The Other Sister (Sister Series, #1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

joined the United States Army. He was the last person this girl needed. But he was also the only one who could be here for her now, tonight. And he knew . He knew to a large extent what Jessie Bains was suffering from. Still, it didn’t help him figure out how to help her. He went into the bathroom, where the door now hung askew on the hinges. He drained the pink water out of the bath, and found the razor blade sitting on the edge of it. He put it into one of his pockets where she couldn’t find it.
    And still, she didn’t move.
    “Are you hungry?”
    Nothing. He sighed, gave up, sat down on the other bed, and turned the TV on to Spanish speaking shows he had no interest in.
    “I need clothes.”
    Will was drifting off. He jerked to attention at her statement. Glancing over, it was obvious Jessie still hadn’t moved. After long minutes of stillness, during which time, nothing occurred, she finally spoke. He jumped up and shook the sleepiness from his head. He went to her duffel bag and brought it over to her. This time, however, he sorted through it, making sure there was nothing else Jessie could use to hurt herself. His hands glided over jeans, the soft material of shirts, and silky underclothes: girl stuff he really didn’t want to handle. He quickly passed her the bag. Then he turned and stood near the window. Again, nothing, not a word. Five minutes passed. He stayed firmly away, staring out into the darkness.
    Finally her bed shifted, and she sighed.
    “Do you carry Band-Aids in that war pack of yours , soldier?” He turned to her in surprise. She sat up on the bed this time, wearing a silky, raspberry-colored shirt, with the bedcovers twisted around her middle.
    “Band-Aids?”
    She looked away. “You know, to stop bleeding.”
    Bleeding as in the leg she cut. He moved towards his pack, and pulled out the small first aid kit. Grabbing a few Band-Aids, he headed towards her, and dropped down on one knee near her bed. She pulled her body away from his.
    “I can do it.”
    “I just want to make sure it isn’t too deep.”
    “It’s not.”
    Her gaze met his directly . She was challenging him. He held his hand up so she could take the Band-Aids. She opened them, and pulled back the dingy bedspread, revealing more of her legs.
    “Why are you staring at me?” she finally asked. Her hand crumbled the Band-Aid wrappers.
    “I s there anything else I can do for you? Any other injuries I need to attend to? I mean ones that aren’t self inflicted?”
    “Lots. But none you can fix.” She carefully put the Band-Aids on. He stood still, and she glanced up at him. “Aren’t you going to ask why?”
    “No. Anything else that needs my attention?”
    “Just my soul , soldier, can you patch that up too?”
    He shifted his weight uneasily on his feet. He really wasn’t good at dealing with victims. She finally dropped her head. “There’s nothing else you can do for me, other than getting me out of this godforsaken motel.”
    “It’s only a few more hours until morning. Try to get some sleep. You’ll need it to get through tomorrow.” He backed away from her.
    “Yeah? And will sleep get me through the rest of my life too?” She mumbled as she leaned over, and grabbed her jeans to pull them on.
    He turned away and looked at the TV. There was no reason to stare, and nothing to stare at. She might be pretty, but after what he witnessed tonight, he could no more conjure up a sexual thought about her , than he could a nine-year-old kid. She was so traumatized, so damaged, and so completely violated. His heart twisted in pity for her. There was no denying it. He’d have to be made of stone not to feel totally sorry for Jessie Bains.
    She was a small girl: petite, short, and slim. She had a nice figure, with boobs too big for her frame, but pretty. Men drooled over her. She had silky , straight, black hair, which she wore to her shoulder, and big, brown, coffee colored eyes. Will might have glanced at her picture