I slowly peel Koen’s sweatshirt off, hating that I’d slept in it, and hating that I can smell him on it… a dark, musky scent, a mix of leather and citrus. I wince as I struggle out of the heavyhoodie, inspecting the deep burn on my neck from Lorenzo’s cigarette before turning on the shower.
Wanting nothing more than to wash away the horror of last night from my body, I climb right in.
It’s a mistake.
The stream of water hits the slices in my back and I can’t hold in my scream, clasping my hand over my mouth to keep the sound from reaching Lily and Remi in the next room, screaming into my palm.
The burn of the water against my raw back nearly causes me to black out and I twist out of the stream, leaning my forehead against the cool tile until it eases. I force myself back under the heavy stream when I think I can take it, only to cringe back out the second the water makes contact with the wounds.
I repeat this several times until I’m sure it’s rinsed clean enough before climbing shakily out of the bathtub. Holding the towel tight to my chest, I’m unable to muster up the courage to attempt to wrap it around my back.
I open the bathroom door and nearly jolt back at the sight of Lily in the doorway.
“Talk.”
“I don’t want to talk about it, Lil.” I shoulder past her into my little closet of a room, right across the hall from Remi’s. Technically, it’s not meant to be a bedroom. The apartment listing was for a two bedroom plus office, but we made do. The room is just big enough for a double bed and bureau, with no closet.
Lily doesn’t take no for an answer, following me, her eyes catching on the exposed wounds on my back.
“What the fuck—” she starts.
“Where’s Remi?” I ask, cutting her off.
“She’s watching TV,” Lily replies quickly. I can’t even describe the level of concern in her eyes. “Briar, you need to go to the hospital.”
“No. No hospital.” I shake my head, sinking down to the mattress, wrapping myself in my comforter while carefully avoiding letting anything touch my back. “It’s the first place they’ll look.”
I don’t know that for certain. But it’s what I would do if I were out there,looking for me.
“The first placewhowould look?” Her brow creases as she tries to make sense of what I’m saying.
“The O’Rourkes,” I bite out, laying my head down,
Her eyes go wide. “TheIrishdid this to you?”
“No,” I start. “They rescued me…”I think.Releasing a deep sigh, I fill Lily in on everything that happened last night.
“Oh my god.”
“I know.”
“That’s—what could’ve—” She starts and fails.
“I know,” I say, quieter this time.
“Did you call the police?”
“No,” I admit, staring at my toes.
There’s a long pause before she speaks again. “Don’t you think you should?”
I sigh. I’ve thought about it, almost did when I spotted a cop car parked around the corner from our apartment last night but…
“I think the police are in on it.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Remember Daniel? The regular from the bar?”
