Fighting Back (Mercy's Angels) Read Online Free PDF Page B

promise, my heart just wasn’t light enough.
    “Thank you,” I simply whispered. My throat was so sore from screaming that I would have given anything for some warm tea with a dash of honey right now. Tea? Since when did Rebecca Donovan drink fucking tea? Coffee, yes. Wine, hell yeah. Vodka, most definitely. But tea? Never!
    “No need to thank me, we are friends after all.” Friends. Yes, that’s what we were. The word actually hurt as I let the idea roll around in my mind. I had always wanted more with Charlie, even when I denied it like a cold hearted bitch to anyone who would listen. I couldn’t lie to myself though. I couldn’t refute that my heart adored this man and wanted more. Over the past year I thought perhaps ‘friends’ was even a stretch, so I should be grateful we are at least that.
    “Come on, sweetheart.”
    I shivered at the term of endearment. Suddenly I was back against the front door, that monster’s body pressed against mine, his hands ripping at my clothing.
    “Rebecca?” Charlie said sternly.
    My gaze returned to his; he looked worried, confused. “Please don’t call me that,” I whispered, tears falling in a steady cadence.
    “Rebecca?” he asked, his brow furrowed with worry.
    I shook my head. “Sweetheart,” I managed to say without throwing up, “he called me that,” I explained.
    Charlie’s nostrils flared with what I assumed was anger before he gave me a sharp nod and scooped me up from the floor. My ribs ached in protest, but I would deal with it just so I could stay nestled in the warm safety of Charlie’s arms. He walked me out into the living room where Mercy immediately began to fuss over me. The paramedics swooped in and wrapped a brace around my neck and began shining things in my one good eye, asking me questions, inspecting my ribs. Frank stood close by and I could see he was eager to ask me his own questions. I couldn’t handle all this attention on me; it was just too much. The tears began to fall again and Mercy gripped my hand tightly. My eyes searched for Charlie and panic threatened to consume me when I didn’t see him. Then he appeared, tall and strong, my bag thrown over his shoulder. His green eyes found mine and never left them, not even as Frank stood and talked to him. That alone gave me the strength I needed to focus and get through this.
    As I was wheeled into the hospital, I kept my eyes closed. Charlie still had hold of one hand, Mercy the other, but I didn’t dare open my eyes. I didn’t want to see where I was. The sounds and smells were enough to make my breathing labored, opening my eyes would destroy me. Finally, the gurney became still and I heard the sound of curtain hooks sliding over metal.
    “You can open your eyes, Rebecca, the curtains are closed and the doctor is here to check you out,” Mercy whispered from beside me.
    Trusting her word, I opened my eyes. The curtains had been pulled closed. I saw that the room was small and bright with standard medical equipment spread strategically around the room. A kindly looking female doctor smiled down at me and I clutched Charlie’s hand tighter when she began to check my injuries. I felt so lost, so broken, so not me. Rebecca Fucking Donovan didn’t cry, she didn’t beg and she sure as hell didn’t find herself completely dependent on a man. Rebecca Donovan was a free spirited, liberated, self-reliant woman. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t some sort of snooty feminist. I liked a man to open doors for me, I wanted my chair pulled out for me, I wanted romance, to be wined and dined. I knew that wasn’t necessarily real though, so, I opened my own doors and pulled out my own chair. I took home my own bouquets of flowers and cooked my own dinner. Right now I didn’t feel like that girl anymore though. I felt frail, I felt weak and I hated it.
    After x-rays, a couple of sti tches, and more poking and prodding than I could handle, I was finally given the all clear to leave. The sun was