Page 14 of Cuffed to my Roomies
“Give me your money and I’ll let you go,” he said. I was crying, tears and snot on my face, fear turning me shaky and weak. I reached back and took my tips out of my pocket.
I had the presence of mind to throw them away from me so he’d have to go get them. When he took his foot off my back, it came down first on my phone screen, stomping it, and then on my hand. I screamed and he went after the money. I wasted no time scrambling to my feet. I cradled my hand in my other palm as I staggered toward the bus stop. I got on, flashing the bus pass I kept in my bra, and sank onto a seat. I cried, sniffed, swallowed hard. I had to get myself together before the boys saw me. When I reached my stop, I tried to smooth my hair but I was shaking too hard. I made my way to the loft and fumbled, couldn’t get my keys loose from my belt. I knocked on the door, and Derek opened it.
I must’ve looked a wreck because his face registered fear. He hurried me to the table, got a dishcloth, and started dabbing what must’ve been blood off my cheek.
“What the hell happened? I got your text, but you didn’t answer when I texted back.”
“He stomped—stomped my phone,” I managed, my teeth chattering with terror still. I held out my hand to show him what had happened. He got a package of frozen vegetables out of the freezer and covered them with a dishcloth, laying my hand gently on top of it. I shivered.
Derek got me a blanket, put it around my shoulders, and squatted down by me.
“Did he hurt you?” he said. I knew what he meant, and I shook my head emphatically. I’d been lucky.
“So you missed the bus and got mugged,” he said, “Some guy took your tips, shoved you down, trashed your phone, and stepped on your hand.”
I nodded, grateful I didn’t have to talk. He gave a grave nod, got up, and made coffee. Soon, I had a mug of the hot, sugary liquid on the table before me. When I couldn’t hold it without shaking, Derek held it for me, tipped it gently so I could take a small sip. I nodded gratefully and took another before he set it down.
He sat across from me, “You need to make a report. I’ll take you to the station.”
I nodded and sniffled. “Can it wait until the morning? I just want to go to bed.”
He got up from his chair, came to me and stroked my hair. I flinched, remembering the man grabbing my ponytail. Derek rubbed my back, soothed me.
“Of course.”
I lifted my face and met his eyes. They were warm, furious, and protective at the same time. I blinked back tears. He was being so gentle with me. I shook my head, feeling like an idiot. I had, I thought, been careless. I had talked too long to Cammie and missed my bus, hadn’t called the guys for a ride, or even been paying attention to my surroundings. It was my own fault I’d gotten mugged.
I think he must’ve seen all that play across my face, because he shook his head at me . He kissed my forehead, kissed the scrape high on my cheekbone, then brushed his lips to the corner of my mouth. I turned my head so my lips met his, warm and alive and safe. I wound my arms around his neck. He kissed me slowly, softly. I would’ve let him take me to bed right then, but he drew back gently and smoothed my hair.
“Do you want to have a bath or just go to sleep? I think you need to call in tomorrow, have a day to recover.”
I nodded, “I just want to go to sleep,” I said. It wasn’t true. I just wanted to go into his bedroom and let him make love to me beneath his hockey posters until I was sure I had survived it all.
Still, when he walked me to my room, I leaned on his arm. I toed off my shoes and sank onto the narrow bed. He pulled the blanket over me as I curled up on my side.
“Want me to leave the door open?” he said.
“Yes,” I told him. I wanted to see the light from the living room, to hear Brett come home, to know they were awake and moving around in the loft. That I wasn’t alone.
“Are you okay?”
“No. But I probably will be,” I said, my resolve starting to falter. “Listen, it’s not like we’re going to find the guy who mugged me. It was dark and I barely saw him. Are you sure making a report will even do anything? I don’t want to waste your time.”
