I shrug my shoulders and look back toward the water. “I’m just taking it all in,” I tell him. “It’s not every day a girl from Breakers Flats gets to attend a party like this wearing a ten thousand dollar gown and stilettos high enough to reach the fucking sun.”
He laughs and drops down onto the edge of a sunbed, keeping a respectable distance as let’s face it, our friendship hasn’t quite developed enough for him to get any closer. “I didn’t think of it that way. Parties like this are just kinda the norm for us.”
“Not for me,” I say. “It’s like being in some kind of fairy tale.”
“And is nailing prince charming part of that fairy tale?” he questions, making me look back to find his brow cocked in curiosity.
“I’m sorry?” I question, ready to jump on the defense.
“I’m sorry,” he says, holding up his hands to show innocence. “I didn’t mean that as some kind of attack. I was just referencing how close you were with Colt on the dance floor.”
“Oh, I … umm …” I panic, turning back to the water, trying to prepare myself for the ‘you’re not good enough for my boy’ speech that’s about to come. “It’s nothing. Just a little kiss is all.”
“That wasn’t just a little kiss,” Spencer argues. “He’s into you. Colton doesn’t make a habit of claiming women publicly.”
Claiming me? What the fuck is he talking about? I'm not someone who can be claimed that easily. Hell, Nic’s been trying to claim me for months and isn’t even close to sealing that deal again. My brows furrow and I find myself looking back at Spencer. “He didn’t claim me. It was just a kiss on the dance floor. It meant nothing.”
“Uh-huh,” he says with a scoff, easily reading the lie as though I had it written across my forehead. “You keep telling yourself that, but what it comes down to is that you don’t know Colton the way that I do. You’re good for him.”
My eyes bug out of my head. “I’m … what?”
Spencer bounces his brows and gets up from the sunbed. “Just think about it, okay? I can see you’re into him and he needs someone like you to keep him grounded. Especially now that his mom and sisters aren’t around. It couldn’t be easy dealing with his old man every day. The kid is lonely and for some reason, your arrival here has managed to wake him up.”
Surely I'm not hearing him correctly.
Spencer turns to walk away but stops when a waitress appears by my side with a tray of champagne flutes and offers me one. “Miss,” she says with a polite nod of her head.
“Oh, thank you,” I say, taking it from her and lifting it to my lips, knowing I’m going to need more than a few of these to make it through the rest of my night. The girl stops by Spencer and offers him a glass but he respectfully declines and sends her on her way.
“Look,” he says, once we’re alone again. “You two would drive each other fucking insane and I’m not going to lie, you’d get a lot of hate from … well, everybody, but it would work.”
“Colton doesn’t strike me as a relationship kinda guy.”
“Oh,” Spencer laughs. “He’s not, but sometimes the best things to happen to us are the ones we didn’t know we needed.”
With that, he turns and walks away, leaving me to stew over every last word he just said. It also doesn’t go unnoticed that he offered no apology for the bullshit he’s put me through along with his friends since I came here but for some reason, I don’t seem to care. It seems so in the past now that it hardly matters. We’ve all moved on and are now entering this new stage of confusion.
I throw back what’s left in my glass and look back around me, searching for the waitress again. I could use a few more of these drinks, maybe a bottle would be nice.
I catch the eye of a waiter through the window of the staff quarters and hold up my empty glass. He comes rushing out with a new one and I thank him before asking him to keep them coming.
An hour passes when I decide it’s time to face the music. I still don’t know what I want to do but what I do know is that to miss this awesome party because I’m too busy sulking outside would be a tragedy.
I get to my feet and the second I straighten myself up, my head starts to spin.
Woah. I was not expecting that. How many of those fruity drinks did I have?
I look around for a towel to dry off my feet so I don't ruin my dress and make it a pain to get my heels back on. I start walking toward the main part of the house, knowing there’s bound to be something in there but with every step I take, my head grows dizzier.
Why is it that you always feel extra drunk when you stand up? I have the same issue with tequila, though that’s usually after I've found the bottom of the bottle. I don’t think I drank quite that much though. I would have only had four glasses and it’s the fruity shit, nowhere near as strong as tequila.
I get to the back door and practically fall into it before struggling with the handle as my fingers begin to feel numb. What the hell is this? I keep trying, spying a chair just inside the door. If I could just sit for a minute, I’ll be alright. I just need this to pass. Maybe a few glasses of water and a little food will help sober me up. I just want to go back to the party even if it means avoiding Colton and spending my night pretending to be Milo’s girlfriend.
My eyes grow heavy and my knees become weak as I finally get the door to work, I pull it open and find myself stumbling through the open door. This isn’t right.
I crash into the wall and have to hold a hand against it to keep me on my feet. What’s happening to me? “Help,” I say weakly, needing to press my whole body against the wall as my head continues to spin.
I try to take a step and feel my body sliding down the wall. knowing that once I hit the ground, I won’t be able to get up again. I desperately try to right myself, only my attempts are laughable.
“About fucking time,” comes a voice from behind me.
No. No, no, no. I didn’t think he was here. He’s been MIA all week.
I try to spin around but the movement only has my mind spinning and my feet twisting awkwardly beneath me. I start to fall but Jude rushes in and slips a hand around my waist while pulling my arm around his neck.
I try to push him away but his grip only tightens and I finally start to understand what’s going on and even in my fucked-up state, I'm more than aware that this is a situation I don’t want to be in.
“Is everything alright in here?” a passing waiter asks on his way back to the kitchen, eyeing me warily.
“Yes,” Jude is quick to say, giving the guy a charming smile. “She’s just had a bit too much to drink. I’m going to take her upstairs to sleep it off before the other guests see her like this.”
“Of course,” the waiter says with a polite nod.
“Wait … no, no…” I say, my voice barely recognizable.
“Now, now,” Jude says, speaking over me. “Let’s get you to bed, sweetheart.”
No, no, no, no, no. This can’t be happening.
I keep trying to fight against him, dig my nails in and kick at his feet but it’s as though I have the strength of a newborn kitten. “Keep trying,” he laughs in my ear. “Nothing is going to stop me from taking what’s mine.”
“Nic’s going to come for you,” I slur. “They all are.”
“Let them fucking try. Your little gang bangers have already fucking tried and failed. They’re going to wish they had killed me by the time I’m through with you, but beware, when they come for me, I’ll be waiting and this time, they won’t be walking out alive.”
We reach one of the many staircases and he easily sweeps me up into his arms then starts up the stairs. I try to wriggle free, not even caring if it means, dropping to the floor and tumbling down the stairs. I’d do anything if it meant getting out of here.
“Help. Someone help.”
My voice comes out as barely a whisper and Jude’s loud booming voice instantly drowns me out. “You’ve got Colton wrapped around your little finger but he'll see after this that
you’re nothing but a whore. Can you hear that, trash. No one is coming for you. No one cares about you here.”
Tears begin filling my eyes as he reaches the top of the stairs and dives into the first guest bedroom. All my hopes of getting out of this begin to plummet and all I’m left with is the knowledge that my boys are going to kill him. There’s no getting out of this. I'm going to be left to endure it. Endure the pain and endure the dirty memories that will plague me for the rest of my life.
The door is kicked shut behind him and the panic rises in my chest. My heart beats rapidly and I start searching the room for anything that can be used as a weapon. There’s a lamp on the bedside table but seeing as though I could hardly open the back door, I doubt I’m going to be able to lift it let alone smack it hard enough over the top of his head to do any damage.
I’m fucked.
Maybe this is what Nic meant by his warning. Maybe he wasn’t referring to my heart getting hurt at all, maybe he was meaning something a little more physical. Either way I look at it, he’s right. I should have gone home with him. I should have let him take me and then I would have been safe. I wouldn’t be having to deal with this. I’d be happy and know that no matter what, I had four boys at my back.
Why am I so fucking stupid? This is all on me. I’m going to be raped and there’s not a goddamn thing I can do about it. I thought I was strong enough to handle this.
Jude throws me down on the bed and my head slams against the wooden headboard. I hear a sickening crack but the sound is drowned out by the pain that rocks through my body. He starts striding toward me, looking at the way the split in my dress is open and drawn up, showing off my lace thong.
He licks his lips while pulling on his tie and loosening it. His dress shirt is freed from his pants and his hand falls to his belt. “I’m going to enjoy this,” he says hungrily, his eyes full of a darkened desire. “I’m going to fuck you so hard that everywhere you go, you’re going to feel me. You’ll never forget where I’ve been.”
No, no, no, no. Please, no.
“Beg all you fucking want,” he spits, grabbing my leg and tugging me down the bed, making me realize that I’d said that out loud. “Do you know what kind of shit I’ve been through ever since you got here? You fucking owe me, bitch.”
He pulls me until my legs dangle off the end of the bed then grabs the gown where the split meets. He tears it hard and the silk easily comes apart under his grip, revealing my body to him.
The material lays discarded at my side and as he reaches for my bra, I use every last ounce of my strength to bring my knee up and slam it against his balls. Jude yells out, gripping his junk as he doubles over. “Fucking bitch,” he grunts.
I try to roll away and get only an inch before he’s back. “You’re going to pay for that,” he demands as his hand cracks out and slaps hard against my face. The sound vibrates through my cracked skull but the pain has nothing on the incessant throbbing at the back of my head.
Jude pulls me back to him and holds my legs tight, learning from his mistakes as he uses his other hand to unzip his pants and pull out his dirty cock. I struggle against him, wishing that darkness would hurry up and claim me. If I have no choice but to endure this, then I’d rather not remember it. This is the kind of shit you never come back from, never fully recover. The wounds may heal but they always leave scars.
My thong is ripped down my legs before they’re curled around him. He spits, his cold, wet saliva dripping down against my pussy. Jude doesn’t waste a second rubbing it against my opening, knowing damn well that a disgusting rapist like him could never get me wet.
He lines himself up with my entrance and in one hard thrust, he slams deep inside me. His fingers tighten on my waist, hard enough to leave bruises and I cry out despite knowing I can’t be heard, as silent tears track down my face..
He goes again. Twice, three times, a fourth.
The door flies open. “Ocean, where ar … the fuck?”
My head whips to the door as Jude roughly rips out of me and spins around. Colton stands gaping for a moment, trying to figure out what he’s actually seeing. There’s fury in his eyes as he looks at his friend but as his gaze slices to me, it turns to hurt.
“Help me,” I try to say but my words fall flat.
“Get the fuck out,” Jude roars but Colton doesn’t take his eyes off me, instead he looks at the blood smeared across the bed, the blood matted in my hair, the red handprint across my face, the torn gown, and my desperate tears.
The door has barely finished swinging open by the time he completely comprehends what’s going on.
He rushes forward and Jude has just enough time to release my legs before trying to stop Colton’s fist from flying at his face. My legs drop heavily and I roll off the side of the bed, going down with a hard bang.
Tears stream down my face as I try to find the strength to get myself up and out of this damn room, but I can't. My body is lifeless and all I’m able to do is watch the way that Colton tears Jude apart. They begin to blur as I feel the darkness beginning to creep up on me.
My eyes grow heavy watching punch after punch. Blood soaks Jude’s face while Colton’s knuckles turn a deep shade of red, his face filled with a darkness that I’ve never seen before.
With one heavy blow to the temple, it’s lights out for Jude but Colton doesn’t stop, completely overtaken by his rage.
Desperately needing help, I call out to him. “Colton,” I cry, fearing my words are gibberish on my tongue. “You're going to kill him. You need to stop.”
Colton instantly stops what he’s doing as his head whips around to take me in. He looks back down at Jude and his eyes widen in understanding.
He climbs off him and races to me, effortlessly scooping my lifeless body into his capable arms. He practically races out of the room, curling me into his chest. My head lolls against him as I feel the darkness creeping closer, sneaking up on me like a wave. I don’t know how much longer I can hold on before it crashes down over me.
Colton kicks through his bedroom door and drops down on his bed, refusing to let me go. “You’re going to be alright, baby. Just hold on. I promise you, he’ll never hurt you again.”
My eyes close and his arms instinctively tighten around me. “Please be okay, baby,” he whispers into the dark room like a chant. “Please be okay.”
I feel movement beneath me and am jostled around but unconsciousness claims me as I feel the vibrations of his voice against his chest. “Spence,” he says, his voice thick with raw desperation. “I need your help.”
Chapter 31
Hands grab at me and my eyes spring open in fear. I try to pull away but the grip only tightens. “Shhhh, O. It’s me,” Nic’s melodic voice whispers through the room. “You’re safe, baby. You’re safe.”
My body relaxes against his and I let him hold me before realizing where I am. It’s my room in the pool house, but how did I get here? The last thing I remember is passing out in Colton’s arms, so how the hell did I end up in Nic’s?
“What are you doing here?” I murmur, nuzzling my face into his chest and hoping that his familiarity can help me to forget the nightmare of last night.
“Carrington called and said you needed help,” he says with an edge in his voice that has my stomach sinking.
“You know, don’t you?” I ask, my voice breaking as the tears begin to fill my eyes.
“Of course I fucking know,” he grumbles, holding me tighter and making the tears spill. “I should have never let you stay here.”
I shake my head, silently telling him that this is not his fault. If anything, it’s on me. I was the one who made the stupid decision, I was the one who insisted I stay, and I was the one who had to be difficult about it, but there’s no use saying that to Nic because he will never hear it.
“I’m so sorry, O.”
His words kill me and have the few tears on my face turning into a fucking stream. “I tried to make him stop,” I cry. “I wasn’t strong
enough and I couldn't move or see properly. My head kept spinning. I’m sorry, Nic. I should have fought harder. I should have stayed at the party.”
“Shhhh, baby. This isn’t on you. You don’t need to explain it to me, I know.”
“You know?” I question, raising my head to meet his dark eyes. “How?”
“Do you really think I was going to let Colton leave it at ‘your girl needs help?’ I got every last detail out of that fucker, but don’t you worry, O. I’m going to make this better. I’m going to make that bastard pay.”
“I know,” I tell him, knowing damn well that Jude won’t be living to see the end of the day. Seeing as though it was me who was hurt, Nic might make it last. Either way, it’s a face I will never have to worry about seeing ever again.
Nic scoots down in bed, bringing me with him and running his hand up and down my back when it occurs to me that in any other situation, he would be out looking for the fucker and the fact that he’s still here is speaking volumes. He cares so much about me.
I’m instantly flooded with guilt over everything that’s happened over the past few weeks. I've been kissing boys, showing off my naked body for Colton and grinding against him, sleeping with Charlie—all things that would have him breaking yet he’s still here, more than willing to defend me against dickheads like Jude Carter.
“I love you, Nic,” I whisper against his chest, feeling his arm tighten around me. “I’m sorry that we fought. You were right and I was too stubborn to see it.”
“You don’t need to apologize, O. I was an asshole. There was no need for me to yell at you like that but you know how I get when I feel your safety is in question. You’re my girl even when you’re not and you should know by now that I will go to the ends of the earth to protect you.”
“Don’t think for a second that I don’t know how lucky I am to have you.”
Tough Sh*t: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Rejects Paradise Book 1) Page 32