"What the hell were you thinking?" he snapped, his voice like a whip. Before I could respond, his hand came down hard against my cheek, the sting spreading across my skin like fire.
I staggered back, pressing a hand to my face as I stared at him in disbelief. He didn't care. His attention was already back on Catherine, his arms wrapping around her protectively as he carried her to the car.
"Take her to the hotel," he ordered one of the drivers before disappearing with Catherine.
I stood there, drenched and trembling, as the sound of the car engine faded into the distance. My phone's battery was dead. The area was so remote there were no taxis and I had no way to call for help.
An hour passed before Dennis arrived. He found me sitting on the grass, my arms wrapped around my knees in a futile attempt to keep warm. Without a word, he draped his leather jacket over my shoulders and crouched down beside me.
"Aubrey," he said softly, his voice tinged with worry. "Let's go."
I corrected him, telling him to call me "big sister." Dennis hesitated for a moment, then scowled and huffed as he escorted me to a nearby hotel.
"Big sis, I'll head out to buy you some clothes first. Take a hot shower in the meantime," Dennis said.
I nodded silently, grateful for his consideration. The tension in my shoulders eased slightly as he left the room. The moment the door clicked shut, the weight of the day settled over me. The lingering sting on my cheek reminded me of Cayden's slap, but it wasn't the worst pain I'd endured.
Dennis was quick, returning within an hour with not only new clothes but also a tube of ointment. "Your face is swollen," he said, his brow furrowed as he handed me the bag. "This should help."
I took the ointment from him, offering a small smile of thanks before retreating to the bathroom.
The shower was scalding, steam billowing around me and washing away the lake water and the chill that had seeped into my bones. As I wrapped myself in a towel and glanced at the fogged-up mirror, my reflection stared back, battered but defiant.
My gaze fell to the scattered scars on my body, each one a ghost of a past injury. They mapped out the years I had spent shielding Cayden from harm, infiltrating dangerous places and putting myself in the line of fire for him.