Page 77 of Betraying Bexley

Chapter 13

Getting into the building to find Bex was easier than Alé expected, considering all the shit going on. When he stepped into the first aid station, he found Bex laying on a bed, her clothes covered in blood and her face marred by bruises. Her lip was cracked open, again, and her eye was swollen shut. He looked to the woman who led him to the room, silently pleading for answers he knew no one could give him but Bex.

“Did she say anything?” Thomas asked as they stepped into the secluded room, closing the door behind them.

“Other than Enzo told her to come here, no,” the woman who ushered them to the room said.

“Do you know where she came from?” The woman shook her head. “She was clutching her phone and when we questioned the driver who brought her here, he said he found her cowering in bushes.”

Which accounted for the scrapes on her leg and arms. Alé pulled his gaze away from Bex to address the woman who’d been watching over Bex. “Have you checked her over yet?”

“She woke momentarily when Omar carried her here and she dialed your number. Then she passed out again.” The woman frowned. “We did check to see if the blood was hers, obviously, but couldn’t find a source for it.

“We should get her back to Rae,” Thomas murmured. “She’ll take good care of her.”

Right. Get her back to base where she’d be safe and secure. If only he’d gone about things differently, maybe Bex wouldn’t have had to endure whatever cruelty they’d imposed upon her. Although, if the blood wasn’t hers, who did it belong to?

Thomas took the phone then placed his thumb over the home button unlocking it for them. He scrolled through everything. The tension in his body changed from desperation to determination. “That a girl,” he murmured. “We have where Enzo is. Get her back to base with Bronx. We have to find Enzo.”

Alé nodded. “Got it. Do you want me to tell Asher?”

“I’ll call him. For now, take care of Bex.” Thomas bolted from the room, disappearing down the hall.

Alé lifted Bex from the bed, careful to not jostle her too much. “You heard him, let’s go.” He glanced at the woman who’d been kind enough to care for Bex. “Thank you for helping her.”

“You’re welcome,” she said, holding the door for Alé so he could exit the space with Bex and Bronx.

He stepped out into the frigid night air and cursed himself for not carrying a blanket with him. However, when he got into the vehicle, he sighed at the warmth. Thomas had left the vehicle running along with the heater for them. Moments later Bronx joined him, climbing in behind the wheel. It all seemed so surreal. The day felt like a week of pure torture with good spots.

“Ready?” Bronx glanced over her shoulder.

“Yeah.” Alé wouldn’t let Bex go. He curled her into his lap, unable to let her out of his sight for even a second. They had a long ride back to base, but he didn’t care. They had her back and that was all that mattered.

Bex came awake to the sound of a machine beeping. The sensation of her hands being held down terrified her, but not as much as the pinching in her arm along with the cup binding her bicep.Where am I?How did I get here?She tried to remember everything she’d been through, but her memories were hazy.

Her father had been waiting for her. She'd been so stupid thinking she could ever get away from him. Add in the fact she trusted someone who betrayed her in such a visceral way like Alé had. She'd been so stupid. Once more she gave her body to someone who didn't care about her. Knowing him or them, the others who’d said they were her friends, probably videoed the whole thing.Probably how Raul found me.

Rage filled her.

Everyone thought she was weak. A target they could tear down. Well, she was tired of being everyone's punching bag. She proved it when she saved herself in the old house in the abandoned neighborhood. She wasn't a simpering fool anymore and she never wanted to see Alé or Bronx or their friends ever again.

Bex tried to readjust herself in bed and let out a whimper of pain. Flipping Alé's car hurt. Thankfully nothing was broken. But she felt like she'd been run over by a truck doing ninety on the expressway. Add in the fact she'd been forced to fight for her life, and she wasn't sure why she tried to move to begin with.

“She's awake!” A small, soft hand gripped Bex's. “Hey girl, I thought you were going to leave us permanently.”

Bex pried her eyes open, confused momentarily. The hospital room was painted in a muted sand color. Several empty beds were surrounding her. Above her stood Bronx. Worry was etched all of the girl's features and Bex recoiled letting her hand go. “W-Where am I?”

“You're back at the base.” Bronx frowned. “You called Alé to come get you.”

No way, she'd never call him. He was the one who lied to her. He was the reason she'd been found by her father. No, she'd never willing call the one person who almost had her killed. “D-Doubtful.”

“It's true,” Mr. Aquino said, joining Bex. “You've been through a traumatic three days. When you're ready for the truth, this time all of it, we'll be right here to tell you.”

“T-There's no truth to m-make t-this r-r-right.” Bex sniffed. Her chest squeezed as she tried to hold back the tears of being used and abused by people she'd come to consider friends.

“Yes, there is, girl.” Another man, she thought was Asher, the commander of R.O.O.T joined Mr. Aquino along with Noah and Alé. “You're being defiant because of how Alé explained the truth, but you'll figure it out.”

“B-Bullshit.” Bex closed her eyes in hopes they'd leave her alone.

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