Don't Leave

Chapter 23

                      Amamda's POV

   Thank god for the weekend. Saturday afternoon Nick brought me to the store to shop for new clothes. To be honest I didn't feel like shopping, but it didn't feel right to discard the gesture.
  "Damn girl you sure are fine. I bet your boyfriend is a happy man." Some random guy called out.
  He stopped me and looked me up and down. I looked at him pissed as hell.
  "Why don't you smile?"
  "Get the hell out of here." Nick stepped in.
  "Nick he's just being a jackass." I started though the guy was giving me the creeps.
  "Oh the big bad boyfriend is here to save to day." He turned his attention to Nick. "Tell me, you ever thought about an 'open' relationship?" He grinned and looked back at me.
  That caused Nick to loose it. He punched him in the face.
  "Nick, stop!" I yelled.
  "Ayy calm the fuck down man. It was just a question." He rubbed his face and took off.
  "You alright?" Nick turned his attention back to me.
  "I'm fine. Are you trying to get arrested?"
  "That guy was a jackass and he deserved that." He defended.
  I let it go. Little did he know this shit was common as of lately. It seemed assholes just knew I was already messed up in the head. Of course now I don't have Jeff getting mad at me for 'acting provocatively.'

   I'm not at all a shopper. We were only there for an hour at most before going to get frozen yogurt. It was the first time I actually ate something outside the hospital.
  "I can't believe we've been here for an hour and you only found two shirts you liked" Nick said chuckling.
  "I told you I hate shopping."
  I smiled and even laughed for once.
  "But you like frozen yogurt."
  "Everyone likes frozen yogurt"
   We laughed.
  "I can't believe it." he looked at me "I've been trying to get you to eat something for days and all I had to do is get some fancy ice cream"
  His phone range. 
  "Amaro" he answered.
  "Ok, alright; you want me to come down there? Ok" he hung up.
  "It was Liv." he said.
  "She needs you down at the station? It's Saturday." I asked.
  "Yeah, well she doesn't need need me there just called to give some news"
  "Which is...?"
  He looked upset.
  "I don't think I should tell you here."
  "Nick what is it?"
  "Come on"
  We left the mall and went out to his car. The entire time I was trying to think what could possibly be wrong. Did Jeff escape? No that's not possible. Than what was it?
  "They're trying to see if they can track down the Johns that"
  He stopped. I looked at him to show I understood what he was saying. I wasn't sure what to be upset about. He could see my confusion.
  "They found videos on the dark web...more. They're trying to identify the men in the videos."
  I gulped.
  "Videos" I said quietly.
  I knew exactly was he was talking about. More? They must've seen some while I was still gone. I felt sick. I opened the door and got out of the car.
  "Amanda" he got out and came over to me.
  "You guys need to let this go." I told him.
  The idea that anyone saw me like that especially my squad was impossible to comprehend.
  "We can't do that."
  "Just let it go!" I yelled.
  He backed off.
  "The videos...you saw them."
  "I didn't.."he started.
  "I never wanted to do any of that."
  "I know you didn't"
  "Do you? Nobody else seems to."
  "What do you mean?"
  I shook my head. It seemed every since I was involved with Jeff I was the slutty cop. Catcalls, gropings. From cops. People I worked with. People that used to respect me. Now, now I have nurses assaulting me everyday at a hospital and a IAB detective determined to make my life hell.
  "Amanda?" He interrupted my thoughts.
  "Let's just go" I said.
  "Alright but you're going to tell me when we get back."
  I didn't want to, but he wasn't gonna give in. I agreed and we left. Two shirts, a pair of pants, and some frozen yogurt in the back.