Luce nodded. “As you know, there are no diseases that can be transmitted between human and fae, nor is pregnancy common. It’s rare and has to be done without compulsion, but that does not rule out physical force. Even so, it’s still extremely rare, but there are people that you can talk to. Humans I know that specialize—”
“I wasn’t raped,” I cut her off. “I mean, I’m pretty sure I wasn’t. I don’t remember anything like that happening.” My stomach soured. “He did get…handsy a few times, but I think he was actually disgusted by humans.”
At least until the end.
In the end, I had a vague sense that he’d begun to admire me and had started to view me in a different light, as twisted as that sounded.
Luce nodded. “There were bruises on your inner thighs and hips, the kind that are sometimes found in victims of assault.”
Victims.
I closed my eyes, took a breath, and then reopened them. “When I said handsy, I didn’t just mean in a sexually unwanted way. He liked to hit and kick. Those bruises could be from anything.”
Luce smiled faintly as she nodded. It was one of those well-practiced smiles designed to make a patient feel at ease. “Okay, but if you happen to remember something, please do not hesitate to come to me or someone else.”
“I will,” I said, hoping that would be a non-issue. “Thank you for helping me and for…well, making sure I’m okay.”
Luce left after mentioning that she’d pick up the routine blood work that she’d sent into the clinic soon, leaving Ivy and me alone. Things were oddly awkward between us as Ivy found a pair of loose pants and a shirt that I could wear. Ivy was too smiley and too nice. Not that she hadn’t been nice before, but she was like Positive Polly now, and that wasn’t her.
“I’m still Bri,” I told her.
She was in the process of yanking a shirt out of the dresser. Who the garment belonged to, I had no idea. She looked over at me. “You are.”
“And you’re still Ivy. I’m not like my mom,” I said. Ivy cast her gaze to the shirt. “At least, not right now. Maybe I was earlier. I don’t remember you helping me. Thank you for that. Seriously. And for looking for me.”
“You don’t need to thank me for that—any of it.”
Caden had told me the same, but it still needed to be said.
She lowered the shirt as she drew her lower lip between her teeth. “I don’t mean to act weird.”
“I know.”
Ivy glanced over to where I sat. “You know I loved your mother. She was a bit…brash at times, but I loved her.”
The corners of my lips turned up. “Brash would be an understatement.”
“True. So, you know when I say this, that I say it with all the love in the world.” Her lower lip trembled. “I don’t want what your mom went through for you. I don’t want to see you go through that.”
Tears filled my eyes. “I don’t either.”
She inched toward the bed, balling the shirt in her hands as she sat beside me. “But if you do, Ren and I will be here for you. So will Tink.”
“That is if he doesn’t turn you all into troll dolls first,” I joked. “I heard that you guys told him I was on assignment.”
She grinned. “Yeah, he’s probably going to max out my credit card or something.” Her grip on the shirt loosened. “You have a lot of support.” She cocked an eyebrow. “Even royal support, and I’m not talking about Fabian.”
“Ivy—”
“Caden nearly lost his mind when I told him that we couldn’t get ahold of you. Pretty sure he actually did lose a little bit of it, and I’m also sure he holds the record for the most Winter fae kills.” Ivy smoothed the shirt. “I know there was something going on between you two.”
“There’s nothing—”
“Everyone knows that there is or was or whatever, including Hotel Good Fae.” She slid me a long look. “You know I have my issues with him even though I know he wasn’t responsible for my kidnapping,” she added when I opened my mouth to, well, defend him. “It’s just…when I see him, I remember.”
I could understand that.
Unfortunately, it took being kidnapped myself to do so.
“But he did everything to find you. Nearly tore this city apart. And when days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, I saw what it did to him. We all did. I don’t think he slept more than a few hours a day. Every waking second was spent looking for you,” she said. “Whatever was going on between you two doesn’t seem to be in the past.”
“It is,” I told her. “He’s engaged. To be married. Like forever and eternity kind of married. Like I said, he just feels responsible and guilty. That’s all.”
Ivy lifted a shoulder. “All I’m saying is that he earned some brownie points with me, and even Ren.”
With Ren, too? Wow. That was unexpected.
And it also didn’t matter. “I’m glad he’s redeeming himself with you guys, but it’s…there’s nothing going on. Not anymore,” I added.
Ivy just stared at me.
“Anyway…” I drew out the word. “I just wanted to make sure that you knew you don’t have to treat me like fragile glass. If I break, then I break. There’s nothing anyone can do about that.”
Ivy held my stare, nodding. “Okay. Now it’s time for me to make sure you know something. If you need someone to talk to, you can talk to me. I know what it feels like to be held against your will. I didn’t go through what you did, but I still understand on some level.”
And she did. “I know. Thank you.”
She smiled then, and it wasn’t a weirdly forced one.
We decided that a shower came first, and then I’d eat something. She helped me to the bathroom, and even though I wanted to do it on my own, I had to lean on her for support. It wasn’t until I was stripped down, and the bathroom was filled with steam that I saw why.
I hadn’t just lost weight, I’d lost muscle mass. My legs felt like jelly and looked like tenderized meat. My reflection was no better.
Seeing myself for the first time was a shock, even though I knew it would be bad.
My hair was a matted, limp mess, slicked back from my forehead, but that looked decent compared to the rest of what was going on.
I’d been right. The left side of my face was a mess of swollen, reddish-purple hues like I had a plum shoved in the side of my mouth. The left eye was open, but it was more purple than pink, and the lid was so heavy it drooped. The right side was only marginally better, and there was a half an inch split in the center of my bottom lip.
There was a bluish band of skin around my throat.
Sucking in a sharp breath, I let my gaze drop. My shoulders and the upper part of my chest were covered in slices, as were the rises of my breasts. Aric had stopped there, moving to my stomach, but I imagined he’d planned to revisit that area.
Farther down, my flesh was a patchwork of old and new scars. Some of the fresher, redder ones would fade, but the others...
They’d be there, always. And even if they didn’t serve as a constant reminder, I would bear other scars. Deeper ones.