Business No More

Chapter 28

Sam notices the knife as his eyes trail to my hand. The red tip of the knife proof enough that I've been cut with that exact knife.

He leans forward picking it up and scanning it before placing it on top of the kitchen bench. "Should I even ask?"

I frown. "Bianca tried to kill herself."

Sam's eyes shoot wide open as he watches Bianca. "What!"

He grabs Bianca's face and pulls it towards his direction. "What's wrong, B? Tell us. Violet and I know something's wrong. We've noticed it since you've come back. Please just tell us."

I nod when she looks at me. "I can't."

"You can," I say. "I'm your best friend. I'll do everything to keep you safe."

She shakes her head. "I don't feel safe. I don't feel clean." She grabs her shirt and pulls at it, forcing it to stretch. "I feel very, very dirty and no matter how much I wash myself, I can't get his germs off me."

I watch her. "What are you talking about?"

"I can't do it. I give up," she shouts. "I can still see it. His hands. His words. The way he looked at me. I feel dirty."

"Max?" Sam asks.

"Please just leave me alone," Bianca says as she runs upstairs.

Sam tries to run after her but I grab his hand. "She'll be safe in the guest bedroom. There's nothing to harm herself."

-----------------

*Bianca's Point of View*

I close my eyes.

I see Sam. I see him running towards the car. The men pull at my clothes and body in an attempt to get me into the car.

I need to tell him. I need to let him know. So I do it. I shout, because if I don't tell him now then he'll never know.

"Max!" I shout. The men pull at my legs. I notice Sam registering the words before his body gives way and he falls on his knees. His face goes white and the men pull me in the car.

Max is laying still beside me. I don't know if he's breathing. I try to nudge him with my elbow but one of the men slams my face against the back of the front seat and ties my hands together. He wraps fabric around my mouth and warns me not to move or else I'm dead.

When the car's engine is dead, I know exactly where we are. To my surprise though I'm wrong. We're not at the abandoned warehouse that we were at before. This time we're at this building with a purple door. A huge metal purple door. The place looks dodgy with dirty walls. I can hear the voice of people talking nearby. Lots and lots of people. I can hear music and kids shouting.

My heart stops when they drag Max away. They drag him because by the looks of it, he can't walk or perhaps is in too much pain to walk. It's a new location because of me. They're worried I'd tell Sam and Violet. There's no point telling them now anyways, they wouldn't know where we are.

Before I can wrap my head around the place or the layout, I get dragged upstairs by the hair. I scream and shout but the cloth around my mouth kills the noise.

It takes three men to drag me upstairs because I try to put up a fight. I wiggle and try to kick them but it's no use.

When they shove me inside a filthy room, I quickly scan it to notice nothing but an old wooden bed.

The man smiles at his friends. "You guys go downstairs. I think I'll teach this one a lesson."

My throat tightens, expecting him to pull a gun out but he doesn't. He loosens the belt to his pants before watching them slip to the floor.

I twist my hands in an attempt to free myself when I figure out his motives.

He grabs me by the hair and slams me against the bed. His heavy body rolls on top of mine making any movement almost close to impossible. He pulls my shirt without even caring and rips it across the middle.

I shiver when he moves the fabric away and I'm lying there in just my bra. I try to kick him but he wraps my leg around his and presses down on me. I take a deep breath and close my eyes when his hands reach for my pants.

My eyes shoot open when a knock on the door draws my attention. I can't face them. Especially Max. I can't tell him that other than him, there has been another man who has pressed his lips against mine when Max had. That someone had touched me when Max had.

My first time was when I was eighteen but those were in the past. Those were with consent. This is now, this has happened when Max was around. I feel too dirty for him. I feel like I've betrayed him. He'd never want me knowing the truth.

I mean I can't look myself in the mirror without seeing my life crumbling in front of me. I can't do it. I give up.