From Protector To Lady

From Protector To Lady Chapter 39

I nodded and clenched my teeth as each of the men put a hand behind my shoulders and pulled me forward. I cried out as my ribs felt as if one of the mercenaries had just crashed their boot into my sides again. I cringed at the memory. Stanton's mouth was in a grim line as I let my head fall to the side slightly, trying to cope with the pain. The doctor worked quickly to prop pillows behind me and then gently lay me back against them, my body now propped half way between laying flat and sitting upright. 

Stanton gently raised the goblet to my mouth and tipped it back. The cool water was a relief on my throat as I took long swallows.

I felt foolish as Stanton raised a spoonful of stew to my mouth, feeding me. My mouth involuntarily watered before I opened it, taking the spoon in my mouth. At first he only gave me spoonfuls of the broth before cutting the potatoes and vegetables into small pieces and giving me bits at a time.

He gave me the last spoonful before the doctor chimed in, "I'll be retiring for the night now. In the morning I will check your bandages once more. I cannot stress how relieved I am that you have finally awoken," he said before shaking Stanton's hand and exiting the room.

"What does he mean by finally, how long have I been here?" I asked, my voice finally coming back.

"You slept here for two nights before waking. We assumed you had not been fed," Stanton said, his voice getting tight as he wrestled with his anger. "He said you could not have gone much longer without some provisions and in order to eat, you needed to wake. I believe the doctor thought there may have been damage to your head and that you would never wake, though he never said it."

I nodded slightly before I reached my hand out for his once more. "Stanton," I said quietly. "They were going to kill me."

His eyes met mine as he only grimly nodded.

"I tried to escape once and I would have if their leader hadn't come down into the cellar when he did. I had bested one of the mercenaries and I was about to end him when their leader came down," I winced as I recalled the painful memories.
"Throughout the time I was there, one of them continually laid his hands on me. He seemed to thrive from taunting me."

"Rebecca," Stanton said, his voice laced in anger. "The doctor examined you and your clothing when we got you here but some things only you will know. I'm not asking you to share with me if you do not want to."

I nodded, knowing what he was referring to. Many times mercenaries would have their sexual ways with women. I was thankful that these men had not. For whatever reason, the short and fat one, Ed, was the only one who seemed to enjoy bringing me pain. I believe that Garon and Michael would have just killed me quickly, if it had gotten to that point.

"None of them forced themselves upon me," I said quickly.

He nodded, a long breath escaping his lips. "You do not need to talk about this now, it can wait," he said as he leaned forward, brushing a hand down the side of my face.

"I want to. The sooner I get it all out, the sooner I can move on from it. I do not know what help it would be, but I learned the names of the men who held me there," I spoke, trying to focus more on the feeling of his hand on my face than on the feeling of the pain in my ribs.

He only nodded, urging me to continue, listening intently.

"The short one, they called him Ed. The other man, the taller one, he was Garon. Their leader was Michael. He was there when we arrived but he disappeared as soon as they decided to propose the terms to you," I explained.

Stanton swore as his eyebrows set in frustration. "Of course..."

"What is it?"

"It had to be Michael Pruitt. He is notorious for taking on assignments that other mercenaries don't want."