Trigger Warning: This chapter features attempted rape, and violence. It may be triggering for some readers. Please take care if you choose to read this scene.
"Don't make a sound." The command is spoken in a harsh whisper, and a heavy hand is pressed against my mouth, effectively silencing me. The only light in the room is the purple glow from the LED strip lights lining my wall, so I can't make out the features of the man who is on top of me, but I'm pretty sure it's nobody I know. I try to scream. Try to get away. Try to bite him. But I fail.
"I've been watching you, parading around in next to nothing, just begging to be fucked. That itty bitty bikini you came out in...." He licks his lips, his face just inches from mine.
Terror wells up within me. I know what's about to happen, I've been through it before. But familiarity doesn't make it any less awful, any less terrifying.
"You can't tell me you don't want this, when you were dressed like that."
I don't want it! I scream in my head, and against his hand, but no words come out. He's pressing too hard against my mouth for me to even make a sound, as he fumbles with his pants, my clothes.
I struggle against him, trying to get away, trying to position myself to kick him, to fight back.... But it's hopeless. He's too strong. He's got me pinned, and I'm powerless. Tears of desperation wet my cheeks as I struggle and fight for all I'm worth, but it's absolutely futile. His big hand isn't budging from my mouth. His heavy body is on top of mine. He's still fumbling with our clothing, while holding me down. And there's nothing I can do.
I scream against his hand again and this time, a squeak escapes my lips.
"Nobody can hear you," he taunts me. "They're all downstairs, with loud music playing. Scream all you want, pretty girl. Nobody is coming to save you."
Desperately, I flail against him.Tears flood my eyes, terror fills my heart. He's undone his pants now I'm pretty sure, and is struggling with mine. My whole body is tense, resisting him.
Suddenly, I hear footsteps on the stairs. Heavy footsteps. Running footsteps. Mere seconds later the door bursts open and Nick rushes in, grabbing whoever it is that's on top of me and slamming him up against the wall. Logan is hot on his heels and he flicks on the lightswitch, flooding us with bright fluorescent light. Nick is holding my attacker up with one hand, his fist gripping his shirt at the throat, and he's punching him over and over again. Blood pours down his face. He slides down the wall but Nick hoists him up again, still punching.
Logan is beside me, wrapping his arms around me, holding me tight. I sink gratefully into his arms, burying my face in his shirt.
Nick's let my attacker fall to the floor now, but he hasn't stopped hitting him. Now he's laying the boot in, kicking him repeatedly, and my attacker grunts with each blow.
Logan presses my face against his shoulder, blocking my view. Nick has lost it completely. The danger I always knew was inside him has come out now, with a vengeance, and it's terrifying!
Still holding onto me, Logan pulls out his phone and types a quick message.
I'm dazed. Shocked. Frightened.
Nick's still bashing my attacker, but I'm pretty sure he's unconscious. Maybe dead. He's not moving, at any rate. There is blood all over my floor, splattered up the wall. Yet still Nick continues, kicking. Punching. He's wild. Completely out of control.
I cling to Logan, my pulse racing. Despite the fact that I'm now safe, I still can't shake the terror that is overwhelming me. I can't drag enough air into my terrified lungs. I can't stop shaking. I can't stop hyperventilating. I can't stop panicking. I can't stop the tears that flood down my cheeks, and I can't choke back my sobs.
Logan does his best to comfort me. He holds me tight, he whispers over and over again that I'm okay, that I'm safe now. But it doesn't help. I can still feel him on top of me. I can still hear his words in my head, taunting me. Blaming me. I can see his blood on my wall, pooling on my floor. I can still hear the sickening thuds of Nick bashing him.
Jack is here now and he takes me from Logan, holding me in his arms. Damon has his hand on Nick's shoulder, stopping him from beating the pulpy, bloody mess of a man currently lying on my bedroom floor. Jack carries me from the room just as Rocco and Alex drag the unconscious, perhaps dead, man, away.
"You promised nobody would ever abuse me again and I would be safe here but you lied!" I scream against Jack's chest. "You lied!"
Jack doesn't say anything, he just holds me tighter, but I can feel him shaking. I can hear his heart pounding, my ear is pressed up against his chest and it's loud. Fast.
He sits down on his bed and cuddles me tight, wrapping his arms around me securely, being careful of my still throbbing bottom. He lies down, still holding me close, and tries to calm us both down.
"Breathe, Carrie," he murmurs softly. "Take some big, slow, deep breaths. We need to get you calmed down. You're safe now sweetheart, I promise."
"He told me I was asking for it!" I sobbed, crying so hard I don't think Jack could even understand me. But maybe he could, because he stiffened, and held me tighter.
"That bastard," he snarled under his breath. "I'm going to go and kill him." He let me go, and tried to shift me off him, but I clung to him tighter.
"No!" I begged. "No, don't leave me. Please!" My voice was panicked, my whole body was tense, shaking. No way could Jack leave me. "Please don't leave me."
Jack sighed, laying back down with me. "Okay sweet girl, I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay right here with you. You're okay."
Logan and Damon came into Jack's room then, and I felt the bed sink under their weight as they both sat down.
"How are you doing, Carrie?" Damon asked, his voice low, deep. "Are you okay? Do you feel safe now?"
"Nick killed him," Logan informed me proudly, and I scrunched up my face and buried myself deeper against Jack. I know Logan was trying to help me, but knowing that my brother had killed someone, even if he was my would-be rapist, only frightened me more.
I heard a smack, a small yelp. "Sorry," Logan mumbled. Damon must have hit him.
"I'm glad Nick killed him," I said, my voice hard, filled with hate. "He deserves to die."
"He kicked him to death," Logan said.
This time, Damon didn't hit him, and I felt Jack relax slightly.
"Good," I said.
Jack's arms loosened around me and I freaked out.
"Hold me," I whispered. "Please hold me."
He tightened his arms around me and kissed my forehead.
"I've got you sweetheart, you're safe," he whispered in my ear.
Soon, Alex appeared too, announcing that everyone had gone, and telling Damon he was needed downstairs. With one quick, sympathetic glance at me, Damon left.
"You okay?" Alex asked me.
I nodded slightly, almost imperceptibly. I was semi-okay, as long as Jack kept holding me. If his hold loosened even the tiniest bit, I started to panic again.
With Jack still holding me, Alex bent down and gave me a hug, kissed my forehead, and then he, too, disappeared.
Logan curled up on Jack's bed beside us, and Jack held me close. I lay on my side, snuggled against him, my arms wrapped tight around him, my cheek resting on his chest. Logan lay next to me. Jack held me. And eventually, safe in my big brother's arms, I finally drifted back off to sleep again.