Page 57 of Save Me
I simply nod and try to remove my knickers as discretely as possible, even though he’s going to be up, close, and personal in a matter of minutes. I suppose it’s my little rebellion against Oliver, seeing as he feels it’s his right to have access to my body whenever he so demands it. My naked lady parts feel unnatural under my school skirt, so I scoot up the bed and close my eyes tightly, trying to pretend this is all just a bad dream.
When Doctor Sawyer examines me, I feel hot tears run over my cheeks and down into my ears. I have to try desperately hard not to emit the sobs caught at the back of my throat.
What the hell is he going to do to me when he finds out?!
“Well?!” Oliver snaps impatiently.
The doctor pauses briefly before moving away from me altogether, all the while I hold my breath in anticipation for his answer. The one I already know.
“Intact,” he lies, making my eyes dart wide open in surprise. I’m careful to keep them firmly fixed to the side so neither of them can see the gratitude behind them. “I have tried to tell you that this is not always the best way to know whether or not a woman is a virgin, Mr Lawrence.”
He sounds exasperated, clearly frustrated by all of this, but I could hug him. The man has probably saved me from a fate worse than death.
“I would like to give Miss Taylor a normal medical in private if that is agreeable with you. I would like to check over her injuries from the weekend.”
“Fine,” Oliver growls, surprisingly keeping his shit together over the doctor’s sudden harsh tone of voice. He then walks over to where I’ve been staring and crouches before me, looking a lot more affectionate than I’ve ever seen him before. It’s unsettling, and I almost wish he would look angry again. “I am pleased, Beth. You are such a…good girl,” he whispers and kisses my cheek before rubbing my tears away with his thumbs, something a normal boyfriend might do.
He stands, nods curtly toward the doctor before walking out and closing the doors with a gentle click. We listen to him thudding down the hallway before we both appear to let out a long, relieved breath.
“Thank you,” I whisper when I finally manage to sit up. He checks the bruise on my thigh and tuts. He then hands me a tube of cream to apply to my damaged skin. After that, he takes my blood pressure which, unsurprisingly, is ridiculously high given what has just taken place. He then takes my hand inside of his and smiles in a fatherly way that almost has me falling apart in front of him.
“I know what you’re up against, and I have a daughter your age,” he says softly. “It wasn’t a smart move to lose it, Beth, but your secret is safe with me. I’m also going to give you a script for the contraceptive pill, just in case. Pregnancy is the very last thing you need to happen to you. I’ll make it out to your mother so there can be no trace on it. The Lawrences have eyes and ears everywhere. Trust me, I know!”
If I was in any sort of rational frame of mind right now, I’d be questioning him further on his cryptic messages. However, his kind smile and genuine care have me losing my battle to hold myself together. So instead, I burst into loud sobs, the kind that leaves you lost for breath. I even fall against his chest because I suddenly feel like I need human affection on a parental level. The poor guy wraps his arms awkwardly around me, trying to soothe me in a way that one would with their own child. I keep trying to make myself stop, knowing that he is risking a lot to help me, but right now, I feel like I need this more than anything else in the world.
Xander
“Hello?” a male voice answers the phone, which I assume belongs to Beth’s idiot father. “Beth, is that you?”
“No,” I can’t help but snarl through my clenched teeth, “let me speak to Mrs Taylor.”
“Who is this? I’m her husband; you can tell me whatever it is you need to say!”
Yeah, right, motherfucker.
“Let’s just say the shit has hit the fan, Mr Taylor, and I want to speak to Beth’s mother now!”
My patience is running at an all-time low, and I am physically unable to be anywhere near polite to fathers who gamble away their family for no real reason at all.
“What? What has happened to Beth? Tell me!” He sounds desperate but I have zero sympathy for the asshole.
“I’m not telling anyone but Beth’s mother, so put her on the Goddam phone!” I say nice and slow for him, but with each word laced with condescension.
He huffs loudly, dearly wanting to lay into the cocky little shit giving him a hard time with zero respect, but he knows I have him over a barrel. There’s a shuffling in the background, sounding very much like the phone is being passed around.
“Hello? This is Beth’s mum, is everything alright?” She sounds confused, but still friendly and light.
Sorry, Mrs Taylor, but I’m about to take a dump all over your otherwise nice day.
Being about as subtle as a brick to the head, I tell her everything. Her husband’s loss at the gambling game, the new deal that was struck with Beth, Bodhi’s guardianship, Oliver’s conditions, his abuse, and finally, all the recent shit that’s just rained down upon her innocent daughter. And just to top it off nicely, I send her the pictures of Beth’s injuries, all the while grimacing over what he might well be adding to them as we speak.
“Could you excuse me a moment?” she asks with an icy edge to her voice.
The line becomes muffled, though I can hear the sound of someone retching in the background, prompting me to hold the phone away from my ear. Kai hears it too and winces in my direction before shaking his head toward the floor. In fact, I have to wait almost five minutes before she’s able to get herself back together enough to continue talking to me.
“Are you telling me he has her now?” she asks through a thick layer of sobs.
“Yes, I’m at your house now and her stuff has been taken,” I reply with a sigh. “I’m out of ideas, Mrs Taylor. I thought I had more time to come up with some kind of a plan, but the time for action is suddenly upon us and I don’t know what to do. Please, tell me what to do!”