The Morning After (T.O.N.S Sequel)

Chapter 7.

~Bethany~

I closed the door behind me with a small smile on my face.

Nathan seemed like good guy but I'd learned not to judge men by first impressions.

I felt a throbbing between my legs and that's when the soreness fit me full force.

The memories tried to overwhelmed me faster than I could fight them off.

I slid down the door to the ground and hugged my knees against my chest as fresh tears slid down my face.

I heard Sebastian at the top of the stairs.

"Bethany?"

I looked up.

"I'm fine." I croaked.

"I've been blowing your phone up. Where the hell have you been? Angel's been crying for like a whole hour..." He practically flew down the stairs to me and cradled me in his arms. "What happened to you?"

I pushed against his chest and he leaned back confused.

"I said I'm fine. Stop it."

"What? Stop what? I'm just trying to help-"

"I don't need your help!" I yelled. "I don't need any help, okay? I'm fine!"

I stood up shakily and hurried upstairs.

He called after me but I tuned everything out.

I walked past Angel's room quickly.

I didn't want her to see me like this.

I walked through my room and into my bathroom and shut the door.

I turned the shower on as hot as it would go, undressed, and stepped in.

The water stung at first but then my skin became numb to it as I began to scrub.

I thought about every time he touched me

And scrub...

Every kiss he pressed up and down my body.

And scrub...

Every time he told me not to tell anyone.

And scrub...

Until my skin was a bright pink color.

But I still felt dirty.

I sat on the shower floor with my back against the wall and brought my knees to my chest as sobs erupted from my body.

How the hell did he find me again?

He wasn't supposed to be released for another 10 years.

I cried until the shower water ran cold.

I didn't just cry about being raped and helpless again.

I cried because the only person I actually trusted enough to tell this secret to, the secret that I'd kept since I was 7 years old, the only person I've loved ever since I met him, wasn't here.

Because he left me.

After a while, I finally pulled myself to my feet and dried off.

I threw on a big t-shirt and walked back into my room where Sebastian was holding a shrieking Angel in his arms.

"I finally got her to stop crying and go to sleep when you came home. But then..." He stopped and I knew he was remembering the way I blew up at him.

I must have woken her up.

"I'll take her." I walked slowly over to him.

He placed Angel's writhing body in my arms and left without saying another word.

Now I felt ten times worse knowing that I hurt Sebastian by yelling at him.

He just didn't understand how I was feeling at the moment.

I just needed to be alone.

I rocked Angel in my arms to try and calm her down.

"Shh it's okay baby, mommy's here." I whispered and climbed into bed. "I'm here Ang."

My words seemed to have no effect on her because she kept screaming her little head off.

I tried singing her favorite songs, playing little baby games, and even handed her her favorite toys.

But nothing worked.

After a couple more tries, I gave up and laid her beside me, crying along with her, because I felt she was crying for her other parent.

August.

Nathan' s words earlier in the car reminded me of him.

Don't thank me for something that's my job.

Those were practically the exact same words August spoke to me the night I fell even deeper in love with him.

He showed me he was fully committed to our future family by giving me a fully furnished room in his house just for our son.

His 'little man' as he called him.

I knew it broke his heart to lose our son.

It broke mine too, but he completely shattered it by leaving when I needed him most.

I looked down as Angel continued to cry.

"I know baby. I miss him too." I whispered and rubbed her hair as I pulled her closer to me. "I miss your daddy too."