“Keep going,” was all Cam said.
“When I got out of the car, he walked me to my door, but he wouldn’t leave…” I couldn’t say the words aloud.
“Tell me Lee,” Cam coaxed.
“He touched me,” I whispered. “He tore my dress, held me down and he tried to...” I swallowed the lump in my throat. I could remember the feel of his rough fingers ripping my panties away, as he tried to shove his hand inside me. “Bruno attacked him before he could…he bit him on the ankle.” I inhaled a shaky breath. “I reported the attack, but Perry’s uncle is the town sheriff… I wasn’t taken seriously and no charges were filed. My complaint was dismissed. I was so afraid it would happen again, that he would get me the next time, he had threatened he would. He called me a cock-tease.” I burst into tears. “He said it was my fault Cam, that I led him on and everyone believed him.”
I sniffed the tears back and continued. “Well, you know the way my father is, he was very upset with me.”
Cam frowned. “Hold up, he was upset with you?” She sounded appalled.
“Well, daddy didn’t exactly believe me. He said that I must have encouraged him, led him on. He said I was…and he…” I stopped. I couldn’t say it. I couldn’t tell her about daddy’s belt and the whooping he gave me for being ‘a dirty whore’ and ‘easy.'
“He had called me some names and punished me. I think that’s why I lost with Kyle last night. He called me those names... Daddy refused to take me to the hospital afterwards; he said it was my punishment.” I now carried the scars every day to teach me a lesson.
“What did he hit you with Lee?” Cam asked. “I guess from the scars on your back that it wasn’t his fist?” I shook my head and Cam hissed. “I can’t believe this. You told me it stopped Lee. I would have never left you there with him if I knew.” She was crying again.
“This is not your fault Cam. You couldn’t have stopped it any more than I could.” I placed my hand on hers, wanting to finish this quickly so I could lock away those memories away once again. “Anyway, daddy pulled me out of school because of the scandal and he made me quit my job. Perry was extremely popular and the captain of the football team…And I was branded a liar. I stayed for a while after it happened, but I couldn’t live like that anymore, not with everyone ignoring me and whispering about me behind my back. I had to get away and you’re the only person I knew who would help me. So one night when he had passed out, I ran.”
Cam circled her arms around me, holding me tight. I wished she didn’t know, I wished she had never needed to know. After what seemed an eternity, Cam seemed to find her voice. “Shit,” was all she said.
“Yeah,” I agreed. “But Cam you can’t tell anyone please. Not Derek or… or not Kyle okay?”
Cam leaned over and kissed my forehead. “Does Kyle know any of this?”
“No, and he doesn’t need to. I don’t want him to know anything about this.”
Cam sighed sadly. “That will be kind of hard to do considering he lives here. Oh, and there’s also the fact that you’re in love with him Lee.”
My cheeks flamed in embarrassment. “No I’m not.” Cam was looking at me like she could see straight through my lies. “It’s that obvious huh?” I admitted.
Cam placed her hand on mine and squeezed gently. “I tried to warn you Lee.” I knew she did and I wished that I had listened to her. My heart was hurting so badly right now.
“And I’m hoping you guys can move past last night Lee, because if shit hits the fan with you two, well you're last in…” First out, I added silently.
I nodded, hearing everything she wasn’t saying. I was in some serious trouble.
“Yeah,” she sighed, patting my shoulder.
“What am I going to do?” I whispered. I needed this room. I had nowhere else to go. I burned my bridges back home.
“Oh, don’t worry Lee, keep your head down and wait for this fight to blow over,” she said. “If he wants you out, I have no say, this is his house, but I’m going with you. And I’m telling you this now, if I ever see another bruise on your body, I will cut the bastard.”
Kyle
My head was in pieces. I couldn’t concentrate on work.
“Are you listening to me kiddo?” Linda looked at me with a worried expression from across the table in the restaurant. We were having breakfast together, well she was; I couldn’t eat. The combination of guilt and alcohol rendered it impossible to eat. I wasn’t needed in the hotel today, but I couldn’t stay at the house. I had to get away from there. After last night, I wasn’t sure how I could face Lee again.