Detective Michaels stops her recorder before walking over to look down at Lia. “I know this may sound trite, but you are lucky to have survived something like that intact. I’ve seen so many who didn’t make it out. I realize you have a long road ahead of you, but please remember in the end that he wasn’t able to take what he wanted from you. You won because you’re here.”
“I know,” Lia agrees softly. “I had already accepted the fact that I wasn’t going to leave that room alive. So when I woke up here in the hospital, I thought I was still there…with him. I just…wanted to die rather than let him have me. I don’t know if I would have wanted to live if he had been able to do what he wanted to.”
“You’d be surprised at what you can overcome, Lia,” the other woman says before changing the subject. “I think that’s all I need for now. We’re doing everything we can to locate him, and I’ll keep you updated if anything new develops.” After she leaves, Lia studies her hands, as if afraid to look at me.
I get to my feet and ask if she needs to go to the restroom before we settle in for the evening. “No, your aunt helped me earlier before Ms. Michaels arrived. I think I’m good for a while.” I nod before removing my shoes and lowering the rail on her bed before climbing in. I pull her gently into my arms and attempt to relax.
“I’m so sorry, baby, about everything you went through. I’d give anything if I could go back and keep that from happening to you.”
The sound of big, gulping sobs fills the room as she cries against my chest. “Do you think I’m ugly now?” she asks between racking sobs. My heart breaks at her question, and I wonder how to convince her that she’ll never be anything but beautiful to me, both inside and outside. No matter how much ugliness has tried to touch her.
“No, baby; God no. I will never see anything but beauty when I look at you. I am in awe of your strength. Few people could survive what you have and worry only about the feelings of others. You make me and everyone around you want to be a better version of ourselves just to be worthy of you. There is nothing in the world that your stepfather could have done to make you ugly. I hurt when I look at you because I know you are suffering. But when you are healed and ready, I’ll worship you, every inch of you, and I will only ever see you, Lia…only you.”
She relaxes into my arms and raises her head to kiss my neck. As I lay holding her, lost in my own thoughts, I hear her say the words that almost stop my heart. “I love you, Luc.” Her rhythmic breathing lets me know she’s asleep or close, and I wonder if she’s even aware of what she just said. I cycle between wanting to pull her closer and wanting to run away. Even though I know that deep feelings exist between us, I’m nowhere near ready to put a name to them. I don’t know if I’m even capable of entertaining it. Her emotions are all over the place right now, and it’s understandable that she would say things she might normally not. I swore I’d never give that kind of power to a woman again, and no matter how strongly I feel for Lia, I can’t break that oath, at least not right now when my world seems to be on the brink once again of descending into chaos. I decide not to mention it and hope it won’t become an issue between us. I can’t bear the thought of losing her, but right now, I feel we both have enough to deal with in our lives without adding the extra complications that love could bring with it.
Chapter Five
Lia