembered your club had a clubhouse out here.

I thought I was close, so I decided to see if I could make it there on foot.

Listen, I’m not here to cause you trouble or to take advantage.

All I thought about was getting somewhere safe.

If you let me rest for a bit, I’ll get out of your hair. I promise.”

She was frightened. It was evident by her expression. However, was she scared only of the man she was running from, or were we part of it? I didn’t want any woman to be afraid of us, but especially not her. It made me sick to my stomach that she might be.

“Blythe, you’re not causing us any trouble or taking advantage of us. We want you to be safe, and I have to say, being here with us is probably the safest place you can be. Do you have someone waiting for you elsewhere? Should you call them so they don’t worry?” Dare asked.

Again, there was a hesitation, though a shorter one, before she answered. “I appreciate you saying that. As for someone waiting for me, no, there isn’t.”

“Where were you headed if you didn’t have someone?” Agony asked.

“Just east. I didn’t have a destination in mind. I only knew I had to run and go far while I had the chance. I might not get another one.”

“Honey, I know you don’t know us, but I swear, we’re good people. These men, though scary-looking, are all teddy bears at heart when someone is hurt and in need. It’s clear that you need help and protection. We need to know what happened to you and who is after you?” Eliana sweetly asked.

“Medicine Woman, don’t tell her we’re teddy bears. You’re destroying our street cred. Damn, now I’ll have to glare and growl even more to get it back,” Agony mockingly scowled as he joked.

“God, yes, we’ll be working overtime,” Dare added.

To put her at ease, I added, “I’m not wearing head-to-toe leather again. Nope. We’ll have to figure out another way.”

Blythe’s expression morphed from frightened to amused, and then she giggled. It was the sweetest sound I’d ever heard.

“Ignore them,” Eliana said.

“You’re not what I expected. But you’re safe. I won’t tell anyone, so your street cred is still intact,” Blythe vowed.

“Whew,” Agony said as he wiped his forehead with his forearm and smiled. Our president could be a funny guy until someone or something pissed him off. Then, they discovered why he was called Agony.

“Let me get you some more water, and then you can tell us,” I said before walking over to get her more.

With help from Agony, Eliana raised her head off the exam table.

It was easier to do it this way, and she wasn’t strong enough to do it alone.

By the time I returned, Blythe was sitting upright.

I held the glass and straw up for her to drink.

She greedily inhaled again until I took it away. She gave me a grateful smile.

Instantly, her head bowed, and she stared down at her hands. Wanting to help distract her as she spoke, I went to get stuff to clean and bandage her scraped hands. I’d do the rest of her abrasions after she was done.

“Let’s start with your whole name and where you’re from. Do you live in Cherokee?” Agony asked.

“My name is Blythe Ashton. No, I don’t live in Cherokee. I’m from over in Nantahala.”

Nantahala was a town that was even smaller than Cherokee. It was about thirty miles southwest of us.

“We know Nantahala. We love to ride out there. Are you ready to tell us what happened and who did this to you?” Agony asked.

Blythe nodded but didn’t look up. I held her hands open, gently wiping them with sterile water, and then lightly squeezed one of her hands.

“I need to give you some background so you understand. It technically started a year ago. I met a man at the antique shop where I work. I’m an appraiser.

I travel extensively, appraising and purchasing items for the shop whenever possible.

He came in to browse. After looking, he struck up a conversation and asked me all kinds of questions about various antiques.

He told me he loved them. I could tell he knew a lot about them from his questions.

“Anyway, that wasn’t his last visit. He kept coming in several times a week.

About a month after our first meeting, he asked me out, and I agreed.

He was charming and more sophisticated than anyone I knew.

He spoke my language and treated me well.

We dated for a few months before we progressed our relationship. ”