Page 83 of Tempted

“What?”

“Yeah…pretty big one, too. He…it was stillinside her when they found her.”

“Oh, God. E…”

He pulls up a chair, sits next to me, andplaces his hand on my shoulder.

“I’m not going to lie to you, brother. He dida number on her. The doctors had to stitch her up.”

I stare ahead of me, numbness taking over.The pain she must have felt. The fear. And I wasn’tthere.

“She has a dislocated shoulder. They thinkthat happened from her fighting against the restraints. There are afew shallow cuts on her body, but those are the least of herinjuries.”

“Can I see her?”

“I’ll try to get you in once they’re donewith her.”

“Thanks. Make sure they put her in a privateroom.”

He nods. “Already taken care of.”

I walk back to the others in a daze. Toni andChrissy run to me, staring up at me hopefully.

“She’s going to be fine.”

They breathe sighs of relief.

“What happened?” Chrissy asks.

“She was…” I can’t even bring myself to sayit. If I do then it’s like it becomes real. Then again, I need itto feel that way. I need it to fuel my anger. “She was raped.”

They gasp and hold each other as fresh tearsroll down their cheeks. The boys try to console them, but it’s nouse. I know exactly how they feel.

It’s well after midnight when the doctoremerges.

“Are you a family member?” He asks me.

“I can’t find her sister. She’s the onlyfamily Raven’s got. Until we do, I’m her family.”

He nods and shoves his hands in hispockets.

“Without going into specifics, she’ll befine. She’ll need time to heal, but there’s no serious, permanentdamage. She’s resting right now.”

“Can I see her?”

He glances around at all our faces andnods.

“Just for a minute.”

“Thanks, Doc.”

I let the others go in first because I don’tknow how I’ll react when I see her. When they leave, I step intothe room and lose it. Whatever I was holding on to before, to keepfrom breaking down, snaps. Seeing her lying there, not moving, hershoulder bandaged, rips me apart. The sheets hide her otherinjuries, but they’re the most prominent ones in my mind. Thetightness in my chest spreads through my entire body. I drop downinto the chair next to her bed and take her hand in mine, bringingher fingers up to my lips. It’s my fault she’s in this hospitalbed. I just know it. It’s a message. As soon as I find out who sentit, I’m sending them to Hell. Someone walks into the room, but Idon’t even glance in their direction.

“Sir? Excuse me, but you have to leavenow.”

“I’m not leaving,” I tell the nursecalmly.

“Sir –”