Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
WRENLEY
I ’d needed a break from my online digital marketing course and the house. Grocery shopping was a pain, but it was slightly better than sitting at home and having my sister, as well as her biker boyfriend, looking at me like they were trying to work out if I was an alien or not.
Seriously, since they’d walked in the door this morning, I caught them watching my every move. I was sick of the hairs on the back of my neck sticking up from their stares, creeping me out.
Raya even tried to stop me from going out alone, and I was so close to snapping at her until Death stepped in, ensuring her I would be fine.
I’d figured they’d seen my reaction last night when I’d looked at the unwanted text and were waiting me out, hoping I would open up to them. At the time, I thought I’d hidden it well, like I had that first time Raya questioned me about reacting badly to some other messages.
Obviously, I needed to become a better actress if I wanted to keep hiding this.
At least back then I’d told her the truth when I said it was a guy named Tony who I knew from college. That I’d gone on a couple of dates with him. I’d even explained how he’d been a little persistent when he wanted my attention.
She’d tried to intervene, but I’d yelled at her to let me handle him. Honestly, it surprised me when she gave in and backed off. However, since I’d promised her that Tony was nothing like Elio, who had beaten and sexually abused Death’s sister and threatened Raya, she’d had no reason to stay on my case.
That part had been a lie.
The biggest lie I’d ever told my sister, and my guilt still lingered.
Tony and his friends were self-centered see-you-next-Tuesdays and as bad as Elio.
Just thinking of them had my skin crawling.
They thought they ruled the college, and in a way, it was true. They were the spoiled rich boys with enough money to throw around; they could bend anyone to their will. At the beginning, when I’d first been introduced to them by our common friend, Penny, they’d managed to charm me right away and made me feel like I was something special. Especially Tony.
It only took a few weeks to see the signs of their arrogance with how they treated outsiders to the group. Even professors were intimidated by them.
After a month in their company, I realized I needed to distance myself from them. They weren’t my people. When I started declining their invitations to drink or darted in the other direction if I saw them around, they noticed my lack of fawning.
Tony had been the first to figure out my distaste. One night, while we’d been out in a group setting, I’d caught him watching me after I’d been looking at Penny with my upper lip raised in disgust while she gushed over the bracelet Mitch had given her. The same bracelet design I’d seen him gift to two other women in classes we’d shared. I suspected he’d bought them in bulk.
Penny had also witnessed at least one of the other exchanges, yet she’d acted like he’d hung the moon for picking her to be his next target.
When I’d looked away from them, my gaze had landed on Tony’s cold stare, making me swallow thickly. His expression quickly softened when he smiled and tipped his drink my way. Despite fear settling in my stomach, I’d grinned back. I’d felt like something bad would happen if I didn’t pretend everything was okay.
Since then, I’d done everything in my power to avoid him and his group. I’d even distanced myself from the friends who introduced me. I went to my classes, back to my room, and then to the cafeteria.
Tony had still tried—in his charming, flirty way—to get me to give in and hang out, though.
When he’d called or texted, I was respectful and nice in return, but I used the excuse that I wasn’t feeling well, had to work, or had to study for an exam.
I should have kept avoiding him. I should have buckled down and ignored the constant contacting.
I hadn’t. One afternoon, Tony had worn me down and guilted me into seeing him.
“Babe,” Tony said into the phone. “I can help you study and make you relax with a nice massage. I promise I’ll keep my hands in the safe zones.”
Tony had tried a few times to become intimate with me, but I wouldn’t go further than kissing. It wasn’t that I was a virgin—I wasn’t. There was just something putting me off the idea of going further with him.
“I appreciate the offer, Tony. But I concentrate better on my own.”
“How about dinner then? You must eat. All I’m asking is for you to grace me with your presence while we both eat. I’ll pick you up and drop you back at your dorm before 9:00 p.m. What do you say?”
“I don’t ? —”
“Please, babe. We haven’t seen each other in such a long time. I miss you, Wrenley.”
Sighing, I pinched the bridge of my nose. I just wanted this conversation and begging to stop. “Fine,” I whispered.
“Great, I’ll see you at six,” he said before he hung up.
By the time he arrived, pulling up to the curb where I waited, I was already regretting my decision. I opened the door and slid in, holding back a sigh.
“Hey, babe.” He grinned, leaning over to kiss my cheek since I didn’t give him my mouth.
I smiled. “Just in case I’m getting something.”
His lips thinned as he nodded, but he replied lightly, “Thanks for thinking of me, darling.”
More tension rolled through me as I clasped my hands together tightly on my lap.
Dinner. All I had to do was get through dinner.
Besides, while I’d been getting ready, I figured this dinner could give me the chance to call things off with Tony. Not that we were exclusively dating. We’d been on a handful of outings alone together and another handful in group settings. Still, it was time to tell him I wasn’t ready for a relationship or even hooking up.
He’d understand. I was sure of it, and it wasn’t like he didn’t have other women interested in him. I’d seen them trying to get his attention.
“Um, how was your day?” I asked.
“Good. The guys and I took the yacht out for a while. They’re heading to Monroe’s later. I said we might catch them there if you’re feeling up for it. But if you’re not, that’s okay. I’ll drop you back at the dorm and head home.” He didn’t live in a dorm at the college. He and his friends had a house for their fraternity off campus.
“Please don’t feel like you have to go home after you drop me off.”
“So, you’ve already decided you won’t go out?”
“Tony, I told you I wasn’t feeling the best and I had to study. You were okay with just doing dinner earlier.”
His laugh sounded strained.
“You’re right. Of course, I’m okay with dinner if it means I get to spend time with you.”
Had he always been this cringey in trying to be charming? Why hadn’t I noticed it before?
“Thanks.” I smiled at him when he glanced over.
He took me to the restaurant that he loved near his house.
It was after he tried to order for me, which I declined and got what I wanted, I excused myself to use the bathroom. But really, I just wanted a breather.
After washing my hands, I considered calling my sister to get me out of the dinner, but then I remembered I needed to tell him I wasn’t looking to date anyone.
Sucking in a deep breath, I walked back out there with a fake smile.
“Sorry about that,” I said as I sat.
“Everyone has to go.” He laughed and then slid a glass of wine my way. “I took the opportunity to order us a drink.”
“Oh, um, thank you. But I don’t really want any alcohol tonight.”
He pouted. Actually pouted . “Come on, babe. One drink. Don’t make me have one alone, and besides, this bottle cost me a small fortune.”
I ground my teeth together. He knew how I hated to waste money. The bastard.
“One,” I said tightly.
He winked. “You got it.” He raised his glass toward me. I picked up mine and clinked it against his. “To us.”
Shit. Guilt sank my heart. I couldn’t tell him I wanted to be friends after he said that. Taking a gulp of courage from the wineglass, I shook my head and looked down at the table.
I had to be strong. I couldn’t go on like this either. I’d just do it later when he dropped me off.
I didn’t get a chance, though.
The next thing I remembered was waking up naked, handcuffed to his bathroom sink.
As I woke, a scream built and burst out of me. I scrambled up from the floor to sitting beside the sink where one wrist was cuffed. I tugged on it while I used the other hand to reach for the bath rug on the tiles to cover myself. Tears welled and fell. My heart raced fast enough that I could hear it. Another horrified scream dropped from my lips when I felt the ache between my legs.
The door opened, and I broke off in a whimper.
A dressed Tony stood in it glaring.
“Shut up,” he clipped low and harshly. “There are guests in the house.”
“W-what did you do?”
He smirked, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the doorframe. “What do you mean, babe?”
I gripped the rug to me. “What did you do?” I whispered and whimpered when I shifted a little. A painful throb started between my legs. “What did you do?” I asked again. “What did you do?” I yelled.
He stomped forward and kicked at my legs. I cried out, cowering in on myself.
A click had me looking up at him. I blinked the tears away to see him holding his phone. He crouched and turned the screen my way.
There were topless photos of me passed out on a bed. One after another.
I didn’t care about that.
Shaking my head, I trembled against the cold wall. “What did you do to me?”
“What? You don’t care about the photos?”
“Tony, please. What did you do?”
He sighed, sitting on the floor opposite me. “I get what I want, Wrenley. I wanted you. I drugged you, had you, and left you so my friends could take a turn.”
My eyes widened just before I turned and vomited all over the floor.
They’d touched me, violated me, while I was unconscious.
My ears rang, and a sob got caught in my throat as I threw up again.
They’d touched me.
Raped me.
And I knew nothing about it.
Except the pain.
Heaving, I closed my eyes, praying that this was a nightmare and I’d soon wake from it.
He gripped my hair and tugged my head back. The stench of booze washed over my face. Tony spoke roughly when he said, “I know you’re trying to get away from us. I saw your look that night. But no one leaves until we’ve had our fill.”
I gagged.
He shook my head roughly. “Keep it in.” When he released my hair, I dropped my head, crying. He wasn’t finished, though. “You’re a trailer-trash piece of shit who will do everything we say, or we release those photos to the student body, to the professors, and online. We can make your life a living hell if you don’t do as we say.”
Shivering, I gripped the rug. My stomach churned. I heaved, but nothing else came up.
“Do you understand me, Wrenley?”
They’d touched me, and I had no memory of it.
“Wrenley, do you understand?”
Someone screamed. Cried. Whimpered…. So many noises.
A kick landed to my legs, my side. “Shut up, shut up, shut up.”
They were my sounds.
I had to get out of there. I had to leave. I had to act. I had to… wash.
I can’t remember. I can’t remember. Just pain now. Pain.
Sucking in an unsteady breath, I tried to focus. Breathing deeply through my nose, I thinned my lips to keep the gagging on the inside.
Nodding to myself, I glanced up at Tony and noticed for the first time that his pupils were blown wide. He was high. Would he even remember this?
I had to get on his good side. I had to get out.
Licking my dry lips, I nodded again. “I-I won’t say anything, Tony.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I-I promise.” My bottom lip trembled. “I’m a good girl, right? I always follow along. I do what you guys want.”
He studied me in thought. “I suppose you do.”
Smiling wobblily, I winced when I sat up. “Tony, come on. We’ve had fun. I won’t hold out on you anymore. I was a fool to do so in the first place.”
“You were.”
Humming, I cleared my throat and added, “I wanted you when I first met you, but I didn’t want to seem too eager.”
“You’re lying,” he clipped.
“I’m not,” I said quickly. “I promise I’m not. Come on, Tony. I’m a good girl.”
My pleading went on for some time that night before I’d somehow convinced him I would do anything he said from then on. He really thought he had something on me with those photos, but at the time, and even now, I didn’t care who saw my body.
After he’d got me out—thankfully without seeing anyone else—and drove me to my dorm, I’d showered and gone straight to my parents’ place.
Snorting to myself, I shook my head and gripped the steering wheel.
At the time, I hadn’t been thinking. I hadn’t been in my right mind.
If I had been, I wouldn’t have gone home.
I wouldn’t have walked in on my father killing my mother in a drugged-out rage.
That was nearly a year ago.
When my sister swept in to help me take care of things and life grew busy with her, the police, and reporters, Tony backed off.
Raya had thought I’d been distraught over what I’d witnessed, and I had been, but that wasn’t all. I was going through a lot more, was traumatized. Not that she knew. And in my own way, I wanted to protect her from what I went through. Since our father had murdered our mother, the weight on our shoulders was insurmountable. Raya had already condemned herself for not being there for me, even when I’d told her she wasn’t at fault for anything. Her hating on herself gave me another reason to bottle up what happened.
I also figured that if I kept my mouth shut, Tony and his friends would leave me alone. And they did. Then I was somehow blessed to have been able to move without their notice. They’d tried to contact me, but after a month of their calls and texts going unanswered or unread, they gave up. Their threats weren’t working.
After everything, I thought that if I could leave them behind in that old town, I would heal emotionally like I had physically.
I wasn’t sure if not knowing everything that happened to me was better or worse.
What plagued me still and made it impossible to forget was the morning after… his words and the way my body felt. But also, the worry that ate at me until I could get away on my own again to go to the doctor for blood work. It’d been a sigh of relief when I received the all clear from the tests. Out of everything, that was the only good thing.
Closing my eyes, I shook my head and stopped the memory there. I had to. If I didn’t, the fear building inside me would take over, and I wouldn’t be able to move.
Keep going.
Just keep going.
Tears clouded my vision as I blinked and stared out the windshield. I wiped at my cheeks, but the tears didn’t stop.
Since Jupiter’s situation, Death’s sister who’d been beaten and raped, I’d been even more of a mess. Yet, the turmoil that rose and twisted my insides was also from that… monster trying to get in contact with me again.
Every recent text or call he made was a slap in the face.
Luckily, Raya hadn’t been around when I received the first text. I’d been a mess, body shaking, bile rising, and a coldness seeping in as I ran for the toilet to lose my lunch.
His threat was that if I didn’t come back, he would release those photos.
When I didn’t respond, he sent me a video of people looking at my photos and laughing.
After I still didn’t respond, he switched it up and started pleading with me to come home. Even went as far as trying to tell me that he couldn’t live without me.
He was trying to get me to believe he’d changed so he could get me back there to ruin me once again.
They wanted someone weak to use.
It wouldn’t be me.
I should have gotten rid of my phone. I should have changed my number. Yet, keeping the same cell and number was my small way of being strong. He saw I read the texts. He knew I answered the calls and quickly hung up.
It was my “fuck you” to him.
Silly perhaps, but despite that, I was in the car crying.
He still held a sickening control over me.
One I hadn’t noticed until recently.