Stubborn But Broken

Chapter 4

I made it to the 7:00am lecture on time, ignoring the excruciating pain between my legs as I walked, sat down, or even fucking breathed.

I failed at taking notes throughout the hour, thoughts drifting into an abyss of sorrowful emptiness. I couldn't remember the details of what happened the night before. But I knew what had happened, which concluded my desperate need to escape Jason's house. Forever.

My thoughts were blank. Sentences were hollow. But my alert immediately increased the second Theron asked, "Who was that guy?"

I flinched, knowing he was referring to Jason. Just fucking thinking of the predator was unnerving. "Who?"

"The one at your house," The man leaned against the restaurant's fridge.

"I don't know who you're talking about."

"Yes you fucking do, Alora. The man in your house. The one who opened the door half naked, called you sweetie, and suspiciously eyed my car."

I scowled, "Why do you want to know?"

"Because he looked a lot older than you and was too friendly to be family."

My fists clenched, but I was only mimicking the actions of an anger. I wasn't really upset, I was numb and didn't have the energy to put up a fight. "His name is Jason. He found me in a tough spot three years ago and I've lived with him ever since."

Theron approached me, dark hair brushing against his eyelashes as he lowered his gaze to meet mine. "And you're safe with him?"

My heart sped at the question, why would he care? I needed to sound believable, so I went with a single confident word. "Yeah,"

His brow lifted, "You don't sound too sure, Alora."

"It's not a big deal, Theron. I'm safe." My focus shifted to the side, unable to hold the eye contact with the same intensity. We had barely talked all night and this was what he decided to bring up?

The man gripped my hand, pulling up my long-sleeve.

"What the fuck?" I exasperated while fighting against him to tug it down. "You can't just do that to people."

"I can, and I will if it involves your safety." He huffed, "If you don't tell me the truth as to how you have a purple hand-mark around your wrist, so help me god, I will murder that son of a bitch. Innocent or not."

My face scrunched at my exposed arm. It wasn't just the bruise imprinted there, but years of trauma and pain, too. Scars. And this man just revealed it without warning. His eyes were on fire and I didn't think he saw the other marks because of it. Just the bruise. The single dark bruise. A symbol of the night my purity was tainted once again.

"It doesn't matter. Just drop it, okay?"

His eyes darkened more than I ever thought possible. I'd definitely said the wrong thing and I had no time to prepare for Theron's reaction. My body was flung over the man's shoulder as he walked us out of the building. My body fell limp over his shoulder. I had learnt through years of suffering that giving in to a man was the only way to survive. He held my frame with ease while locking the staff exit. The customer entrance had already been closed, given we were done for the night. Theron set me in the passenger's seat of his car, arms on the roof of it to glare down at me. His dark hair hung low, brushing across his eyelids.

"We are not leaving this parking lot until you tell me everything." His threatened in a deadly tone.

"There's nothing to tell," My arms crossed. "Why am I in your car? Was following me home not enough? You wanna drive me, too?"

"You think I'm going to let you go back to that low-life's house?" Theron chuckled deeply.

"I never even said he did anything!"

"You didn't have to!" The man yelled back, "You flinch at the smallest movements and cower when I approach you," His voice went soft, "I grew up with this shit, Alora. I know the signs. I would've called it paranoia if it wasn't for the bruise of a hand-mark on your wrist you tried hiding behind long sleeves today."

"Theron, you're wrong." My lungs were on fire, "you have no idea what you're talking about". The anger had started to kick in. Not at him, but at myself. Jason wasn't even around and I was scared, trying to defend him in some sick way. I owed it to the man, didn't I?

Unexpectedly, my arms flew up to shield my body. I had braced for impact the moment his arm slid down from above me. I forced my eyes open to notice the fire in his own. Shit, I just kept messing up. Theron hadn't gone to hit me, he'd simply adjusted his arm. With that, the car door was slammed in my face. My gaze followed the man as he entered through the driver's side.

After a few minutes of driving, I recognized the route we were heading, "You're letting me go back?"

His hand tightened around the wheel, veins protruding from his tan skin. "I told you, I'm going to murder that man unless you tell me the truth, Alora."

My heart stopped, "Are you insane?"

The vehicle's engine rumbled louder as we sped through the streets. "I gave you a choice, Baby. The truth or he dies."

"Fine, fine, just don't kill anyone." I couldn't get the words out fast enough. It were as if burning coals collected in my mouth and I had to spit them out, "Jason's been sexually abusing me since we met, okay? There. You got what you wanted." My hands fisted chunks of my hair, knees at my chest. "I was homeless when he found me and after two months, he helped me find a job. Even when I had money, Jason never let me pay rent. Instead I had to... I had to..." And I was sobbing, pulling at my hair painfully. "Whatever you want to do to me, get it over with. We both know I don't stand a chance against you. Hell, I couldn't win a fight with a child."

"Alora, look at me." Theron spoke and I realized the vehicle had came to a halt. When I hadn't obliged, the man collected my chin in his fingertips to lift it up. "Jason will never hurt you again, understand? I won't let him." Pause. "And as for me, I will only touch you intimately when you want me to. You will. But I will patiently wait until the day you beg for me."

I swallowed dryly, letting out a laugh. "I won't be begging for you, Theron. How are you older than me yet so childish?"

His low chuckle followed after my words, "I'm not childish, I'm realistic. You'll see."

"I doubt that, Thermos." Now that I thought about it, Thermos seemed like a fitting nickname. A stupid one for a stupid man.