“Neck.” Gasp. “Back.” Wheeze. “It was . . . Brandon . . . was here.” I can’t make out his expression, my right eye is throbbing and swollen shut. I can’t even open my left eye because the movement causes more excruciating pain to blast through my skull like lightning. Belatedly, I feel what must be warm blood running down the back of my neck.
The arms holding me go rock hard at the mention of Brandon. Not what he was expecting to hear. But then again, he wasn’t exactly planning on football Saturday turning into this mess.
“Here, hold this,” Greg says, placing something over the back of my head.
Axel adjusts his hold on me and stands from his crouched position on the porch. I can feel him walking through the house to the living room. I can hear the sounds of people moving around the room. Axel sits down on the couch but doesn’t release me.
“Sit up, Princess. Let’s take a look at your back, yeah?”
He helps me lean forward, making my stomach lurch, and I feel warm hands moving up my shirt.
“Fuck!” Greg yells. “How the fuck did this happen? You’ve got welts all the way up your spine, Iz!”
I don’t answer, because really, what’s the point? I think it’s pretty obvious how I got like this.
I can hear the sirens approaching, making me snuggle closer to the safety Axel’s strong arms are providing. Just when I think I am finally free . . . What a joke that was. I’m beginning to think I won’t ever be free of Brandon’s reach.
Dee is directing the police officers and the paramedics into the living room. I can hear Greg off to the side somewhere talking in low tones with Maddox answering back. I can’t tell where anyone else is, and I’m in no hurry to open my eyes and check.
“Ma’am.” A new voice joins the group. “Ma’am can you open your eyes?” Axel shifts and moves me away from his warmth, placing my body in a way that allows this person to start touching my face. Immediately, I draw back into his body.
“Shhh, Izzy, let them look at you.” His warm breath tickles my ear and his arm tightens around my shoulders, reminding me that he is here and I’m safe. His head turns from my ear and he addresses the new voice. “I don’t think she can open her eyes without pain. She tried a second after I reached her but they snapped shut quickly. Hasn’t opened since. Her breathing sounds raspy and her voice seemed hoarse when she was able to talk. Hasn’t spoken since. Her back has what looks like a welt-like bruise from tailbone to shoulder blades. I haven’t been able to take a good look at it. Neck injury, and the source of the blood is from the back of her head. Again, I haven’t taken a good look.” He must be speaking to the paramedic, because when he finishes, I feel soft gloved hands start pressing into my face, around my neck, and up my throat.
“Ma’am, I need to lean you forward a bit so that I can look over your back and head slowly, and let me know if you feel like you’re—” He doesn’t get a chance to finish before I empty the contents of my stomach all over the floor.
“Okay, that’s okay. Do you feel nauseated?”
“Y-yes,” I answer back, again not recognizing my own voice. I sound like I’ve spent the last few hours screaming.
“Did you hit your head?”
“No . . . yes,” I whisper my reply, “I don’t remember. I was pushed into the doorframe before he grabbed my neck. I don’t remember much after that.”
“That’s okay. Let’s check you out right now, okay?”
His soft hands spend a few minutes taking my blood pressure before they continue to press and poke around my tender skin, earning a few hisses of pain from me and growls from Axel. They have me lean forward again, moving my hair around to check out the source of the bleeding, and then he checks my back. I can feel the torn skin on my back stretching and pulling tight with every small movement of my body.
“Sir, I can’t be sure without taking her to the hospital, but I’m willing to bet on a concussion. The head wound definitely needs stitches. Her back is troubling, but again, I can’t guarantee the damage done is only on the surface. That isn’t even counting her facial injuries. I would strongly advise a trip to the hospital.”
“That’s fine, but I’ll be driving her. I’m not letting her out of my sight.”
Even I can tell by his tone that there will be no bending on this. The poor guy trying to do his job attempts to explain to him that I would be completely safe riding in the ambulance but there is no use. Axel and all his stubbornness have spoken and there will only be one way for me to get to the hospital tonight.