Read Online Necessary Evil of Nathan Miller by Demelza Carlton - Free Book Online Page A

hand.
    Nathan, please help me out here, I thought desperately, releasing his hand to reach for a tissue
with the other bandaged hand, too.
    Relieved, I watched Nathan pull out
some tissues for me.
    Now show him you’re my caregiver
when I’m helpless, not the violent threatening bastard he thinks
you are, I begged Nathan with my eyes. Please...
    For the second time in as many days,
Nathan helped me to wipe the tears off my face and blow my nose.
His expression held only concern.
    I glanced at the detective. His eyes
were on Nathan and he looked thoughtful.
    I made my voice quiet and sad. "I can’t
use my hands and I can barely stand, let alone walk. I feel so
helpless one of these pillows would probably be an effective weapon
against me." As the detective looked back at me I tried to smile,
but I just didn’t feel it. "I know I need to make a statement so
you can catch the people who did this to me, no matter how upset
talking about it will make me feel. I’ll do it, however many tears
it takes, but please don’t make me do this alone."
    Alone. I don’t want to be alone. As the tears came to my eyes again, I looked from the detective to
Nathan, begging both of them for help.
    To my surprise, the first voice I heard
was Nathan’s. "If you want me to stay, I’ll be here for you." He
sat down carefully on the bed beside me, taking my hand.
    Detective McGuinness just looked at us,
not saying anything.
    I tried again. "I don't know how long
it will take before I'm strong enough to tell this story without
someone to support me. I don't even know if I can. I want you to
catch them and I want to help you do it. I want to know they can't
touch me and that I'll be safe as soon as possible. Please – let me
use the little courage I have left before it's gone to tell this
story now. I don't know when I'll be brave enough to attempt it
again." Slowly, slowly. I forced myself to look down at my
lap, hugging my arms to my chest.
    An arm snaked around my shoulder and I
let out a little gasp of surprise, before I relaxed at the sound of
Nathan’s voice in my ear. "I promised I won't let them hurt you
again. They won't touch you – you'll be safe."
    Three times. That’s three times today
Nathan’s come to my rescue, two more than I’d counted on. If he
cares about my wellbeing so much, I don’t want to give him up
yet.
    I heard Detective McGuinness clear his
throat and I held my breath. "I think that if you’d like to make
your statement with him present, under the circumstances, you can
do so. Provided, of course, that Mr Miller doesn’t interrupt or
interfere in any way."
    I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank
you." Then I proceeded to tell him…nothing.

Part 25
    Dark – Mike – Chris – Kiss – Sorry –
Bastard
    Mike's laughter died away as Chris lay
like a dead weight on top of me. Maybe he's dead, I thought,
hoping.
    I squirmed, trying to push him off.
"Get off me."
    "Shh." He held my wrists with one hand
and pressed the other over my mouth.
    No such luck.
    He didn't do anything else, though, for
a long moment. My tears trickled into my hair. He hadn't hurt me
yet and I was crying already. I sniffled, wishing I could wipe the
tears away.
    He turned his face toward me at the
sound. He shifted again, up and off me, backing away until he hit
the door. Closed, of course. He knocked over the torch as he slid
down the door to slump to the floor. He lifted his head to look at
me, clapping both hands to his mouth as if he were going to be
sick. I heard him say, "Oh God, I’m so sorry," in a desperate
rush.
    I sat up, hugging my knees to my chest.
My tears still flowed freely. I wiped my nose on my sleeve. "Why?"
I whispered. I couldn't stop shaking.
    "They'll hurt my family if I don’t do
what I'm told," he said in a dead voice.
    "If you don't hurt me?" I asked, a
little louder.
    "Yes. And I can't do it." He buried his
face in his hands again.
    "I'll say you're a brutal, callous,
raping bastard if anyone asks me," I