“They’re not very trusting of new people,” he explains. “They’ll come around.”
I nod, and when he leaves the room, I call Tate and place the call on speaker so I can move around the room without having the sound blasting in my ear.
“Hey, Ari!” Tate says happily. “Get there okay?”
“Yeah. I am at the house now.” I sigh.
“Uh oh. What’s wrong?” Logan asks.
“Who all is there?”
“Me, Tate, Beck, and Jax. Why?” Logan asks.
“Just curious. I have a headache,” I say. “I have everything inside. A few of the guys are going to help me sort, apparently.”
“You will let them help but not us?” Beck asks.
“He didn’t really ask,” I say, and they laugh. “A few of them are reluctant to be totally accepting. I’ve only met the six starting players. I’ll meet the others eventually.”
“They know what happened?” Jaxon asks.
“Vaguely. I’m here to do a job, not make friends, so they will only know what I tell them. It’s not like it matters anyway,” I say.
“You made friends with us.” Logan laughs.
“You forced me to be your friend,” I say. “Plus, I wasn’t around them more than two minutes before being called a puck bunny.”
“Little do they know you’re a nun in disguise.” Logan laughs.
“I think raping a nun with foreign objects is a special kind of sin.” I laugh.
“You’re a dark little shit. I love it,” Tate says. “Still have to go to PT?”
“No. I was cleared. I should definitely find a neurologist here, though. I’d love to find a migraine medicine that works at least a little,” I say.
“How bad is it right now?”
“Not terrible. I can just tell that I need to hurry up and relax. I am keeping most of the lights off right now. One of the guys knows I have migraines, and it sounds like he got them to stop being so loud down there.”
“I’m glad you’re communicating, Ari. Even though I would much rather you sue the fuck out of this place and retire, I know you won’t. It is important that they know the things you experience. If your symptoms are bad, you need help, and you know that.”
“I know how far I can push myself. The last thing I need them to think is that I’m some kind of charity case that Ray took on. I will do my job and take care of myself the best I can,” I say. “Which one of you dipshits put condoms in my shit?”
“Not us. Conrad or Ethan, probably,” Tate says.
I throw the box and cover my mouth as tears threaten to surface. It is an open box and is likely the same one they used when they raped me. No DNA was found, but one of them definitely raped me.
“I’m going to unpack and get some sleep. I’ll text you guys tomorrow,” I say, desperately trying not to cry.
“Okay, Ari. We love you. If they fuck with you, tell them your brothers will skin them,” Tate says.
“Yeah, yeah,” I say. “I’m okay, guys. Talk to you later.”
“You were raped?” Hunter asks from behind me. I turn around and see Hunter, Kip, Mateo, and Connor at the door.
“Yeah.” I sigh. “Are you always this nosy?”
“Yeah, but we didn’t want to interrupt. What’s up with the condom thing?” Mateo asks.
