no strings attached - rafe cameron

chapter twelve.

"I'm fine." I spat as I gripped the railing and pulled myself up, trying not to put too much pressure on my leg.

Rafe waited for me at the top of the stairs and once I caught up, I followed him into a room, which I assumed to be his bedroom. He closed the door behind us and went into his closet, digging through a duffel bag.

I looked around his room, noticing how it was barely decorated. "I would've expected some Sports Illustrated posters from you, country club." I commented as I looked around his room.

"Trust me, I'd have 'em if my sisters weren't bitches." He answered me as he continued to dig through the bag.

"You have sisters?" I asked him as I leaned against the bedroom door, taking pressure off of my leg. I looked down at it and saw my shirt nearly soaked in blood along with dry blood that ran down my leg. I sighed at the mess I had to deal with. I didn't even know where to begin with this wound.

"Seriously, Scar, what the hell happened? You're all sorts of beat up." Rafe ignored my question as he turned to me and studied my body.

"Nothing." I breathed.

"It doesn't look like nothing." He said as he went back to looking through the duffle bag. "Did you get hit by a car or something on your way over?" Rafe chuckled.

I looked down at my body and saw bruises on my stomach and arms from where my dad hit me and grabbed me so hard it left marks. These marks on my body completely slipped my mind when I took my shirt off to wrap it around my leg.

"I would've rathered that." Was all I said, trying to hold back my tears from the fact that my dad did to me. My own father did this to me.

Rafe took a small, clear, plastic bag out of the duffel bag before tossing it to me. I couldn't catch it in time and it fell onto the floor in front of me. I bent down, groaning in pain as I tried to pick it up.

"Here," Rafe said as he picked it up from the ground and handed it to me. "You okay?" He asked softly as he now stood in front of me. I hated being asked that question, especially when I wasn't okay. Something about that word triggered me and caused tears to prick my eyes. I felt my bottom lip quiver and I bit it, trying not to cry. "Shit, I-" Rafe paused as he studied my face. "I-I'm sorry, what did I do?"

I shook my head as I closed my eyes. I couldn't look at him right now and I hated the fact that he was looking at me while I was like this. I felt his arms gently wrap around my shoulders and I flinched at his touch as he pulled me into a soft hug. My head was rested on his chest and I couldn't help but cry in his arms. I was feeling so many different things, so many different types of pain. I hadn't been hugged in so long and by him asking me if I was okay and pulling me into a hug like this, I felt so vulnerable.

"I hate him." I sobbed into Rafe's chest. "I hate him so fucking much."

I felt Rafe pull away from the hug after I said that and he looked down at me, his eyes searching for an answer. "Who?" He asked softly. "Who did this to you? Was it JJ? I swear to God Scar, I-I'll kill-"

"It wasn't JJ." I cut him off, shaking my head. "I-It was my dad." I whimpered. "He's had me locked in my room f-for days. I-I had to jump out of my window to escape." I cried and the look on Rafe's face immediately softened.

"Shit," Rafe breathed. We stared at each other for about a minute, neither of us knowing what to say. I instantly regretted telling him what happened to me.

"I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said any-"

"Let's get you cleaned up, yeah?" Rafe said as he led me over to his bed. We sat next to each other on his bed and he propped my right leg up onto his lap so he could get a better look at my wound. He gently untied my t-shirt and pulled it away, observing the gash in my thigh. "Did you get this when you jumped out the window?" He asked me and I nodded, not being able to say anything from the amount of pain I felt. "It doesn't look like it's too deep." Rafe said as he studied the wound for another second. "We're just gonna have to clean it so it doesn't get infected."

"You don't have to help me." I said lowly, trying to breathe normally.

"I want to," He nodded as he softly looked into my eyes, our faces only about a foot apart. "Why don't you take a warm shower?" He asked me. "I'll wrap your leg after your shower, and I'll bring you some food. You can stay here for the night, okay?"

"I-I should really get home." I told him, trying to politely decline his offer. He almost put his hands on me, trying to harm me, only a few nights ago. Now he was trying to take care of me? I didn't trust him. "My dad's gonna be uh, looking for me a-and-"

"You're not going home to him." Rafe cut me off. "Stay here for the night, see how you feel in the morning. I'll sleep on the floor, or in a different room if you want."

I weakly smiled at Rafe, appreciating how kind he was suddenly being to me. I had no where else to go and I certainly did not want to go home, it seemed like staying with Rafe was my only option.

"Are you sure?" I asked him as I removed my leg from his lap.

"More than sure." He nodded. "I just uh, I just want you to stay in here until the coast is clear, okay?"

I nodded, agreeing with his demand.

Rafe and I stood up from his bed and he led me over to the bathroom that was attached to his room. He showed me where he had fresh towels and he told me he would get me a fresh change of clothes.

As much as Rafe scared me from the other night, I could tell he was genuine in the kind actions he was doing for me. I never thought he'd be so nice to me and I appreciated it more than he knew.

"You're safe here. You're gonna be okay." Rafe said to me softly and I nodded once again at what he told me.

He sent me a soft smile before he exited the bathroom, closing the door behind him, and leaving me alone to take a much needed warm, relaxing shower.

*****

a/n:

ok this might be one of my fav chapters i've written for this story so far? kinda loving the soft spot rafe has for scar. 

lmk what y'all think!! don't forget to vote & comment☺️ i love reading ur comments & it motivates me to write/update

<3