Page 66 of Falling for Her
I fucking love her, and we’ll get through this, but whether Bethany survives is a different story.
Chapter 27
Esmerelda – Two Weeks Later
Ilookatthepaper in my hand and can’t bring myself to smile even though I should be celebrating, jumping for joy.
I passed.
I’m ready to take over the bakery. I have just received full points in my business class and only last week I had found out I passed my culinary class with flying colors after my final Mississippi pie before…
I swallow hard. I’m ready to go, or well, I should be but I’m not and I don’t know if I ever will be after…
I was raped, or nearly I guess? Sexually assaulted?
He thrusted twice, he tore my walls, so is it rape?
I blink a few times to stop the tears wanting to fall. I don’t know what it was but what I do know is that I was attacked outside my own bakery by someone Bethany sent. The same Bethany who threatened to kill me if I didn’t end things with Damian, and now I can’t even celebrate this milestone, something I have worked so hard for, something I wanted to complete to make my parents proud.
I sniffle and wipe the lone tear that has fallen as I slowly descend the steps, dodging students rushing past me. After I woke in the hospital, my dad and Damian were by my side, and honestly, it took me a few minutes to figure out where I was and what had happened.
My side hurt, my head was pounding, I couldn’t see out of my left eye, and in between my legs, it felt like I was cut in two. Then everything came back, and unfortunately, I couldn’t stop my reaction even if I wanted to.
I bent over the bed and vomited, and then I panicked when sharp shooting pains rushed through my stomach and cramps begun in my lower stomach.
The baby came straight back to me.
Dr. Hammond said everything looked good, the heartbeat was strong, but apparently, I had to be sedated, not that I remember, and now all I feel is dirty and out of balance and I’m scared that any little movement will cause me to miscarry.
I should be jumping up and down now, but I’m not. It’s like I’m not myself anymore, and even though the hospital’s sexually assaulted specialist said it’ll take time to be me again after a traumatic event, it doesn’t feel like it will. I mean I can’t even look in the mirror, the bruises too much of a reminder to what had happened.
Getting attacked will do that to you, I guess.
Sighing, I walk out of the dean’s office building and down the slope, not really paying attention to my surroundings. I missed yesterday's graduation. When I emailed the dean, he called to tell me that I had to be apart of the walk, that I’d regret not doing it until I half-explained that I was in an accident and that I was pregnant, so he said I could pick my diploma up today instead.
I’m glad no one knows about graduation, so no fuss can be made. With everything that had happened and the fact that I was still processing it, I didn’t want a fuss. Damian thinks I’ve just gone for a walk, and that is how it needs to stay, well, until I feel like me again, anyway.
I gently place my hand over my stomach. Damian hasn’t let me out of his sight since I was discharged. Honestly, I don’t like being away from him. I just didn’t want him to make a big deal out of this, too much has happened.
I hear a wolf whistle, which makes me look up and I pause my step as I make eye contact with the man sitting astride his bike, and my eyes tear up as a little smile forms.
Of course….
“My sexy little graduate, get your ass over here,” Damian calls, and I chuckle and do as I’m told, slowly.
I can feel my stitches pull with my movement, but I try and ignore them, as well as the twinge in my side, and walk over to my boyfriend.
I can feel eyes on us, and I know it is because he’s wearing his patch again, the same patch he put on the night I was attacked but I ignore them all, my sole focus on him.
He became Jokester to avenge me, or so Dad says. Apparently, crazy Bethany decided trying to stab me wouldn’t go her way and wanted me to suffer as revenge for Damian loving me and not her. She had me attacked and now because of her actions, she has to fend for herself and is being watched twenty-four-seven, no longer allowed on club property.
I can’t imagine being in Butcher's place or Bullet’s place. That is their daughter and sister, yet they must punish her. According to my dad, if she was anyone else, she would have been killed, though I think he’s just being dramatic.
The club doesn’t kill people, or at least I don’t think they do, do they?
Come to think of it, I haven’t heard from the police since my attack.
“How’d you know?” I ask as I stop near my man trying to clear my head of my silly thoughts.
