Adorably Abducted ✧ Sparklington/SyndiSparklez

Eight

"I thought it'd be a good i-idea to make an escape plan. So I had to gain his trust, and I learned he had..." my throat sealed shut. I couldn't do this. Not with Tom in the room.

Tom already had tears in the corners of his eyes, I don't want him bawling.

"Jordan..." Ethan mumbled. "You can say it. There's no need to feel ashamed. You survived it."

"He told me h-he raped me."

Tom's quiet sobs filled the room.

"Was that the only time he done it?"

"No, that was the first time he did it."

"How many times in all, Mr. Maron?"

I paused. Honestly, I lost count. I counted in my head. The longer I took, the harder Tom cried.

"At least eight times. M-Maybe more... I'm sorry," I mumbled.

"That's okay. Take your time," Ethan said, scribbling something down. "Would you like a drink or anything?"

"Um... Orange juice please?"

"I'll get it," Tom said in between sobs, practically running out of the room.

My heart sunk into the pit of my stomach.

He hates me.

He hates the fact James slept with me.

"Jordan..."

I looked up, meeting the officer's emerald eyes.

"You're doing good. I've never had a client so honest."

"What do you mean?"

"All your facts check out. You tested positive for rape, your dates and times are correct, everything," he sighed. "You're definitely the bravest client I've ever had."

"Thanks..." I mumbled. How was I supposed to respond to that?

"You were kind of a popular missing person case... Everyone was working on that case, all three months."

"I was missing for three months?"

"Yeah."

"It didn't feel like three months..." I mumbled, picking at a thread in my sheets.

Silence filled the room. I'm sure Officer Campbell was waiting for me to continue, but I needed a break. I wanted to have Tom back in the room before I said another word.

"Sorry I missed," Ethan muttered.

Looking up, I saw the large man's figure slumped in his chair.

"I was aiming for his heart. Shot his shoulder... First time shooting outside of practice," he said, laughing softly.

I stayed quiet, unsure of what to say.

"I stayed on the ambulance with you. Never seen someone in that condition. Any other regular person would've died."

"I'm glad I'm not regular," I mumbled, awkwardly.

"Tom means a lot to you?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah... The world."

"I can tell."

"How?"

"The video. You made damn sure to get your point across that you loved him," Ethan laughed, taking a sip of coffee a nurse had brought him earlier.

"Yeah..." I mumbled.

Tom probably hates me. I'm too weak. I was so weak, I let James rape me eight times. I was so weak, I couldn't fight back while James cut into my skin.

My eyes wandered around the room, unsure of what to look at. Finally, my gaze landed upon Ethan's hands, as he twirled his pen around his fingers. A small gold band glimmered around his ring-finger.

"Y-You're married?" I croaked out.

"Yeah," Ethan murmured, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.

"And you risked your life to save mine?"

"It's what I do."

"She's a lucky gal," I mumbled, trying to fill the thick silence with small talk.

"He's."

I looked up to meet Ethan's green eyes, a faint pink color flooded over his face.

"Oh," I mumbled. "Sorry."

"No biggie," Ethan smiled, setting down his coffee mug.

"Here, babe," Tom whispered, setting a small glass on my nightstand. I didn't even hear him enter the room.

His eyes were red and puffy, his cheeks stained with tears.

"So... Jordan, you may continue."