Chapter 5

Chapter Five

" D id you really think you could hide from me?" Andrew yanks at my hair, and my head snaps backwards at an angle no one's neck should be in.

"I didn't… I'm sorry." I push up on my ti ptoes in an attempt to ease some of the tension on my scalp. It doesn't help. Andrew just pulls tighter.

"You didn't? What the fuck did I tell you, Montana?" The back of his hand lands across my cheek before he tosses me to the ground like a rag doll.

I land on my hip, on an already healing bruise, and wince when a sharp pain travels up my side. "I… I…" I don't know what he wants me to say. I need to figure out the right thing to say, how to get myself out of this mess. I knew I should have just gone home.

"You what? Just wanted to whore around with some hotshot hockey player? Be the next puck bunny in his bed? He doesn't want you, Montana. No one wants you. You're pathetic. I mean, just look at you." Andrew kicks me in the stomach, and I curl in on myself to help lessen some of the blow.

"No… Please stop," I cry out. "Andrew, please, I didn't mean to. I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? You're always fucking sorry, Montana," he hisses back at me.

"Tanna, wake up," a familiar voice calls out to me. I look around the dark room. Why is Luke here? "Montana, it's just a dream. Wake up."

I gasp as my eyes snap open. Someone is screaming. Not someone. Me. I'm screaming.

"It's okay. I've got you. You're safe," Luke repeats over and over again.

I peer up at him. The screaming stops, and the tears start as my eyes bounce from surface to surface in a room I don't recognize. He was here. Andrew was here. Where did he go?

"Tanna, you're okay. I've got you," Luke says again, and then I'm being lifted.

"What are you doing?" I ask, only just realizing he's not wearing a shirt when my hand lands on his bare chest.

"Taking you to my room. I'm not letting you sleep alone," he says as he sets me on a bed I'm assuming is his. Everything smells like him.

I freeze when he climbs in next to me and then pulls the covers up over both of us. "What are you doing?"

"Being the friend I should have been the last four years." His hand reaches out and wraps around mine. "I'm not going anywhere, Tanna. I've got you now and no one is going to hurt you again. I swear it."

I know he believes what he says, but I can't. I don't have that luxury. I can't fall into that trap. I've tried to leave Andrew before, and that didn't turn out too well for me. It's not going to be any different now.

"I don't think Sean would approve of me being in your bed," I whisper to the silent room.

"Sean's not here. And, honestly, right now I don't give a fuck. I'm not leaving you alone."

I let Luke's words wash over me. This is the first time he's ever said he didn't care what my brother would think. Does he mean it?

"Do you ever think about what he'd be doing if he were still here?"

"I try not to," Luke says. "I wish I knew… I wish I could have helped him."

"Nobody knew what he was going to do." I sigh. "There were no signs. I know everyone thinks there were. That it should have been obvious. But there was nothing. I've gone over those last few months, and I still can't pinpoint a single moment that indicated he was struggling."

"I lived with the guy. He hid it good, Tanna," Luke says. "I never would have thought… "

"Yeah… me either."

"Try to sleep." Luke squeezes my hand a little before he drops it. I reach back out and take hold of his palm again. I don't want to let go.

"It's weird, but when I'm holding your hand, I feel…. a kind of peace," I admit.

"It's not weird, and you can hold my hand as much as you want, Tanna." He shifts a little closer to me on the bed.

I close my eyes and release a long breath. "Thank you."

"Montana…"

"Mmm," I moan, rolling over and burying myself into the covers more. Every part of me hurts when I move, so I stop and just lie here instead.

"I have to go to morning skate," Luke whispers, and I open my eyes. I didn't even feel him get up.

"Okay. You want me to…" I don't know what I'm asking. I don't know what he wants me to do.

"Go back to sleep," Luke says. "I'll be a few hours, but I have Gray's sister stopping by to bring you some clothes."

"You don't have to do that," I tell him as I try to push up from the mattress. My arms are useless and I don't get anywhere.

"I want to," Luke says, then adds, "Are you going to be okay, Tanna? Do ya want to come to the rink with me? Or I could call Coach and tell him I'm sick?"

"No. Go. I'll be fine. Besides, I can't snoop through all your things with you standing here." I grin into the pillow and finally manage to turn over to look at him. "I didn't mean that. I won't snoop. Sorry, bad joke. I won't touch a thing. Promise." Sometimes it's easy to fall into bad habits. Like saying things I don't mean. Especially with Luke around. He reminds me of the girl I used to be. A liar, according to Andrew. And I don't want to be a liar.

"Tanna, you can snoop to your heart's content. I don't keep any secrets from you," Luke says.

"I won't snoop." I shake my head from side to side and instantly regret it. My temples are pounding.

"I'll be back as soon as practice is over."

"Okay. "

Luke gently closes the door and I try to go back to sleep, but it's pointless. After about thirty minutes of lying in his bed, I get up. Walk into his bathroom and turn on the shower. It takes a bit of time and effort to peel myself out of my clothes.

When I finally do, I look into the mirror and gasp. I'm used to seeing all the marks. But right now, my entire torso is a rainbow of colors. From red, where some of my capillaries have been ruptured, to a dark purple almost black, where the deepest bruises have set in. My neck is outlined in fresh handprints and my face, well, it's worse.

I turn away, step under the warm water streaming from the showerhead, and let it soothe my aching muscles. Then I squirt some of Luke's shower gel onto my hands and wash everywhere. I want to smell like him. It's calming.

After I'm as clean as I can get myself, I turn off the water and gently pat my body dry. This isn't the first time I've had to recover, and it probably won't be the last. What I do know is the more I force myself to move around, the quicker I'll heal. Lying down all day will just make my muscles stiffer, sorer.

I glance at the sweats and hoodie from the gift shop piled up on the ground where I left them and am reminded that I don't have anything else to wear. But I can't just help myself to Luke's closet. So I decide to put those back on. It's safer.

As soon as I'm dressed, I shuffle out of the bathroom and over to the bed. Where I smooth out the sheets and readjust the comforter. Then I do the same in the guest room before I pick up the cup and plate and walk them downstairs.

It takes me a good five minutes to find my way to the kitchen. This house is huge, with a freaking maze of hallways and doors. I drop the unwanted sandwich into the trash can and wash the plate. As I'm tipping the leftover tea down the sink, I spot a note on the counter. It has my name on it so I pick it up and turn it over.

Tanna,

I left the kettle hot. Tea bags are in the top left cabinet and there's a plate of fruit in the fridge. Please eat something. Help yourself to whatever else you may want.

— L

After making myself a cup of tea, I find the plate of fruit in the fridge and pick at it. The sound of heels clicking on the marble floor has me freezing to the spot. Someone's here. But at least that someone isn't Andrew. I know what his steps sound like. The sound is ingrained in my nightmares. I glance up just as a beautiful brunette appears in the kitchen.

"Oh, sorry. I thought you might be asleep still," the woman says. "I'm Aliyah, Grayson Monroe's sister. Luke asked me to drop some things off."

"Oh, hi. I'm… uh… Montana." I grin awkwardly. The swelling on my face makes it hard to smile.

"Well, I'm glad you're awake. I wanted to meet you."

"You did?"

"Oh, I've wanted to meet you for years." She laughs. "Now, is the kettle still hot?" She doesn't wait for an answer before she pulls down a mug and a tea bag, knowing exactly where to find everything.

"How long have you known Luke?"

"Since he signed with the Knights. Luke and Gray have had this whole bromance thing going on since day one." She hums as she pours hot water into her mug. "But you've known him forever, right?"

"Our mothers were friends, and my brother and Luke were inseparable." I can't help but watch her. Everything about the woman screams confidence.

"And you and Luke?" Aliyah raises her eyebrows in question, and I drop my eyes to the plate of fruit when I realize she caught me staring.

"We were friends because of Sean." I shrug.

"Mmm, okay. Well, I have a brand-new wardrobe for you. From the looks of it, Luke did a good job guessing your size."

"You didn't have to do that. I'm sorry."

"Please, spending someone else's money is like my favorite thing to do. Just ask my husband." She laughs.

My eyes widen. Of course he's spending money. How else does someone get new clothes? Shit. I don't know how I'm going to be able to repay him. I'll have to think of something. Maybe find a side job while I'm here in Vancouver.

"Don't worry about it. I've seen his contract. He can afford it, trust me," Aliyah says, almost like she can read my mind.

When I don't say anything in return, she continues talking. Filling in the silence. It doesn't take me long to feel more comfortable around her. She even gets me to agree to watch a movie with her before she grabs my arm and drags me into the theater room.