One of the Guys by Ashley Johnson Read Free Book Online Page A

in the parking lot and fix my face because of the pain inside me. My red, splotchy face was the least of my worries when I was trying hard as hell to breathe and not have it hurt. Just think of Mom, everything is going to be alright.
     
    Before I could think straight, my truck door was swung open and Marsh stood there frantically trying to figure out why I had been crying. Me, I was terrified to try to move out of the truck for fear I would immediately fall to the concrete driveway.
     
    “Sam, what’s wrong baby?” His brown eyes were full of concern and I fought a few more tears back as I continued to lie.
     
    “Just had a rough morning. Probably just hormones. I’m fine.” Oh no, here comes the pain and I winced trying to not let him see something really was wrong.
     
    He lightly kissed my head. “Come inside, I have the website pulled up for the furniture store so we can get an idea of what we want and prices before we go.” He reached his hand out to me and confidently I took it. I can do this . Stepping out of the truck was my first mistake and the pain did what I feared the most, my legs buckled from under me and I cried out in pain.
     
    “Holy shit Sam, are you alright?” Marsh scooped me into his arms with the hurt rib against his chest. I wanted so badly to cry out but held it in. He couldn’t know anything about this at all.
     
    As he laid me on his bed, I finally had the breath to be able to answer him. “I’m ok Marsh.”
     
    “If you’re ok, then what the hell was that Sam? I’m freaking out here. Your legs just gave out from under you; if I hadn’t been there you could have hurt yourself.”
     
    He positioned himself next to me wrapping his arms around my stomach out of habit. As soon as his hand hit the spot, I practically flew a few feet off the bed. A stray tear escaped and Marsh eyed me more suspiciously. Crap. I tried my best to let him see I was fine but he wasn’t buying it.
     
    Marsh grabbed the hem of my shirt before I could try to stop him and pulled it up revealing a light bruise over my ribcage. “What the fuck Sam? When did this happen? What happened?”
     
    Ashamed, I threw my hands over my face and prayed to be somewhere else. Anywhere but here with him finding this out. Ignoring him seemed to be the easiest answer I could come up with and I tried like hell until he let out an agitated sigh. I can’t blame him at all; at least he cares about me.
     
    “It was just an accident babe, I’m fine.”
     
    “What happened Sam?” He’s persistent and I know this but I’m up for an argument right now. I know eventually he’ll know but I need to stand my ground as long as possible.
     
    Except, the ground fell flat from under me when I burst out into ugly sobs. As I cried uncontrollably, he cradled my head in his lap. I closed my eyes and let the whole world go black for a split second trying to find the right words to say. There were no right words to say. I mean how do you just come out and say, my dad’s been abusing me for the past few days and I have no idea what to do about it?
     
    “Marsh, I, I don’t know what happened.”
     
    “Baby, what do you mean you don’t know what happened?” He asked carefully.
     
    I draw in a deep breath still trying to figure how to put this together when I just start talking, “I….I don’t know why he’s do-o-oing this to me. Wh-hat did I do?”
     
    I glanced up at him ashamed that I was even beginning this conversation. What if he was pissed at me? Who could blame him? I lied to him and never told him when any of this started. He wasn’t mad though, he was sad. Tears glistened in his eyes and this marked the second time I’ve ever seen him cry and I hated that this time was because of me.
     
    “Your dad did this to you?” He asked in a barely audible whisper as he choked his tears back.
     
    How was I supposed to answer that question? I guess the right way would be to come clean and say yes but I don’t know if I