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Silence falls between us, while the tension in the room escalates to the point I’m choking on it. I glance at the door. I could probably make it, but would he stop me? My eyes come back to Corey. He takes a step closer.
“You know, I’m getting tired of the game, J. I’ve been your friend for how many years now? Whenever you need me, I’ve always been there. I’ve protected you. I stood up for you. It was always me. Then some little mobster comes here and you give yourself to him? He’s gone now, right, baby?” Corey sneers.
“Leave him out of this.”
“You’re going to defend him after what he did? What about me? After everything I did,” Corey hisses, moving closer until his chest bumps against my arms.
“What you did? You mean how you’ve kept my friends from me? Or how you took money with Rip to have my mom hurt?” I’m fuming and I refuse to back down.
Corey’s lips pull into a line at first. Slowly, they start to work themselves into a smile. “It was you down there last night.”
“It doesn't matter.” I shake my head. “I want nothing to do with you anymore. I want you to leave me alone.”
His face goes blank, a mask I’ve seen him wear hundreds of times, usually when he’s about to beat the shit out of someone, pulls over his face. “That's not going to happen, J. Not when you’re mine.”
“I’m not yours.”
I don’t see it coming until Corey’s hand cracks against my face. Blood coats the inside of my mouth instantly and my ear rings. He’s on me then, his hands pulling at my shirt, the button on my jeans, my hair. My hands push and hit at him. We fall to the ground and his body is on top of mine, surrounding me.
Adrenaline courses in my veins, my stomach cramps, while I fight to get out from under him. I use my knees, my torso twists and rubs against the carpet.
“Fucking stop, and take it like the little slut you are,” Corey yells in my face, and tears fall down my cheeks. His fingers reach for the button on my pants and I twist away, pushing at him, using my nails to rake down his arms.
“Bitch!”
His hands are everywhere. On my skin, pawing aggressively at my breasts, his head bends and his lips touch my exposed skin. It’s foreign and gross and I push at his face to move him away. Corey laughs, his breathing labored from fighting against me. I can feel his dick pressing against my leg through his jeans. He’s hard. He’s getting off on this. Vomit surges up my throat. His fingers try and slide under the waistband of my pants. Instinctively, my knee comes up and I hit him in the balls.
“Fuck, fucking hell, Jade,” he cries and doubles over on his side. I manage to pull myself away and start to crawl toward the door.
“Stay the fuck away from me!” I scream and sob. Everything hurts. I have rug burns on my elbows and my lower back.
There’s a growl from where he’s lying on the floor. Then he’s on his feet, coming after me. I expected his hands. When his foot comes out and connects with my ribs, I go down, trying to curl into myself. He’s over me, his fists delivering the message that he’s frustrated. He hates me. I ruined his life. He never stops. I taste blood. I can barely see.
My vision blurs.
I wish for it all to go away.
ChapterNineteen
Jade
Sun.
Sunlight streams through the window and casts a halo in the room. I can’t move. My lips are bruised, and I feel broken. My fingers wiggle and so do my toes. I try to roll to my side and push myself up on my arms, but they give way. I grab for the nearest piece of furniture, crying out at the effort it takes to pull myself upright. My self-preservation is back.
Glancing around, I notice I passed out in the room Corey left me in last night. I glance down, and even though I’m disheveled, my clothes are intact. I can’t find my shoes. I don’t remember when they came off. Gingerly, I get to my feet and manage to hobble toward the door. I listen, the house seems quiet. The party must be over and I hope I can sneak out of here.
Cracking the door, I slide into the hallway, grabbing my side to stop the pain. There is no one around. Cups, bottles, spilled liquor and a few condoms still litter the floor. I step around everything and sigh when I see the front door. My hand reaches for the handle right as someone steps into my periphery.
“Oh my god.” Her voice is surprised and tight. It’s a girl I recognize from my chemistry class. I don’t speak, continuing to limp towards the front door and out of that house. Tears spring to my eyes. I was so close without being seen. The town is small. It won’t be long before word has spread. And once it reaches the right ears, I’m terrified about what could happen next.
I stay home, skipping school, and barricade myself in my room. My phone rings, I ignore it. Text messages vibrate against my hand, but I don’t look. Waves of fear, disappointment, embarrassment, and anger wash over me. So many times I was warned, but I blew off everyone’s opinions and warnings. One more text comes through and I catch Gage’s name this time. I tap the message open.
Gage: You aren’t at school and I’m worried. Rumors are circulating. I called him.
Don’t be mad.
I can guess who ‘he’ is. I drop my phone and push myself farther into the bed, pulling the blanket over my head. It doesn’t matter if he called him or not. He didn’t answer yesterday, so why would he today? A fresh wave of tears rolls down my cheeks, but I’m too exhausted to wipe them away. My face hurts and it’s swollen.
