Page 39 of Traces of Her
Twenty-Five
GRIFFIN
GRABBING HER ANKLE, I carefully pull her leg away from her body, dipping the washcloth into the warm water and blot at the deep cuts covering her skin. Her arm rustles as she wipes at her eyes, trying to move from me.
“Lydia, relax,” I say softly. “Let me clean you up. We don’t need you to get an infection.”
She stares at me in astonishment. “Why are you doing this?” she asks.
She needs to stop asking questions.
“I told you, you don’t want these to get infected. It wouldn’t take long for it to get into your bloodstream and become septic. That wouldn’t be good now, would it?” I ignore her question and continue blotting the washcloth over her wounds, moving methodically across my body. She lies silently as I continue to clean them and apply ointment to the cuts.
“I’m going to undo the chains,” I say warily.“Don’t make me regret this. I really don’t want to have to hurt you, but if you try any funny shit, you’ll leave me no choice,” I say sternly, reminding her this isn’t a game.
She nods and I remove the chains from her wrists, ripping off her skin that is stuck to the hard metal. I tend to the raw, open skin gently, trying to avoid causing any more harm. I really don’t want to hurt her, that’s not what I’m here for. But if I have to in order to keep everyone alive, I will.
“Jared is out for the night,” I lie, talking as I work. “I don’t know when he’ll be back, but he’s left me in charge of watching the camera. He trusts me but he doesn’t know about this, nor does he need to.”
He’s right upstairs, a floor above her head, but I lie for her trust. She thinks he’s gone and I’m here to keep her safe. That’s what we need. It’s what I need, or this will never work.
“Stop pushing him and don’t taunt him,” I warn. “All it will do is make it worse and encourage him to inflict more pain and damage.”
“So what, if I take it and don’t put up a fight that will make it better? You do realize he’s going to do what he wants, no matter how I take it,” she retorts. “All of this is easy for you to say, you’re not on the receiving end of this.”
Slightly shaking my head, I avoid her gaze. “I won’t deny that, but trust me, I’ve been on the receiving end of something much worse. I can’t promise that this will get any better. Like I said, you need to disconnect from it. Take it physically, not mentally. Physical pain is much easier to deal with than mental pain.”
Positioning my arms under her knees and around her back, I hoist her light body into the air and carry her into the small, closet-like room he’s been locking her in.
“Why is this happening to me?” she asks quietly as I squat down to set her on the ground.
“It’s best if you don’t know the answers right now. I promise you’ll find out. I’m sorry that you have to go through this,” I tell her as she gets situated on the floor.
“Scarlet,” she says. “She knew James.”
Fuck
“She said you and Jared are my brothers,” she continues.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Goddammit,” I say under my breath. “Lydia,” I say quietly. “These are all questions that you do not ask right now.”
“Why?” she demands, narrowing her eyes at me. “Why don’t I get to ask? These are all things I deserve to know!”
“Are you fucking stupid?” I keep my voice hushed. “Keep your voice down and your questions to yourself right now. Unless you’re trying to get yourself killed, I suggest you let that shit go. The answers won’t do you any good right now.”
Jesus Christ, she’s going to get us all killed.
“I will be right back with some bread and water for you,” I say, standing up in a rush and walking out the door. “Can’t risk having you escape,” I say sadly, pulling the door shut behind me. I don’t trust her right now, not that I should, given the state that she’s in. I run up to the kitchen, not bothering to go into the room where Rowena is and grab a piece of bread and some water. On my way back, I grab a warm blanket out of the dryer for her and walk back to her room.
“Eat and drink slowly,” I say, handing her everything and pulling up a chair. I sit down and watch her eat in silence. I have no words of comfort and really anything to offer her at this point. All she truly wants are answers and that’s exactly what I can’t give her.
As she finishes her food, I put my chair back and grab the blanket, making sure there’s nothing left for Jared to see that would show him that I’m not truly on his side. “Try and get some sleep,” I tell her sadly as I walk away from her. “I don’t know what he has planned for you tomorrow, but you’re going to need your energy.”
“Thank you, Griffin,” she says quietly. “For helping me.”
“Thank me when you’re out of here, Lydia,” I reply, keeping my back to her. “This isn’t over yet. I’m helping you because I’ve been there before and you need someone in your corner right now.”
Walking out, I quietly pull the door shut behind me and make my way back up the stairs in search of my own salvation.