Page 3 of Speechless
She looked everywhere but at him, Connor noted. Her hand trembled as she ran her fingers over the scar branded into her flesh.
“You’re not a whore, baby. Don’t believe what it says,” he murmured. “I’m a doctor. I’m going to help you. This shirt,” he plucked at the hem. “This shirt needs to go, baby. It stinks, and it’s not exactly ideal clothing for the weather.”
“I’ve got your blanket, bro.”
Connor winced as the girl recoiled at the sound of his brother’s voice. He held up his hand to signal Cain to wait. “Stand behind her, Cain. Hold the blanket up so we can wrap it around her once thisthingis off.” He sneered at the shirt. “Did you call Sarah?”
Solemnly, Cain nodded and did as his brother asked. “She’ll meet you at the office. She said to tell you everything will be ready when you arrive. I really don’t think I want to know whateverythingentails.”
“No, you really don’t.” Connor worked at the buttons with deft fingers. As the last one came undone, the girl battered at his hands desperately. “Don’t fight me, baby. You need to get warm.” He pushed the wrecked shirt from her body and just stared, disgusted to the soul.
Both he and his brother said exactly the same thing at precisely the same time: “Fucking hell!”
Connor’s first thought was that the poor thing in front of him had suffered, beyond anything anyone could imagine. The sorry excuse for an article of clothing fluttered to the floor when his fingers dropped it, then he reached for her.
Her hands shot up to guard her face from a blow.
“Sssh, baby. It’s okay. You’ve had a rough time, haven’t you?” His fingers curled around her wrists, over the rings of scars, and gently tugged her arms down. He eased her chin up and smiled when she hesitantly met his eyes. “I will never hit you. That’s a promise. I’m going to give you a quick check over and then we’re going to go meet my friend, Sarah. Does that sound okay with you?”
Her fingers tangled together nervously in her lap. Anxiety radiated from her in waves. After a good minute of worrying her hands, she nodded slowly.
“Good girl. You have to trust me. Right now, that’s all you need to do. Trust me to take care of you, no matter what. Can you do that for me?” When she nodded again, he blew out a long breath of relief. “Thank you. Let’s get you up on your feet and see what’s what, shall we?”
Her eyes flicked up to his, then over to the men splayed out on the floor.
“Ignore them, baby. They can’t hurt you.” Connor straightened from his crouch, carefully helping her to her feet as he did so. His eyes searched her from head to toe clinically. “Someone’s given you some hellish beatings, baby. Starved you as well.”
A myriad of scars started from just below her collarbone. All old and silvered, aside from a few which still held a reddish tinge. The brandedwhorein her skin drew the eye. The bones in her chest, her ribs and pelvic area stood out, her pale skin drawn painfully tight. Her limbs seemed to be nothing more than twigs, liable to snap with the slightest pressure.
There were bruises. Small ones that could have been made by hard fingertips digging into what little flesh she had left on her slight frame. Others were bigger, darker in color.
Connor sighed deeply. “Okay then, baby, there doesn’t seem to be anything in need of treatment. I’ll take a closer look in a little while.”
“Um, Con? You might want to turn her around.” Cain’s face, so like Connor’s, was hard as stone. His fists were clenched on the edge of the blanket to the point his knuckles were turning white.
She swayed in Connor’s hold, her knees trying to buckle. He kept her upright easily with an arm around her waist. Her impossibly thin waist. Still holding her, he craned his neck to study her back. Her head twisted to look over her shoulder, her big green eyes imploring.
“Oh shit,” he breathed and met Cain’s eyes. “Get that blanket around her, Cain, before she freezes to death.” He trailed light fingertips over the long, weeping welts crisscrossing her from shoulders to mid-thigh. “These are infected. Somebody’s got some serious shit to answer for.”
They wrapped her up in the warmth of the blanket. Connor gazed into her wide eyes and wondered what she’d look like after a bath and some food. The color of her hair was indistinguishable, just a mess of dirt and grease.
“Tell Cal I want him at mine as soon as he’s dealt with these idiots,” Connor said as he scooped his charge into his arms. Pain flashed like dark lightning over her face, her mouth opening but no sound coming out. “I know, baby, I’m sorry. I’m going to get you something for the pain.”
“Just get her out of here,” Cain ushered them toward the door. “She needs somewhere warm and quiet, and this bunch will start coming around any time.” He gave one a solid kick in the ribs for good measure.
Connor shifted her carefully in his arms. “Thanks, Cain. I’ll see you soon.”
They slipped out of the door, her weight barely noticeable. But he was more than aware that every move he made, every step he took and each little jostle caused her a high degree of discomfort.
Yet she never made a single sound.
He felt her stiffen as they approached his car. “It’s okay, baby. Ten minutes and I’ll have you home. I wish you’d say something. I don’t even know what to call you,” he said with a sad chuckle. “Can’t exactly call you ‘baby’ for the rest of our acquaintance, can I?”
She only huddled deeper into the cradle of his arms, her body shivering from the cold Montana air or from nerves, Connor wasn’t entirely sure which. Probably a bit of both, he decided as he settled her into the passenger seat of his truck.
He closed the door and rounded the hood. His passenger jerked in surprise when he opened the driver’s door and slid into his well-worn seat. Instead of turning on the engine, he twisted so he could look at her.
“I know I’m a stranger. I know that something has happened to you, something horrific. I don’t know what your name is, where you’ve come from or if anyone is looking for you, but you can trust me. My brothers and I will try and sort this mess out.”