Page 4 of Claimed

Chrissy holds up a bag then sets it on a chair. “I brought you some stuff…my kindle and iPod. They won’t let us into your place.”

“I brought you some soup…the way my Mom makes it,” Toni says as she places the container on the table next to the bed. I’m not really hungry but if I could eat anything, it would be Mama Doreen’s soup.

“Thanks, guys.”

They visit with me for about an hour before the nurse from earlier comes in and announces she has to check my bandages. The ladies leave and Gage carefully climbs out of the bed.

The nurse looks pointedly at the door. “Sir.”

I grab his hand before he even acknowledges her. She presses her lips together and narrows her eyes at him.

“What’s your name?” he asks her.

“Cindy.”

“Look, Cindy…we got off on the wrong foot, but you better get used to seeing me. As long as she’s in here, I’ll be here, too.”

Sighing, she shakes her head in resignation. “Fine.”

She starts with my shoulder, and I flinch at her touch. I don’t know why, but I don’t feel comfortable with her touching me. She moves to the foot of the bed and lifts the sheet to inspect my legs. The moment her fingers graze my skin, I freak the fuck out.

“Don’t touch me!”

Startled, she releases me and steps back. “It’s okay. I just need –”

“Don’t touch me. Get away from me!” I turn to Gage in a panic. “Please, don’t let her touch me. Get her away from me!”

“I got you, babe.”

He wraps his arms around me gently as I sob into his chest. I vaguely hear him tell the nurse to get Dr. E, and then he whispers in my ear that I’m okay. This is not the behavior of someone who’s okay.

What the fuck just happened?

CHAPTER 2

***Gage***

She’s shaking in my arms and I don’t know what the fuck to do. I do what I can – hold her and try to comfort her. By the time E gets here, she’s calmed down enough to lie back on the bed.

I stroke her hair and kiss her forehead. “I’m going to talk to E, okay?”

“Please, don’t leave me.”

The desperation in her voice almost breaks me. I squeeze her fingers lightly and give her a reassuring look. “I’ll be right outside the door, doll.”

She nods, but the frightened expression lingers on her face. I close the door behind me and take a deep breath.

“What happened?” E asks.

“Nurse came in to check her bandages and Raven freaked out the moment she touched her.”

“Well, it’s common for rape victims to not want to be touched.”

“By anyone, right? But I’ve touched her…Ellen, Nita…her friends have touched her and no problem.”

“So have I, but…she trusts us. We’re familiar.”

“I don’t know. It just doesn’t seem right.”