Page 90 of Loving Taylor
Chapter Twenty-Six
"She was only dressedin her underwear." The way he said it and the way he looked at me, I knew immediately what he suspected.
"No." I shook my head. I couldn't accept it.
"We won't know anything until the doctor is finished with her," Jeff said.
Slater put a hand to my shoulder and I looked at him, struggling with the anguish inside.
"Let's wait to see what the doctor says."
I wanted to believe that we were just jumping the gun in our thoughts and that Taylor hadn't been tarnished by Eric. The thought that he would have forced himself on her sickened me. My heart squeezed like it was stuck in a vise. I drew in a sharp breath.
"Tell me everything," I instructed Jeff. Whether I wanted to or not I needed to know everything. I had to know exactly what happened. Even if it hurt more than anything I had ever experienced before.
Jeff shared with me all the details he knew. From the moment he had spotted her form bent over on her hands and knees in the road to when he had brought her into the hospital, yelling for help when she had passed out.
"I need to call Connor."
I walked away as I found Taylor's brother's contact information on my phone and called him.
"Sin," he answered. He sounded as tired as I felt.
"We found her." I swallowed while I gave him a few moments to take in my words.
"Where is she?" he asked tersely.
"At the hospital." I gave him the name. "The doctor is in with her checking over her injuries."
“Injuries?” he whispered. In that moment nothing divided us. He was going through the exact same fears I had when I had first found out.
"She was beaten but they don't think it's life threatening." It was our only consolation at the moment, until we got to see her.
"I'll be there in ten minutes."
I pocketed my phone and returned to my waiting spot just outside the door to her hospital room.
I would have given all the money I had to be able to go in to see her but they wouldn't let me in. It was only prolonging my torture. I just wanted to see her. I knew what to expect so I had prepared myself for it. She was safe in a hospital but until I could see her for myself, my mind didn't fully comprehend it.
So I waited, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed, my leg bent to rest my foot against the wall.
My muscles ached from the stress and tiredness from the last two days but I had to hold on a little longer. Once I had a chance to see her, I could go home and get a little sleep. I was no good to her if I couldn't function.
Jeff left briefly and I was waiting with Slater when Connor arrived. I pushed off the wall when I spotted Matthew and Jordan following behind him.
Slater tensed slightly beside me and I knew the reason why. The sight of Jordan was where his eyes were. But now wasn't the time to concentrate on that.
"They won't let me in to see her," I said when he stopped in front of me. My shoulders slumped in defeat.
"They didn't tell me much over the phone. Is the doctor still assessing her?" Connor said, looking to the door that led to her room. He looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep since I had last see him.
Had he called the hospital to get more details? It shouldn't have surprised me. He was a guy who always seemed to be in control of any situation. And his protectiveness over his sister would have sent him into overdrive.
I nodded. "He has been in there for a while."
Jordan and Matthew mirrored my concern.
"How did you know she was here? How did she get away? How did she get here?" Connor began to ask while he raked a hand through his hair, leaving his usually neat hair in disarray.
