Harry's P.O.V.
The hasty stumbling of her word's seemed false, tangled in a lie. I stole a glance at Louis, who appeared to agree with my assumptions by the creases between his eyes.
But I felt sorry for Schuyler. She looked frightened, and the quiet desperation on her face insinuated aloneness. I reached forward to offer her my hand, but she flinched back, a tenseness arching her movement. My heart felt a hollow pang.
What had happened to her?
Finally, she accepted her dirtied hand in my large palms. Gently pulling, I lifted her to her feet, immediately stopping when she let out a fluttered gasp.
Her small fingers drifted to her lower back, wincing as she touched the hidden surface. Softly withdrawing her hand, she held it discreetly by her thigh, subtly glancing down to those fingers.
I was watching the configurations of her features, but Louis strode towards her and cupped her wrist, gently bringing her hand closer. Thick red spotted the pads of her fingers. I inhaled deeply. Louis spoke slowly,
"Schuyler, would you please turn around for me?"
She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth, reluctant to turn.
"Come on babe, I won't hurt you." Louis whispered to her.
Schuyler's eyes grew sparse at the words, her cheeks rapidly paling. Her bare foot placed a tiny step away from Louis, her clenched knuckles turning to white fists.
I intervened. "Schuyler, love, we promise we won't let anyone hurt you. I swear. Now will you please just turn around?"
She looked down, quickly regaining her cool composure. I knotted my fingers together to keep a growl from escaping me. Darkened blood pooled the fabric of her shirt, gathering in the lower back.
Louis vice was low with disbelief.
"Can I lift just the back of your shirt? I want to see the - the injury."
I immediately averted my eyes as soon as they fell upon her roughened back. It was brimming with bruises, swamped with thick scrapes, and a potent gash sliced across her back, dragging down slivers of blood.
She looked abused.
I swallowed my distaste, fury pumping through my veins at the thought.
Did someone actually do this to her?
A shattering vibrate strung through the air, reverberating in Louis' pocket.
***** Finally. A long ish chapter. Pretty pwease vote. Literally every single one counts.
