Page 13 of Degradation
She looks back at the house and her shoulders sag.
‘Fine,’ she whispers.
I close the door and lock my car. I lift her into my arms carefully, trying to keep my touch impersonal, but finding it impossible once she’s next to my chest. I hold her to me, fighting the urge to tighten my arms around her.
I failed to keep her safe tonight and that’s only one of my many shortcomings where she’s concerned.
‘I’m sorry,’ I say quietly.
She doesn’t answer me.
The door opens as we approach the house and Mav is there, worried eyes moving over Daisy. He has an icepack on his knuckles from where he beat the shit out the juniors in the games room.
‘The others are upstairs,’ he says, closing the door with a click.
‘Are you hungry?’ he asks Daisy. ‘Thirsty?’
She nods her head against my chest. ‘Just water, please.’
I take her up the stairs, eyeing all the doors in case one of them should open without warning. I don’t want any of the other members to see her like this. So vulnerable.
When we get to the top floor, I see Blake’s room is open. He stares from his desk as I go past, his eyes concerned. Guilty.
‘There’s a bath ready,’ I hear him say.
I take her straight to the bathroom where Lu is waiting.
I put Daisy down and almost tell the other girl to get the fuck out. I want to make sure Daisy is okay myself.
Her friend sees it in my face, though, and her eyes narrow as she crosses her arms. ‘I think the fuck not.’
I open my mouth to argue, but it’s Daisy who speaks. ‘I want to be alone.’
My hands are still on her in case she falls. I try not to let them flex. I don’t want to let her go.
‘Let me help you into the tub,’ I say.
I look pointedly at her friend who, frustratingly, doesn’t seem scared of me or my family name.
‘Your ankle is swelling,’ I murmur to Daisy. ‘I’ll just make sure you’re situated. I won’t stay.’
Daisy nods once and I pick her up again, lowering her gently into the water. She’s still in her dress, and I leave it alone. Although I’ve seen her body before, I don’t want her feeling helpless any more tonight because of me.
I back away, watching Lu fuss a little, asking Daisy if the water’s okay and what fragrances she likes to use.
Her friend doesn’t touch her, I notice.
I leave quietly, closing the door softly after I make sure there are fresh towels on the rail.
I should grab something she can wear to bed.
I go into her room, noting the makeup that’s out and the clothes strewn around the floor from when she and Lu were getting ready, before the night turned into a shitshow.
I go to her bureau and open the drawers, my brow puckering when I find very little. There are a couple of pairs of greyish white underwear and a bra.
The next one down has a couple of shirts, and the next one has nothing at all.
Still frowning, I make my way across the room to the closet and find a pair of boots and some old sneakers in the bottom. On the hangers there are a couple pairs of jeans and three sweaters.
