I round the back of the sofa, moving further away from the door and the male voice. Not Gideon, but also not the doctor Louise asked for.
She moves back and a guy who could be Tony’s younger brother enters. He has a similar build, with tattoos on his chest and neck peeking out from his fitted black T-shirt. A full and colorful sleeve covers his left arm, one that I could spend hours studying and still miss details. A silver hoop loops through his right eyebrow, and his messy dark hair frames a square jaw and those same startling blue eyes.
“Tony’s my brother,” he confirms. Did I say that out loud? “I’m Derek.”
“You’re a doctor?” My face must betray my disbelief.
His lips twitch. “I didn’t have time to don my stuffy alter ego in the middle of the night, so you are getting the real me.”
“I prefer that.”
“Diana is my wife. She’s sorry she can’t come, but my mother-in-law is unwell. I know this must already be hard for you and seeing a male doctor is often more difficult. But please be reassured I’ll only do what you consent to. There is no judgment from me or Louise.”
There’s no mask he’s wearing, no charm on show. He’s real, and it’s refreshing and reassuring.
Louise stands next to him with a pair of scissors. His gaze flicks to them and back to me. “What’s happening?” he wonders.
Louise sighs. “I need to help get something off her first. We’ll make a plan for the rest.” She jerks her head at a door behind me. “That’s your room. Let’s go inside and get this off you.”
I grab my duffle bag and back up before opening the door and entering the bedroom. I drop the bag on the pristine white comforter and track Louise as she follows me inside. She partially closes the door, leaving a small crack.
“Can you turn around for me?” she asks.
I must stand there for at least a minute battling with theurge to run. I clench my fists and spin, giving her my back before raising the sweater. “I’m going to touch your back now, is that okay?”
I jerk my head in agreement as I spy a black dot in the corner of the room.Hello, friend.I focus on it as I feel her trying to get the scissors under the straps and failing. She huffs.
“I need a little help. Is it okay for Derek to come in?”
I jerk my head as my mind detaches from the reality of my situation.
“Fuck,” he utters as he enters the room. I press my lips together and will the tears away as I stare at the ceiling. I like the fact they aren’t hiding their reactions. “Do you have mini bolt cutters?”
“Toolbox under the sink in the kitchen.”
Louise moves around and sits on the bed in front of me. She gathers my hands in hers and gives them a squeeze. The black dot moves. Did it follow me? Is it part of the same secret network helping victims of controlling men? I think my temperature is making me delirious.
“I’m going to cut off the padlocks,” Derek says. The leather tightens briefly, then returns to normal. “Now, I’m going to cut through these laces to get you out of this quickly, okay?”
“Do it.” My voice is surprisingly clear.
Louise squeezes my hands tighter. I drag in a breath as the bindings loosen, before they fall away. My abdomen cramps and I cry out as I bend over and nearly crush Louise. Derek pulls my sweater down from behind me.
“I’ll burn this,” he growls.
I shake my head. “No. Put it on top of my bag, please.”
“Joanna,” Louise says.
I shake my head as I straighten. “It’s evidence and a symbol of the control I’ve escaped. I’m not ready.”
Derek places it on the bag with a sigh as Louise pats the bednext to her. “Come, sit. I’ll be staying, if that’s okay? Most people find it helpful to have a woman here,” Louise adds.
“Plus, she will be looking after you,” Derek adds. “So she will need to know your care plan.”
I’m not stupid. He’s a man, and I’m a terrified woman. He’s protecting himself too. I don’t blame him. He’s already risking so much by seeing me; he doesn’t realize it yet.
“I’m going to put these back and get my bag, okay?” Derek says as he exits the room.
