Page 88 of Loving Bad

"I had no idea," my brother mumbled.

"Neither did I."

I'd been so excited about having a chance to live and experience things I'd never done before. There was no way any of us could have foreseen what would happen. It wasn't anyone's fault.

"How do I look?" I asked after a few minutes of silence. Connor reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze.

"You have a few bruises and a cut on your leg," he assured me. "The doctor says the bruises will fade in about a week."

I didn't need my brother to tell me about my wounds. I remembered how I'd endured every blow and cut. Dropping my gaze to my hands, I tried to build up the courage to look at what he'd done to me.

"There won't be any permanent damage," he said. He must have been able to read my thoughts. Tears seeped from my eyes despite my attempts to keep my emotions under control.

"Don't cry, Tay," he pleaded softly. "You are safe now. Eric will never get his hands on you again."

Being safe didn't erase the details of my ordeal. They would be forever imprinted into my memories. I brushed the tears from my face as I took a shaky breath.

"Please get me a mirror," I asked.

"Okay," he answered, standing up. "I'll be back soon."

The door closed shut as he left to find me a mirror. Minutes later he returned with a small compact.

"I got it from one of the nurses," he told me as he placed it in my open hand.

"I need to be alone for a minute," I told my brother, holding the compact tightly in my hand. I raised my eyes to his.

"I don't know if that is a good idea."

"I'm not asking, Connor," I told him. I needed to do this alone.

He studied me for a moment before he gave me a brief nod. As soon as he left, I opened the compact and looked at my reflection. I gasped and raised my free hand to cover my mouth.

The eye that was swollen shut was badly bruised. My whole face was one massive bruise and there were a few small cuts. I swallowed hard as I took in Eric's handiwork.

Having seen enough, I closed the compact and dropped it into my lap. Feeling the fear and anger begin to build up inside of me, I took a deep breath to try and keep the options under control.

I'm safe, I kept repeating to myself over and over again.

I closed my eyes for a moment and all I could see was the monster’s face who'd put me in the hospital. I knew from the therapy that I had received after my parents died how to cope with all the feelings that were tearing through me.