Chapter 4 Bruises

Ron ran his fingers down her back and became disgusted at the site before him. Long scars ran down her back that looked to have been made with a knife, burn marks running across her lower back, fresh bruises in the shape of a fist, and long newly made whip marks from a belt were cascading down the length of her back. He shook his head as he felt tears prick behind his eyes. How could you have gong through this? Why did you have to suffer from this? Someone as innocent and sweet as you…

"He never let the marks on me ever be shown. That's why when he would beat me he would stay away from my face arms and legs. My back was like a field day to him because he knew that he could cover up my back. The whip marks and the bruises were put there only a few days ago. He told me that I needed to be punished for not bringing him as much money as I should have." A small whimper escaped her throat and she looked away from Ron ashamed. She was trembling away from him. "Ron don't look at me like this please…" She closed her eyes and let out a shallow sob.

Ron pulled her to him gently as not to hurt her as he had just did. "Alaina there is nothing to be ashamed of. He is the one who needs to be ashamed not you. He's doing this to you so that he can have a control over you. Well here he has no control over you any longer. You can come and go as often as you like with no one to come home to that's going to punish you." Ron kissed the top of her head. He took in the scent of her hair deeply pushing it to the limits of his memory.

Alaina, shakily, wrapped her arms around his chest and cried against him. "I'm scared. I don't want him to come back for me. I've had to live in this torture for years and I don't want to go back to it. Jason was just this guy that I met, and I only asked him if he could take me away from where I lived in America. I didn't realize what he was like until weeks later. That was when he put me into the strip club to pay for my rent to live there. The night that I told him that I didn't want to go was the day that he started to beat me and get his way with everything. I don't understand why he didn't rape me but I knew that if this continued any longer that it would." Alaina turned her head and looked up into his eyes. He could see the fear emanating from them. He touched the side of Alaina's cheek and bit his lip.

"Alaina you don't have to worry about that any more. I am not going to hurt you the way that he did.If anything you would be hitting me that way for what an asshole I can be." Alaina smiled for the first time she had been there. Ron smiled back at her and kissed her forehead. "Let's sleep now. Its too early in the morning for normal people to be up at this time of day."

Alaina nodded and laid on her stomach facing Ron, her head resting on the pillows. She closed her eyes, the soft fingers of Ron running them through her hair was soothing to her. Alaina slept with Ron's arms around her as if he was trying to protect her from the oncoming world.

"Don't you know that you can't escape me you bitch! I have already found you a job and you are going to go there whether you like it or not!" Jason threw Alaina into the wall behind him. She was sobbing hysterically.

"Jason please! Don't make me do this. I can't go back there. I'll do anything please!" Alaina was screaming now clutching onto his arm with her head resting on his shoulder. "Please!" She screamed again.

Jason gave a sigh of distress. "Alright fine give me your virginity and you won't have to go anywhere." Alaina back away from him with fear in her eyes.
"I can't. You know I can't. I'm not like the whores that you bring here Jason. I want to lose my innocence to someone I know will be able to care for me the way I deserve to be." Alaina had yelled never feeling this kind of confidence before.

Jason grabbed her upper arm and thrusted his hand up her skirt. He was touching her in places that she didn't want him to. "No one is going to care for someone who should have died in America like the common slut that you are." Jason pushed her against the wall and backed away. "You aren't ever worth my time." He said walking away from her and out of the door.

Alaina jerked awake from her dream. She remembered that day as if it had happened yesterday. She turned towards Ron and saw his sleeping face peaking out over his arm. She smiled and stood out of the bed. She gently discarded her clothes and hopped into the shower.

When she stepped out of the shower the hot water was dripping down her skin and making the marks on her body hurt even more. She looked in the mirror and stared at the places that she had covered with makeup. She could see the dark purple and blue bruises on her face and Jason's fingers trailing across her neck. She gulped down tears as she sat on the edge of the tub and looked at the marking on her stomach. She had broken her ribs before about seven months ago when Jason had slammed her into the railing on their steps. She had healed but she still felt it whenever she moved the wrong way. She looked on her arms and looked at the line of burns going in a straight line down the back of her forearm. They were made by Jason's cigarette and his car lighter. They had appeared on her arm when Jason was in a drunken rage and she was in the car at the time.

Alaina put her arms down in front of her and let her tears flow down her cheeks. Why did I let it go on for as long as it did? She asked herself. She licked her lips and stood in front of the mirror once more. She went for the makeup when something stopped her.

"Why did you show me those marks before?" He asked wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and kissing her bruised shoulder. She shook her head against him and turned around.

"I didn't want you to see me like this…" She sobbed trailing off. He pulled her towards him gently and she rested her head against his shoulder.

"I need to know what he has done to you Alaina. If I hadn't been here watching you then I would never had know about the other marks on you." Ron walked her back in to the bedroom and handed her a bundle of clothes. "They are my sister Ginny's when she left them here a few nights ago. You can wear those until we find something else for you."

"Thanks Ron…" Alaina trailed off and let the towel drop from her body not caring that Ron was standing there watching her. She slipped the shirt over her head before wiggling into the pants. They were a little snug but she didn't care. "Good fit." She said smiling. She reached for her cover up and looked at Ron. "I don't want anyone else to the marks." She said leaving for the bathroom. She was grateful that the shirt was a long sleeve sweater so that no one saw her arms.

Ron watched her walk in to the bathroom before sitting on the bed. What am I going to do? I need to take her somewhere that she can get the best medical help. Ron thought laying back.