Page 544 of Hell Hath No Fury

As I’m asking the girl all the pertinent information about herself: full name, birthday, address, and a few other personal things, the nurse walks in with a pitcher of water and a doctor.

“Do you want me to leave for this exam?” I ask. Lavender’s eyes skirt around the room, unable to settle on one person until Clementine cups her cheeks in her hands, forcing her to meet her stare.

“You are safe. This will be uncomfortable, but I’ll be here every step of the way.” Watching the two of them hug, I realize Clem is a hell of a lot more grown-up than anyone has given her credit for. Including me.

“I’ll wait outside.” Getting up, Clem shoots me an appreciative look, and for once, it’s not filled with mischief. I almost miss it, but right now, her focus is where it’s supposed to be.

Sitting outside the exam room, I use the time to do a search on Lavender Murphy. Eighteen, grew up in the foster system after her mom dumped her at a fire station when she was six. Straight A student, scholarship to college where she met Clem. Has worked her entire life at being the best at everything she does, and now—her first time experiencing adulthood—it has left her scarred in ways she doesn’t deserve. By all accounts, Lavender is an upstanding citizen who attends church on Sundays, volunteers at soup kitchens, and works hard while keeping her head down.

Which leaves me with a burning question: What was she doing at that party?

If I had to guess, Clem invited her out, which means my girl is suffering some serious guilt over what happened to her friend.

I’m not sure how long I sit there before the door opens, and Clem steps out, closing it softly behind her. Tears stream down her face as she attempts to hold herself together. Without a word, I drag her into my lap. Spreading her legs on either side of my hips, she wraps her arms around my neck and buries her face in the crook.

“Sshhh, it’s going to be okay,” I whisper, but I know she doesn’t hear me, and she certainly wouldn’t believe me. It’s one of those fucking things you say that means shit. Holding her tight to my body shouldn’t feel as good as it does right now. I shouldn’t be as turned on as I am with her little virgin pussy sitting over my hardening dick, but I’ve been hot for this woman for months, and having her so close when we’ve been apart for so long is fucking torture.

“Why would he do that to her?” she croaks out as she pulls back to look me in the eye. “Why do men think they can take our power?”

“Ah, sweetness.” I brush her dark hair back from her face, cupping her jaw. “They shouldn’t. No one should ever take from you what you don’t willingly give.”

“You’re not like that, though.” The corners of my mouth lift at her observation and the way she strokes my neck on each side.

“No, sweet girl, I’m not. I only want what you wish to share.” I can see observers watching us, our intimate hold, and even a couple of people judging our age difference. I glare at every single one of them. Age is just a fucking number. Clem is so much older than her birth date.

“Do I still have to wait? It’s been eight months, Dorian, and I crave you more than ever. I want us. I need us.” Her lips hover over the top of mine as she searches my eyes, and as much as I want to give in to her, I can’t.

“Yeah, sweet girl, we have to wait.” Her mouth opens to object, but the nurse and doctor come out of Lavender’s room and nod for me to go inside. “Are you coming in?” She appears torn before finally climbing off my lap and walking in to be with her friend.

I take a second to gain my composure and will my dick to deflate before standing and following behind Clementine. Closing the door, I see Clem sitting next to Lav again, so I take the same seat I was in before.

“Firstly, Lavender, you should know this isn’t normally the kind of case I oversee. I’m with the homicide department, but Aaron asked me to personally handle this. While I have the training for it, I want to apologize ahead of time for the questions I have to ask you. They may sound accusatory, but I promise you I’m on your side, and I only ask what I do to get the full picture and to ensure I have all the correct information. The more I have against this guy, the better.” I wait for her to respond before continuing on.

“M-m-m-aybe I shouldn’t do this.” She stares up at Clem, a look of pleading in her despondent eyes, begging her friend to make the decision for her.

“Clem can’t make this choice for you. Neither can I. Only you can. What I can tell you is, if you decide not to press charges right now, completing this interview will still be helpful if you decide to later down the line. Nothing you say to me will be repeated until you give the go-ahead.”

Biting her lip, silence surrounds us until Lavender finally answers, “Okay.”

Nodding, I look back down at my notes. I fucking hate this part of the job. “Do you know his name?” Again, she looks to Clem. Her trust in the woman I plan to call my own is unwavering.

“Travis St. Clare.”

“He’s captain of the rowing club,” Clem adds.

“How do you know him?” I look up when she doesn’t answer, hesitation clear on her face. “Whatever it is, you can say it.”

“He’s my boyfriend.” She swallows nervously. “Was. Hewasmy boyfriend.”

“Have the two of you been intimate before?” Again, she hesitates. Closing my notebook, I pull out a recording device. “Lavender, it doesn’t matter if you had consensual intercourse with him an hour before. If you didn’t want it that time, he had no right to your body. No right to do what he did. I only ask because if this goes to trial, the defense will bring up these same questions and try to hint that you wanted this. I don’t believe you did, but I want to nail his ass to the wall.”

We spend the next three hours asking and answering questions. She doesn’t know if she wants to press charges or not, and by the time I leave the room so she can get dressed in the clothes Kelly and Aaron brought for her, I’m ready to kick this kid’s ass myself.

She had sex with him one time, weeks ago, because she felt pressured. She didn’t enjoy it, so when he wanted to again at this fucking party while he was half drunk and she kept resisting, he decided to take what he wanted anyways.

I’m going to ruin his fucking life.

CHAPTER THREE