Marcus

Chapter Fifty Three

Caroline ~

Caroline opened her eyes and instantly groaned as she started to sit up. Her torso, arms, and face was bruised from the multiple beatings she had taken that week and the pain medicine that had soothed the sting from the gashes on her legs and back had worn off in the night.

"How ya feelin?" Marcus asked with concern in his eyes.

"Like I took a beating with a damn whip. I need a shower." She muttered, feeling absolutely filthy, inside and out after what she'd witnessed.

"I can help with that." Marcus said, helping her stand slowly.

They made their way to the communal shower and Marcus helped steady her, keeping her stitches out of the stream of water as she washed herself. It took a while, but eventually Caroline felt clean.

"Are there any towels in here?" Marcus asked.

"There should be one in my shower bag with my clothes." Caroline said.

Marcus' eyes went wide and he looked around on the ground.

"You did grab my shower bag didn't you?" Caroline chuckled.

"I uh, meant to, but it's looking like I forgot it." Marcus said, scratching the back of his head as Caroline dripped and shivered.

"Hey Kincaid! You around?" Marcus yelled loudly, making Caroline jump.

"What up?" Kincaid answered, approaching quickly.

"Forgot Caroline's shower bag will you grab it?"

"Sure thing."

Kincaid returned shortly after, holding the bag out with his eyes shielded one hand as he walked in blindly.

"Not looking. Just dropping off the bag."

Caroline's shoulders started bouncing with laughter as Kincaid walked forward with his eyes closed tightly.

"Just drop it there." Marcus chuckled.

"Thank you, Kincaid." Caroline said from behind Marcus, who took a hard stance in front of her.

"No problem." Kincaid said as he turned to leave, hitting his shin on a bench and muttering a curse word under his breath.

Marcus gently dried Caroline's skin and held her steady as she dressed herself. She had a pair of shorts to put on that wouldn't bother the stitches on her thighs but pulling them up over her bandages was painful and made her yelp in pain.

Taking deep breaths through gritted teeth, Caroline squeezed her eyes shut and fought her own body, trying to conceal her pain and hide it from Marcus.

"You don't have to do that. I know you're fucking hurting, Red." Marcus said.

"I'm okay." Caroline grunted, finding a new pain every time she moved.

Marcus cupped her face and tilted it up toward him, rubbing his thumbs over her squeezed eyelids as he coaxed them open.

"No, you're not, but that's okay baby. You're allowed to not be okay." He reassured her.

His words were difficult to swallow, but Caroline knew Marcus was right. Being vulnerable was something she was going to have to get used to, but she knew Marcus would be patient with her. She swallowed hard with her head in his hands as she looked up at him.

"I hurt everywhere." Caroline whimpered, burying her face in Marcus chest.

Wrapping her up in his arms as softly as possible, Marcus held Caroline in his arms as long as she needed him to, slowly rocking her back and forth.