That Summer (Completed)

Chapter 19

"You ripped me into pieces so small,

I wasn't sure I still existed."

******

I dozed in and out during the car ride, the pain jolting me awake at every bump. At some point, Jake came to a stop in front of a condo. I looked out the window, not recognizing the parking lot. The street lights shone harshly against the silent night as they reflected off of the slick pavement.

For the first time in months, the sky opened up with a crack and rain came pouring down. The city was covered with a blanket of angry, dark clouds.

The door to my right opened up and Jake carefully pulled me out into his arms. He fixed the jacket around my shoulders and I wrapped my arms around his neck to pull him tighter against me. My body screamed in protest but I ignored the stabs of pain.

Maybe if I held tight enough, I wouldn't fall apart into a dozen pieces.

Cold drops fell into my hair and I turned my face to the sky, letting the rain wash over me. If I had the energy, I would've told Jake to stop so I could soak myself until I felt every touch roll off my skin with the rain drops.

We got into the condo and Jake handed his car keys to one of the guys by the door. The man shot me a pitiful glance, making me realize he knew what had happened.

"We're going to stay at my place for the night, alright? I have a doctor meeting us here to check on you," Jake explained softly.

I nodded into his chest, not really caring about anything at the moment. He could've told me we were going to Italy and I would've nodded.

He put me down once we got to the penthouse and I surprised myself by standing up on my own. The shiny, bright hallway was tilting slightly so I didn't know how long that was going to last.

Once we got in the door, I made a beeline for the couch and almost toppled on top of it. Jake helped me sit up and threw a blanket over me. I put my head back, shutting my eyes, and tried to block out the queasiness.

My eyes fluttered open when I felt Jake caress my cheek. He carefully grabbed a hold of my chin and moved my head side to side, examining the damage. His gentle touch made my eyes tear up again.

"It's going to be ok," he soothed, pushing a wet strand of hair behind my right ear. I reached up to pull my hair back, feeling the dirt and grit in the strands.

There was a knock on the door, jolting me awake. Jake went and let the doctor in. He took one look at me and his eyes widened. He quickly came to my side and started examining my wounds. After a few silent minutes of procedure checks and writing on a clipboard, he pulled Jake aside to talk.

"There are no fractures or any areas of permanent damage," he said quietly. "Will she need a rape kit done?"

"No," Jake said, his voice pained. "I-I found her in time."

"Mr. Harrison," the doctor said, eyeing Jake carefully, "she's going to recover. I'll give you a reference for a psychiatrist she can see. Don't be too hard on yourself, this is no one's fault but the guy sitting in a jail cell right now."

Jake's nod was noncommittal. The doctor pursed his lips but decided not to push. He pulled out a case of painkillers and a tube of ointment and handed them to Jake along with instructions.

After the doctor left, Jake came over and helped me to my feet. We walked towards his room and into the bathroom. I sat down on the ground, leaning against the wall. I heard him shuffle around, getting a bath ready.

The drying tears on my face brought a wave of numbness. I stared at the tile pattern on the ground, trying to ease the headache.

Once he was done, Jake helped me up. I took off his jacket and tried to unsuccessfully take off the ripped dress. Somehow that was the worst of it because it just reminded of how intoxicated I still was. Jake grabbed my hands to still them, realizing my frustration. I stood there blinking back tears, not wanting to cry anymore. He tentatively helped take my dress off. I heard him swear under his breath when he saw the angry bruises forming in multiple places on my stomach. He didn't bother with my bra or panties and helped me into the tub. I sank down, sighing as the hot water greeted my raw skin.