Chapter Nine
Arianna
I’ve been so incredibly sore all day, but I don’t regret it for a second. Mom and Dad are sitting together, and she blushes when Dad and Ray smile at her. She must have had an eventful night of her own, and I am so happy for her.
I am working on next month’s schedule as we wait for the game to start. The guys are probably in the locker room right about now. I pull my phone out and call Jovian while things are quieter.
“H-Hello,” Jovian answers.
“Hey. When do y’all come out?” I ask.
“Second is starting, remember?” he says. “Dom thought it was best we sit this one out.”
Well, that’s a fucking lie…
“Oh, right,” I say. “Where are you?”
“Locker room. We will catch up with you at the hotel. You good out there by yourself?”
“Yeah,” I say. “I’m good. Am I on speaker? Can the others hear me?”
“Nah, we are good. Just hang out there, and we will make our way back to the hotel,” he says.
“Is something wrong?” I ask.
“Mhmm.”
“I’m coming. Please, be safe,” I say, ending the call. I immediately go to my texts and send a message to Dad, even though he is three seats over.
Me
Something is wrong in the guest locker room with the guys. I’m going to check it out. Tell Mom and Rogers.
I drop my phone in my bag before standing and walking away. I move quietly and quickly down the hall until I get to the locker room. Determined to save them, I coolly walk in.
“Hey,” Jovian says with wide eyes as he stands at the front of the benches next to the others. They all look concerned as their eyes flick back to the showers before looking at me, and then the door. They’re telling me to leave.
“Hey. Figured I’d surprise you,” I say sweetly as I walk over and hug him. I know Dad will follow me, but I stay focused on my men.
“We are good. Just hanging out,” he says as the others hug me tightly.
“Why don’t we just skip out of here?” I ask. “If y’all aren’t going to be on the ice, we have no reason to be here.”
“You go ahead to the hotel, and we will be right behind you,” Elijah says, hugging me last. He holds onto me and whispers in my ear. “Please leave. Please. He’s here.”
I pull back and smile, because like fuck if I am leaving them to take the brunt of the situation. Elijah sighs, understanding I’m not going anywhere.
“I’ll hang out and wait for y’all. No one is out on the ice, so I don’t want to run into them,” I say, knowing I’m giving it away now.
All six men rapidly shake their heads at me.
I watch Jovian’s eyes shift behind me as I see a shadow shift, telling me someone is coming up behind me.
I duck and swing my leg around, catching someone’s feet.
When Ethan hits the ground, I rip the hockey stick out of his hand and scurry up from the ground as Conrad comes around the corner with a pistol in his hand.
“Get up. You’re pathetic,” Conrad barks. I hold onto the stick, ready to swing it. It’s no match against a gun, though.
“Let them walk out of here, and we can talk,” I say simply. “I’m the one you have an issue with.”
“They will run their mouths,” Conrad says.
“No, they won’t. Will you?” I ask the guys.
“We aren’t leaving you,” Jovian says.
“Then you’ll die together,” Conrad says. “Why not have a little fun first, hmm? For old time’s sake?”
I have a few options here. I could stand my ground and be a bitch… or I can play his game. “I’ll do whatever you want. Please don’t kill them, Conrad. Please.”
“Fine. Get on your knees,” he says.
“No,” Elijah growls. I glance at him, and he sighs, understanding that I am up to something.
“Now. On your knees,” he shouts.
I take a few steps forward before bringing myself down to my knees and sitting back on my heels.
Ethan towers over me, but it’s not the evil that I see in his eyes.
It’s pity. Conrad grabs me by the hair and pulls my head back.
The door opens, and another man walks in.
Right away, I know this situation just got a lot worse.
The man is older and looks a lot like Conrad. It’s Vinny.
“Oh, look. We didn’t have to hunt her down after all. Good job getting her here, son,” Vinny says, as Conrad stares down at me. Was he trying to get me to run?
“We were just about to have a little fun,” Conrad says.
“Glad I didn’t miss it. Maybe try to keep the product whole this time?” Vinny chuckles. “I suppose we don’t need the boys anymore.”
“Please don’t hurt them,” I say in a small voice.
“What are you willing to do to keep them alive?” Vinny asks me.
“Anything,” I say.
“Ethan, earn your keep. Fuck her,” Vinny says.
“No,” Ethan scoffs. “I didn’t want to hurt her before, and I’m not going to now.”
“Now, Ethan,” Vinny growls. What the fuck is happening right now? I go to move, but Conrad subtly shakes his head at me as if to warn me of danger. It is not commanding; it is genuine worry. I’m so fucking confused right now, so I sit still.
“No,” Ethan shouts. “I’m not hurting my fucking sister again.”
“What?” I ask, looking at Ethan.
“We share the same biological father. He told me. Your dad is alive, and when he finds out that Vinny is trying to hurt you again, he’s going to fucking kill him,” Ethan says.
“Hurt? Son, she’s a witness. She’s going to fucking die.” Vinny laughs. “But first, I’m going to make her wish she never fucking remembered.”
“Ethan, just fuck her,” Conrad says, almost pleadingly.
“No,” Ethan says. “I won’t hurt her. I won’t do that again.”
“Such a brave big brother.” Vinny chuckles. “Last chance, Ethan.”
“Fuck you,” Ethan growls; he drops down to his knees and smiles tearfully. “Dad will save you. I’m so sorry, Arianna.”
“Ethan, don’t get yourself killed for…”
I don’t get to finish my sentence before he suddenly pulls a pistol from his waistband and puts it in his mouth.
When the gun goes off, and the back of his head is blown to pieces as he collapses to the ground in front of me, I go into a state of shock that I can’t shake free from.
I don’t know how to process the fact that the man who helped brutally rape me just blew his brains out to prevent having to hurt me again.
I am screaming, and I can’t stop. I don’t know how to stop.
Chaos breaks out, and more gunfire sounds as arms surround me.
My entire body is shaking, and I can’t breathe through the panic.
“What the fuck happened? Get your fucking hands off her,” Dad booms as I am pulled away from someone.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I tried to keep everyone alive,” I hear Conrad beg. “He’s going to hurt her. I can’t let her suffer again. Please! Let me do it quickly!”
“Look at me,” Jovian says softly, holding my face. My entire body is shaking, but looking into his eyes and realizing he is okay calms me a little. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” he asks.
“What happened? I… is everyone okay?”
“Ethan shot himself, you panicked, and Conrad practically tackled you to the ground to cover your body with his. I don’t really know.
Vinny was going to shoot you, but he didn’t want to shoot Conrad, so he ran.
It happened so damn fast… Then we sat with Conrad.
He had you sitting in his lap. He was completely out of it, but had a gun to your head.
He just kept mumbling about not wanting you to suffer again.
I think he was trying to hype himself up to kill you to prevent his father from hurting you. ”
“I’m so confused,” I say. “He is the one who hurt me to begin with.”
“Conrad came into the locker room and essentially told us that Vinny wants to sell you, but he didn’t want that to happen.
He confirmed that he was trying to kill you, and it was Ethan he was talking to.
He didn’t want Ethan to say anything because he didn’t want to get in trouble with Vinny.
He said that you were going to get sold off, and it was a more compassionate death.
He’s definitely out of his goddamn mind, but…
I think years of abuse made him insane,” Elijah says.
Kip helps me stand as they all take turns hugging me.
Dad has a gun to Conrad’s head as he kneels, but he’s watching me.
Ray and Mom are at the door with Rogers behind them.
“Dad,” I say carefully.
“It’s up to you,” he says simply.
“What is?” I ask.
“He’s dying either way. Vinny will kill him for protecting you from him, so it’s either I put him down, or Vinny gets him and kills him.”
“Please shoot me.” Conrad sniffles. “Please. Arianna, please. I’m begging you.”
“Why did you hurt me?” I ask.
“I tried so hard to get you to just leave before Dad noticed you. You were too kind for his cruelty… Ethan didn’t want to hurt you.
He tried to convince me to just tell you…
I don’t know, Arianna. I don’t know. I’m sorry.
I feel like I’m losing my fucking mind. Every time I think I have it under control again…
He wants to keep you. I thought with you having the scar, he’d leave you alone…
Please, let him shoot me. I can’t go back to him. I can’t do it again.”
“What does he do?” I ask.
“He hurts me the way we hurt you,” he says quietly. “I’d rather die than feel his anger again. I can’t take it anymore.”
“Rogers?” I ask.
“Don’t look at me,” he says. “I don’t know why your dad is even asking. I would have shot him already.”
“Do you regret it?” I ask Conrad. “Hurting me?”
“I should have listened to Ethan… He was my best friend… I wish I had chosen differently… I’m sick and… There is no excuse,” he says simply.
“Do it yourself,” I say. “You were a coward and hurt me instead of just talking to me… So if you want to die… Do it yourself like Ethan did. Don’t put that burden on my father.”
He nods and moves to lie down beside Ethan before taking the gun Ethan used and pressing it to his temple.
Dad comes over as Jovian, Elijah, Kip, Connor, Hunter, and Mateo surround me as I am held against Jovian’s chest. One of them has their hands over my ears as the seconds tick by.
When the gun goes off, a weight is lifted from my shoulders.