After one feverish night with Tyler Evans, Rory is never supposed to see the man draped in enigmas and devilish charms again.
Six months later, she's deep into a summer fling with Chace. As their fling becomes a committed relationship, she's adamant...
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It's one of those nights. I stare at Chace's slumbering face, longing for his eyes to pierce through the darkness and remind me of ocean waves washing over my feet as I dance through the sand. Instead, raging storms threaten to sweep me away. I can't sleep. Being in a mansion lying on the softest mattress my poor limbs have ever had the pleasure of indulging doesn't help. Despite my (and Victoria's) best efforts, it's been creeping back to me. He has. Crawling slowly yet gaining so much momentum with each passing day. Nightmares of David come hand in hand with memories; pieces of my reality that I desperately want to forget. Moving from New York to Florida did nothing to escape him. He haunts me every single day.
Shutting my eyes, I scold my sixteen-year-old self. How could I have been so naïve? Because you were a slut.Still are. The truth burns like a hot poker to the chest. I despise that girl. She was so stupid. Desperate for affection. A filthy whore.
'You think anyone is going to believe you if you tell them?' David growls in my face as his nails dig into my arm. Eyes of coal bore into mine, ones I used to adore.I cry out in pain and yank away from him, but he's always been so strong. Unbreakable. A force I can never escape.'You'll just show everyone how much of a slut you are—lurking around on dating apps, luring in older men.'
'I-I told you I was sixteen, and you said it didn't matter! You said it was o-okay.'
I squeeze my eyes shut and fold my arms over my head. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Why was I so stupid? I should have known it wasn't okay. I shouldn't have lured him in.
'If you tell anyone, I will ruin your fucking life.'
"Fuck." I gasp and sit straight up before the memory comes to life. It taps my skull and grazes its nails across my sweating skin. Every time I push David away, he returns with the vicious intent of ruining the happiness I've found. A thousand miles away and he still controls me.
Chace groans and stirs next to me, but true to his heavy sleeping, doesn't wake up. He's even more innocent in his sleep. Sometimes, I wonder if it's all a facade. Will he end up like David? Will loving smiles morph into twisted snarls? No. How can I think something so cruel? Chace will never be like him. Reassurance does nothing to the plague of madness consuming me. Without Victoria here, I have to find another way to soothe this anxiety.
I kiss the tip of Chace's nose before easing out of bed. Forgetting a bra, I steal a t-shirt out of his dresser and pull it over myself until it fits like a short dress.
Pitch blackness welcomes me as I tiptoe out of the bedroom. Well, shit. This is a lot easier at Chace's house. Whenever I can't sleep, I just sneak out of bed and go downstairs to where he keeps the tea. There's always something there that guides me back into a deep sleep. Victoria would ask why I don't just take my sleep aid again but waking up from a David nightmare is better than being stuck in one. At least there's a chance that it'll go away.
