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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NINE YEARS AGO
Chace doesn't knock when I get home from school. I tried to hide in my room, but there was no time to veil the evidence, just look up in shock as he barrels into my room with rage in his eyes. I hide my face knowing it's too late. He sees the bruises and cuts. He sees the contents of my backpack spilled across the floor with words queer and fag written over the surface of every notebook, folder, and textbook I own.
"Who did it?" he growls.
"N-no one," I sob and cover my face. I can't keep my pathetic voice from shaking. "I-I just fell and-"
"Tyler."
I flinch at the severity of his rage. Even though I know it's not aimed at me, it strikes fear in my soul. "Really, Chace. I fell and-"
"Wrote homophobic slurs all over your shit? Either you can tell me who did this, or I'm going to find out."
I look up slowly, bottom lip trembling. Pain ricochets around my skull. Aches pulse over my sore body where the weight of their fists hit my skin. I want to get revenge on them, but I want to protect Chace even more. "But-but Chandler will get mad if you get into another fight."
"Who gives a shit?" he yells. "Someone hurt my little brother. I'm not letting this go. I can handle my dad."
He says this now because he's not being screamed at by his father. His skin isn't black and green from fresh bruises. There are no cuts on his lips still tender enough to bleed if he's not careful when he speaks. His body isn't sore and broken down from the impact of his father's fist. He says it now because he doesn't care about the consequences. He never cares.
I drop my head in defeat. He'll never let it go. "It-it was Trevor and his friends," I whisper. "I don't know how he found out about me and-"
"It doesn't matter," Chace snaps. "I told that bastard to leave you alone or I'd find out where he lives." He turns his back to me. "Good thing I figured it out."
I race after my brother as he storms outside. He climbs into his car and I jump in after him. I try to talk some sense into him, but his mind is full of rage as he pulls out of the driveway. He demands that I tell him what happened while we drive through traffic. I admit that it occurred after my gym class. I should have known something was off when one of Trevor's friends took me aside and apologized for the way they've been bullying me. It was just enough time to vandalize everything in my gym locker. They pulled me into the boy's locker room after everyone had left and showed me the damage. Then they proceeded to beat me. I tried to hold my own. Chace has been teaching me how to fight, after all, but there were four of them and I became helpless. After that, I skipped the rest of my classes in the boy's bathroom.
Chace is livid by the end of the story. So livid that he runs three red lights, nearly getting us killed, and speeds all the way to Trevor's house. Fear digs a hollow pit in my stomach. I shake as my brother gets out of the car and barely slams the door shut behind him. I stumble after him, getting there in time to see Trevor's baby sister open the front door. She gives us a strange look before declaring that her parents aren't home. Chace claims he's a friend and shoves his way inside.
