Page 87 of Born to Scar

“Then I’ll get one here.”

“You are more than welcome to bring one in as well. We still have to follow protocol, and the one on duty will see her.”

I sit with her for a long time, holding her hand. She stirs before her eyes crack open. She blinks a few times, looking around her. “Where am I?” she whispers. But she’s not asking me. She has yet to acknowledge me at all until her eyes meet mine.

“Indy?” I speak softly. She narrows those emerald greens, tears slipping out, and lies back down, turning on her side. She turns her back to me, and I can’t breathe. My lungs crushed under the weight of her rejection. “We got to you as fast as we could, Indy. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I let you down,” I whisper.

She says nothing and doesn’t turn around. I drop my head into my hands. What the fuck am I going to do? My heart is in a million shattered pieces, in the palm of the woman who has her back to me. I can handle a lot of shit, but this isn’t it.

Cam stands on the other side of the bed, crouching down to face level with her. “Indy.” His voice cracks, even on his whisper. She turns onto her back and stares straight up. The look of defeat on his face says everything I’m feeling.

A new doctor comes through the door. “Hello, Indy. I’m Dr. Janelle Hart.” She stops, waiting for a response. When she doesn’t get one, she looks at her chart, then at the two of us. “She hasn’t spoken since you found her?”

“She asked where she was when she woke up, but she wasn’t talking to us.”

She nods. “How was she before the incident?”

“Normal, talking. Not acting out of character. She cooked breakfast for almost ten people.”

“She told me she was scared this morning,” Cam adds. I look at him in question. That’s news to me. He nods. “When she went upstairs, and I followed. She was sitting in the chair, knees to her chest, and told me she was scared.”

“Did she elaborate?”

“No, but she didn’t need to. She’s scared of him, but she’s more scared that he’s going to hurt the people she loves. And she blames herself for everything.”

I’m hoping Indy chimes in any minute. She doesn’t like to be talked about like she isn’t here, but she stays silent. And it’s deafening.

“Everything?”

“Her abuse, her sister’s death, the idea that he’s going to come after everyone she’s around,” Cam explains.

“Can you give us a few minutes? I want to talk to her alone, please.” When I don’t budge, the doctor turns to me. “I just need a few minutes. If you don’t leave, I’ll have you escorted out. I do not want to do that. I can tell you care for her, but I need this time.”

I suck air between my teeth, annoyance rolling through me, but sulk to the door. “Thank you,” she offers from behind me. I give a curt nod and walk out, just to meet Cam pacing the hall.

He stops, looking at me. His eyes are hollow and sunken in. He’s wrecked.

“I don’t have anything to give right now, Cam.”

His jaw ticks, tears rimming his eyes. “I can’t lose you both on the same day,” he whispers, returning to his pacing.

I step in front of him, placing my hands on his waist. “You haven’t lost either of us. She’ll be back. She always comes back, Cam.”

“Where are you? I need you, and you aren’t here with me. You’re pushing me away and…” He clenches his jaw again, turning away, shaking his head.

CHAPTER 37

CAM

I’m losing my fucking mind. Jay’s not doing any better, but he’s pushing me away, and it makes me want to hit him or the wall or find Indy’s father and punch him again, over and over until he has no face left. But the muggy air outside the ER doors hits me instead, pulling me out of my rage before I do something that lands me in jail. I need to be here for her, for Jay, too, if he wasn’t being such an asshole.

Asher is the first to get here. He finds me pacing in front of the entrance. “We did it. They got everything. All of his files, everything. They’ll all be held accountable for this.” He doesn’t sound happy, like we would be had this not happened the way it did. He’s just relaying information. I nod, unable to look at him without falling apart. When Ken comes walking up, I realize I can’t be around them right now.

Then, everyone starts crowding around. My chest tightens. They all came, and while I appreciate everything they’ve done…I can’t do this. I guess it shows because Lainy is by my side, with her small frame, platinum blond curls, and wide eyes staring straight up at me.

“Cam, you’re allowed to feel this. This is really fucking hard.”

The tears fall, and she hugs me. “You have no idea what we walked in on. He cut her, over and over. All over. There was blood everywhere. We aren’t sure, but…” And for the first time, since I can remember, I sob. I fall apart in front of the ER doors. I’m so fucking angry and hurt. Alone. I feel so alone, even surrounded by everyone I care for.