If you could choose one superpower, what would it be? I'd like super speed.
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Revealed truths
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Bella was standing by the door, her expression tear-stricken and absolutely frightened. She was scared, for herself or for me, I didn't know. Ever since the phone call we just had, I wasn't sure of many things regarding Bella anymore. The fact that she knew I was here with Logan and did nothing after everything I'd told her made me question our entire friendship. It made me think back to every moment we had as best friends.
My confusion was through the roof as I took in Bella's form. My tears had dried but only slightly. My mind kept nagging about what I'd just saw. Parker. Oh God. Please be okay.
I didn't think I could ever recover if Parker was seriously injured. And by the looks of what Logan had shown me, it was the reality of things. But I was too wired with nerves and stress to think too deeply about it in the moment, despite the voice nagging about my worry at the back of my head.
Bella's hasty eyes searched the apartment the moment Logan opened the door. Her gaze found me and she visibly swallowed, her eyes looking like it was begging with me. But for what? What did she do that needs my forgiveness other than leave me alone in the lion's den? Why was she here? How did she even know Logan's apartment number? This building was many levels high and I doubt she could have just asked the receptionist for his apartment. I knew that she knew where he lived given she dropped me off here once for Logan and my date, but what I didn't understand is why she came here alone? I thought the first person she'd go to if she thought I was in trouble with Logan was Gabriel.
Gosh, Gabe. I miss you so much right now.
"Sera," Bella nearly shrieked. "We have to leave now. Come on."
I narrowed my eyes at her in question, but it didn't stop me from speed walking towards the door to where Logan stood. I left my bag because fuck it, I wanted to get away from here as soon as possible to tell my brother all about his best friend. What Gabe did with the information I'd tell him would be up to him. I wouldn't interfere and I'd let him do whatever he wanted. He could report him to the police by all means because I was absolutely done with Logan Rivera.
Seeing Parker beaten and bloodied on the floor was my final straw. I let him hurt me because I was too clouded by my emotions for him but I would never let him hurt the people I cared about or anyone for that matter because of me.
I reached Bella and made a move to leave the apartment but my shoulder was tightly gripped and my body was forced backwards. I made a sound of surprise. My eyes found Bella's and she looked nothing less than terrified. She had every right to be.
Before she could blink, Logan grabbed her arm and pulled her into the apartment before slamming the door shut. The sound of the lock almost caused me to wince.
Why, Bella? I wanted to scream. Why would she come here alone?
Logan turned to me. "My, my, we've just turned this into a party, baby girl. Aren't you happy to see your friend?"
I glared at him. "Let us leave right now. I swear, I will report you and I don't care if you get locked up again."
He didn't look the lest bit fazed by my threat, as if he had everything in control and dammit, because I was sure he did. While I was a nervous, heavy breathing mess with tears in my eyes, he was calm. Or at least he appeared to be. His emotions were a topic so foreign to me even after all the time we spent together.
Bella rushed towards my side and clutched my arm to her. She was four inches taller than me I would have applauded her effort to form a united front, but now was not the time. Especially since the glint in Logan's eyes was darker than ever and twisted with a calm expression as he masked it. And especially because he had this ridiculous punishment for me in mind, one I still hadn't wrapped my head around yet.
"Those are some empty threats coming from a girl who could never report me in the past no matter what I did to her." His emotionless tone caused my heart to clench. I almost winced. Hearing it come from him was especially painful and humiliating. "I'm glad you read my messages Isabella. I'm glad you could make it." Logan smiled charmingly. Darkness and insanity hid beneath his smile. I knew that smile all too well. It wasn't genuine. Admittedly, a genuine and kind man did exist somewhere inside him, I've witnessed it before, but with his personality disorder and psychological trauma he became a monster.
One I didn't want me or my friend to be around any longer.
I turned to look at Bella. "Bells, what the hell is he talking about? And what were you talking about on the phone? Why did you come here alone?" I spew questions at her that I desperately needed the answers to.
"Sera," Bella gripped my hands in hers, her red-rimmed eyes pleading with me. "Please make him let us go. We have to leave. I'll explain everything to you but not here."
"Keep your mouth shut, Isabella. Step away from Sera. Now." Logan's voice was deadly calm, his posture tense.
"Leave us alone." I said, anger filling my voice. I gripped Bella's hands tightly. "Let us leave."
Suddenly, Bella was ripped away from me. My eyes widened in horror as Logan lifted her and walked towards the couch. I immediately followed, my heart pounding in my chest by Bella's sounds of protest. He threw her onto the couch and she gasped, her chest heaving up and down in shock.
"Stay the fuck down." he ordered, his eyes heated. Logan gripped my arm and gently moved me to sit on the sofa opposite to Bella. I stared into her frightened eyes, knowing that it mirrored mine. The difference between her and I was that she had never witnessed this side of Logan before.
I'd hate for this to get to the point of physical force and struggle, because despite Bella and me being two people, Logan was built like a damn bull and tall as a skyscraper. He also had no trouble or hesitation when it came to physically hurting people. We would never get out of here using force. So I remained seated, my chest heaving up and down heavily, my eyes staring at Logan's every move. Finally, he sat down beside me.
"What do you want, Logan? How does punishing me give you any satisfaction? I thought you loved me." My chin wobbled. All this after we had sex. I couldn't believe that I ever felt safe with him. He was walking destruction and had zero morals against manhandling women. I'd seen him do it the first time I came to his apartment when Gabriel brought me, I'd experienced it and I'd just seen him do it to Bella too.
Logan scooted towards me and slung his arm over my shoulder. He pressed a kiss onto my jaw and I shivered, feeling repulsed by his behaviour. He spoke beside my ear, "I do love you very much, that's why I want you to see the true colours of the people you call your best friends. I want her to show you the little secret she and I have been keeping for a while now."
A while?
"Logan, please let us go. I'll show her without you." Bella begged, her expression filled with remorse.
"Why? So you can twist the story however you see fit?" He asked harshly. "Fuck that. Show her right now or I will."
My brain racked through the possibilities of what he might be talking about. I couldn't think of anything that made sense until. . . No, it can't be. Logan wouldn't do that to me. Bella wouldn't do that to me.
"Sera, I didn't mean any of it, please remember that." Bella pleaded, her hands nervously fidgeting in her lap. Then she reached into her pocket and retrieved her phone.
I kept watching Bella with anxious nerves, my hands shaking. Seconds passed with Logan's hand lightly stroking my arm, when Bella looked up from her phone.
Her eyes suddenly went hard and she glared. "Honestly fuck you, Logan, you pathetic bastard. This is all of your fault." She hissed.
No, no, no! She had no idea who she was messing with.
In a flash, Logan was gone from beside me and had a hand wrapped tightly around Bella's neck. Her eyes widened in fright and surprise and I shrieked and was instantly on my feet to her rescue.
"Logan!" I yelled, my hands grabbing onto his arm to pull him away. He wouldn't budge. His grip on Bella was tight enough to cause the veins in his hands and forearms to stick out prominently, and her face to turn red. I'd been in that position more than once. Bella's eyes watered with tears and she clawed at his hands.
Panic seized me. I ducked under Logan's arm and pushed my body in front of Bella's despite his grip on her neck. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around his waist in a tight hug, tears stinging my eyes. "Let her go, please!" I cried.
Much to my surprise, he pulled away with a harsh breath. My eyes shut in relief and my tears touched Logan's bare torso. From behind me I could hear Bella desperately gulping air. I let go of Logan, whose chest was rising and falling heavily, before turning to Bella.
Seeing her like that caused my tears to slide down my cheeks. My eyes hurt from crying so much today. I sat beside Bella and pulled her to me in a hug, my heart pounding in my chest. I rubbed her back while she rested her chin on my shoulder. Moments of silence passed by filled with Bella's heavy breathing.
"Please don't provoke him." I whispered, my throat clogged up. I was well aware that Logan could hear me. I didn't care. He was back to sitting on the seat opposite to us as if he hadn't just choked Bella, while staring heatedly at our encounter.
"I'm s-sorry." She gasped, her tears soaking my shoulder.
I was suddenly pulled away from Bella by the waist, as if I weighed nothing. Logan placed me back beside him. I scowled and tried to scoot further away but he held my wrist tightly.
"I don't have all fucking day, Isabella." Logan drawled.
Bella composed herself and sat upright again. She wiped her tears away hastily before she tapped something on her phone and handed it over to me. I looked at it warily and took it from her grasp.
It was a video recording. I hit the play button.
"Isabella, what are you doing here?" I instantly recognised Logan's voice but he wasn't shown in the video. They were in what seemed to be a club atmosphere and it looked vaguely familiar. It was the club called Hysterio that Bella had taken me to once after I forced her to take me home.
Bella, whose head had been facing towards what looked like a bar, turned around and I held my breath. She was alone. Nerves was racing through my body as I took in the scene. "Logan," she looked surprised. She was caked with makeup and a skimpy royal blue dress but looked at gorgeous as ever.
"What are you doing here?" Logan repeated, his back finally coming into view which meant that he wasn't the one recording. It increased my anxiety rapidly. Who was recording them and why?
"I'm here for the same reason you are. To have fun." She shrugged, looking at Logan cautiously.
He came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders and I tensed, my frown deepening. Seeing Logan touch Bella brought unexpected anger to me. "Well, since we're both here, why don't we have fun together?"
"What are you talking about?" Bella asked nervously.
"You just said you want to have fun," Logan chucked, his deep voice raising the hairs on my back. "And you're alone. You might as well hang out with me and my friends." Just then, another guy stepped into view and slumped into the seat besides Bella. Her eyes flew to him in surprise. The new man had dark blonde hair and broad shoulders, with every inch of his skin covered in tattoos. More so than Logan's. I'd never met any of the people in his life other than that one time where he came back to his apartment with a fellow drug dealer.
My anxiety was deepening. Bella looked extremely nervous and cornered by Logan and his friend, not to mention the person recording the video.
"I don't want to hang out with you." Bella finally said, her voice small. She didn't seem to notice the person recording her and I wanted to shout at her to be more vigilant. She always lectured me about being vigilant and not taking drinks from strangers and stuff.
I couldn't see Logan's expression but he moved closer and said something into her ear that I couldn't hear. Her body tensed.
"What did you do to Sera?" She suddenly demanded.
"I can do with Sera whatever I want. She's mine." Logan said calmly.
"You are crazy, Sera is not some fucking object you can stake claim on." She scowled. "If you did anything to hurt Sera, I'll tell her parents and trust me they're some of the most important people in Seattle. You'll get thrown in prison for a long time. Forever, if they wish that upon you."
"You act so protective of the little angel now, but where were you when she was stranded alone outside of here a few nights ago? Where the fuck were you, Isabella? You left her there while you were here sucking Clarke Cunningham's dick, am I right?"
Bella visibly recoiled and winced. "It's not like that."
"It is exactly what it seems like. My Sera loved you and you took her to a fucking club where you know she's not comfortable. Then you left her alone. Anyone could have harmed her. She needs protection and you weren't there for her." He hissed, his hand tightening on her shoulder. His words were so hypocritical for someone who hurt me right after he picked me up that night. But I continued watching the video, my tongue suddenly tasting bitter.
"Leave me alone, are you crazy?" Bella said in alarm, her head flying around to look at her surroundings.
"Yes, I am crazy. And you deserve punishment for being so irresponsible with what's mine. Sera was crying on the phone when she called me to pick her up. You're a useless fucking excuse of a friend. You're just lucky that no one touched her that night. We'd be having a different conversation."
Bella was crying now, her sniffles being heard over the sounds of the loud music. The person recording moved closer and my heart ached in protest.
"Leave me alone, Logan. I already feel guilty about Sera and don't need you to rub it in my face."
"I'll leave you alone, but first hang out with me my boys." He motioned with his head towards the blonde man. "That's J.D. He talks a lot and is a fucking nuisance, barely tolerable, but he can hold his booze and drinks like a fish."
The guys slapped Logan on the arm and smirked. "As if you're any more fucking tolerable, Rivera. You piece of shit."
I winced by the way they spoke to each other. Logan only smirked and brought Bella's hair to the side so that her shoulder was exposed. He turned her head to some other direction I couldn't see. "That's Marcus over there. Another friend of mine."
"Why do you want me to hang out with you?" Bella asked nervously.
"For fucks sakes, why so skeptical?" The blonde dude laughed deeply. He slung an arm over Bella's shoulder and pulled her to his side causing her to freeze. "We just wanna have some fun."
"I-I have to go." Bella stuttered. "I'm not even allowed in here. I'm underage."
"Don't worry, baby doll, we'll buy you a drink." The guy whose name was J.D. called the bartender over.
The last thing I saw was Bella's fearful expression when suddenly there was a time skip. They were in a room now. It was dim and seemed nothing better than the inside of what I imagined to be a motel. My heart began to beat so fast in anxiety and my fingers tightened around the phone as I realised Bella was alone with Logan and his friends. The recorder seemed to be placed on the table and recording at an angle that only allowed me to see up to the chests of the men in the room. It was Logan with two other guys.
God, no.
Bella was sitting on a chair and giggling. She didn't seem in her right mind and looked tipsy. The only person I'd ever seen drunk was Gabriel, but he didn't seem anything to the way she looked in the video. She seemed out of her mind, actively trying to keep her body up. Bella began to laugh hysterically as she walked towards the bed in the center of the room before slumping down onto it. My heart pounded in my chest when one of Logan's friends approached her and gripped the back of her head, his hand curling into her hair.
"What are you doing?" She slurred, her tipsy grin never leaving her face.
"I don't fuckin' know, baby doll, that's up to Rivera over here." He turned to look at Logan who was standing a few feat away. "He called us over for whatever reason he has."
"You made a mistake, Isabella." Logan's voice came lowly. I could instantly identify him just by his body even though his face wasn't visible in the video.
Bella's huge grin disappeared and she frowned. She tried to move away but Logan's friend held her head in place.
"You should never have taken Sera to that club. You made her call me that night and I ended up doing some things to her that I regret. It's all of your fault. Now Sera is fucking terrified of me more than ever. She won't answer my calls and she won't respond to my texts." He laughed darkly. "The thing you should know about me is that I hold onto my anger for a very long time. I'm incapable of letting it go. And right now I'm real fucking angry. I want to see my baby girl but she won't even reply to me. I'm pissed and deprived."
Bella huffed. "Y-you're stupid." She laughed tipsily. She was clearly not in her right mind. What did they do to her?
"What the fuck did you just say?"
"I said you're fucking stupid." Bella laughed again. The guy clenching her hair into his hands gripped harder and she winced. "Let me go, you buffoon. I want to sleep."
Logan replaced his friend and gripped Bella's hair tightly into his hand. He pulled her head down harshly causing her to cry out. "What the fuck?" She yelled.
"Tell me, what made you think that a club filled with alcohol and horny men would be a fit place to take Seraphina?"
"What are you talking about?" She whimpered. My breathing increased by the scene, not liking it for one bit. Bella kept apologising to me for this? She did nothing wrong. Logan was in the wrong. If anything, this punishment of his was making my current resentment for him grow.
"Tell me, you little whore. Just because you feel the need to go about and suck everyone's dick, doesn't mean Sera is cut out for the same thing. Why the fuck did you take her there? I'm one-hundred percent certain my Sera would not have willingly went there on her own." He was right. Bella forced me and threatened to leave me in the car if I didn't follow her. Given it all, I'd forgiven her and Logan had no right to do any of this. I was in disbelief he would go through such lengths because of his irrational anger.
"I'm sorry! Okay. .? Sera forgave me anyways." Bella slurred in the end.
"Forgiveness that you didn't deserve. Sera is too kind-hearted. But I didn't ask for you to tell me that, you still didn't tell me why the fuck you did it."
"You hurt her! You cheated on her and she wanted to have fun without you. That's why I thought it would be a good idea to make her let loose!"
Logan jerked her head and Bella winced the same time I did in real-time. "Even if that's the case, why did you leave her stranded outside where anyone could have hurt her?"
"I was busy." Bella said weakly.
"I'll ask one more time, why the fuck did you leave her?" Logan growled.
"Because she's a boring prude! Happy now? I said it."
My heart stuttered in my chest.
"I didn't hear you the first time, Isabella. Might wanna repeat yourself." Logan was doing this on purpose. He knew that the camera was recording them and wanted to use her words against her.
"Sera is boring and a prude, okay! She never want to go out, she never want to have fun and she's also soooo fuckkinggg annoying with that voice of hers. Caitlyn and I are always doing things without her. She's also so weak," Bella hiccupped and her head fell backwards. "It's like she always needs us to back her up. She can't defend herself for shit and it's annoying. S-She's insecure all the time and shits on herself as if she wants us to constantly compliment her and put her on a high pedestal. Like oh my gosh I'm Seraphina Muller, a fucking millionaire princess with blue eyes and long gorgeous blonde hair. I have it all! I-I mean f-fuck if I've ever seen a bigger pick me bitch. At s-some point the only thing appealing about her was her house and her hot brothers. I probably only stayed her friend because of that. And then you came along, so fucking hot and attractive and all you wanted was her. Not me. She takes everyone. All the guys want her it's a shame." She finished off with a long sigh and laughed unpleasantly.
Tears welled up in my eyes and slid down my cheeks causing my vision to blur. Before I could see Logan's reaction or what happened next, the phone was ripped from my grasp. I held a shaking hand over my mouth as sobs released from my chest. I looked up and through blurry vision saw Bella's tear filled eyes looking at me in guilt and shame. Fucking bitch.
I couldn't believe what I'd just heard.
***
A/N. You know what... Someone in the comments said that the blackmail that Logan had against Bella is a sex-tape of him and her and it's crazy because that was initially what I had in mind but I couldn't stray from my original storyline (and make the shit predictable) and FVCK I could never hurt Sera like that omw. There's only so much bad that I can throw at Sera without feeling butt-hurt myself. Like bro I'm the author but I have limits haha. The hardest chapter by far to write was Chapter 29 where Logan lifted his hands on Sera for the first time. Damn what an asshole. Anyways, this book is coming to an end soon I hope you stay and wait for updates!
I'm starting serious work next week Monday so I want to write as much as possible before then. There will be like 5 or less parts left, including an epilogue. Also follow me so that you can hear for announcements of new works in the future!
I want to write a book for Gabriel, although I'm not sure. Comment if you would like to see that.
Please don't forget to vote and comment! ❤