Broken

• Chapter 47 •

- ASHTON -

I'm preparing steak and mashed potatoes, but all I'm thinking about is that asshole. I should've killed him. My heart is beating atrociously fast. What if that dickhead did... Touch her? I can't even think the word without bile rising up in my throat.

What if I was too late?

I clench my jaw and listen for any movement from my room. Nothing. That doctor has been in there for over a goddamn hour. What the hell is taking so long?

As though on cue, hardwood floors creak. The doctor steps out of my room and closes the door behind her. She glances up at me from her spectacles and brushes her dark hair behind her ear.

I look at her expectedly. "Is she... Okay? Did he..?" I swallow the word.

She shakes her head at me, "He didn't, she's going to be okay."

I sigh in relief, "Thank God."

She nods and walks up to me, handing me a sheet of paper. I frown, "What is this?"

She looks up at me with knitted eyebrows, "Just some notes. To take care of her—"

"Take care of her? What? No no no, I just found her. She can't stay here, she needs to go back home. Doesn't she have parents to take care of her?" panic rushes through my body. She's expecting me to babysit her?

Her frown deepens and she removes her glasses, locking her dark eyes on mine. "Her mom's in the hospital and her father's out of town. Do you expect her to heal and take care of herself?"

My heart sinks. "Fine, okay maybe not her parents. But she has friends. That Eric kid is her best friend, why can't he look after her? I barely even know her," I argue.

She narrows her eyes to slits, "Ashton. She has just been assaulted, she can barely move by herself. Trust me she doesn't want you or anyone seeing her like this. You're the one who witnessed it happen and helped, like it or not you're in this."

My head swarms with memories of my mother, I shake them away before I'm pulled into them. Anger fills every bone in my body.

I clench my jaw. "I can't. I have school, and my siblings to take care of. Find someone else to babysit her for you," I hiss and trudge to my room.

I slam the door shut behind me and my jaw unhinges when I look down at her. She's sleeping. I inhale deeply and walk up to her, squatting down beside the bed. Guilt prods at my ribs, and I can't help but feel sorry for the girl.

I'm so thankful he didn't fucking touch you.

The sunlight streams in from the blinds and illuminates her hair a golden-brown color. My thumb traces one of her braids. She has perfect hair. My heart thuds rapidly inside my chest. I shouldn't be involved in her life at all. I sigh deeply and stand.

Dona cocks a knowing eyebrow and removes her glasses when I come out of my room. I roll my eyes at her and nod, "What do I need to do?"