Vicious Cycle (Vicious Cycle #1)(56)

Bile rose in my throat, and when I swallowed hard, my throat raged in agony. But it wasn’t the screaming from last night that had left it raw like it had been shredded by razor blades. It was a combination of the strong hands of my attacker on my throat as well as my cries of terror before Deacon had swooped in to rescue me.

Oh God, Deacon.

He had been my protector—a true knight in shining armor. His strength had saved me from a hellish nightmare. My eyes scanned the room wildly for him. “David is fine. He just had to take care of some things. He’ll be back in a few minutes,” Beth reassured me.

I couldn’t help wondering what he was doing. I’d still been cognizant enough to remember him barking orders to Rev and Bishop about bringing my attacker back to the compound. Had he gone to torture the man for information? Maybe even kill him?

At my shudder, Beth eased the covers tighter around me. When I glanced up at her, she tenderly cupped my cheek. “I’m so sorry this happened to you, honey.”

“Thank you,” I murmured.

“Are you hurting anywhere?”

“I just feel achy—that’s all.” When I shifted in the bed, some of the lashes on my back screamed in agony, and I grimaced.

“Let me get you some of the medicine Breakneck left.”

“Breakneck?”

She laughed. “I’m sorry. I still refer to him like when he was a club member. I meant Dr. Edgeway.”

A small knock came at the door. “Grandma Beth, can I see Alex now?” Willow’s muffled voice questioned.

I shook my head wildly back and forth as tears stung my eyes. “I-I c-can’t let her see me like this.”

Beth twisted the hem of her apron before meeting my gaze. “She’s been asking to see you all morning. She cried herself to sleep in Nathaniel’s arms because she was so worried after they brought you home. I don’t think she’s going to be satisfied that you’re truly okay until she can see you.”

“W-what does she …?” I swallowed again. “What did you say happened to me?”

“David told her you were in a car accident. He thought that was the best explanation for your injuries.”

“My injuries?”

Beth grimaced. “The cuts and bruises.”

“Oh,” I whispered.

The once-gentle rapping at the door grew louder. I could almost imagine Willow’s tiny palms smacking against the wood. “Please, Grandma Beth, let me in!” she cried.

Her agonized tone broke me. Regardless of whether I had the emotional and physical strength to see her, I couldn’t deny her. She had been through too much in the last year. There was only so much a child could take, and I couldn’t add to her suffering.

Pushing myself up in the bed, I called, “Come in, sweetheart.” I winced from the slicing pain in my throat.

The door flew open, banging back on its hinges. Willow came barreling into the room. As her dark eyes met mine, the haunted look faded slightly. Her tear-streaked cheeks stretched into a wide smile. But as she surveyed me, the smile started to dim. I could only imagine my face was pretty messed up. “Oh, Miss Alex, you have so many boo-boos. Are you going to be okay?”

Forcing a smile to my face, I nodded. “I sure am. Just a little battered and bruised, but I’ll be fine.”

Her dark brows creased in worry, and I could see the wheels in her head were turning. She was wondering whether to believe me. Lifting my hand, I motioned her to the bed. “Come sit with me. I know being with you will make me feel better.”

She grinned as she made a beeline to the bed. “Careful,” Beth warned when Willow scrambled onto the bed.

“Want to watch some cartoons?” she asked.

“I’d love to.”

With a grin, she reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the remote. After turning on the TV, she settled on an old Scooby-Doo episode.

“Think you could eat something?” Beth asked. When I shook my head, she said, “I have some biscuits and gravy made. They’d be soft on your stomach. But if you want some soup, I can make you some of that.”

Her insistence caused an emotional ache to burn through my chest. She was mothering me, and it had been so long since I had been mothered. It was something I missed desperately. At my continued hesitation, she said, “It’ll do you good, honey.”

With my throat clenched at the onslaught of emotion, I merely nodded my head. Beth’s face lit up at my agreement. “All right, then. Biscuits and grits or soup?”

“I can’t imagine anything I’d want more than your biscuits,” I said.

She smiled. “Then biscuits it is. Be back in a minute.”

As Willow snuggled to my side, I bent down to bestow a kiss on the top of her head. Closing my eyes, I inhaled the sweet fragrance of her shampoo. “Love you, Miss Alex,” Willow murmured.

Tears filled my eyes. “I love you, too, sweetheart. So very, very much.”

Gazing up at me, Willow said, “Oh, don’t cry!”

“It’s okay. They’re happy tears from hearing your sweet words.”

Willow frowned. “I was just going to say I wish you were my mommy, but I better not if it’s going to make you cry.”

There was the noise of someone clearing his throat in the doorway. When I glanced up, my heart surged at the sight of Deacon’s strong form. He held a tray filled with the food that Beth had insisted on me eating. “Hi,” I said softly.