We reached 1K!!!! heheh chapter for celebrations' sake :D
Hayden's POV
''So, if we wanna really talk about my past we gotta know the people who raised me. I'm not sure if they were my parents or just people I'd been dumped off to, either way, I didn'tget a normal upbringing. No friends, no slumber parties, no parent bonding, no family dinner,'' I ticked the examples off my fingers.
''The damn list goes on. They had what they called 'life lessons' and every time I didn't learn or follow, I 'd be punished. As I got older, right after my 17th birthday, I met Trent Pendrigo. He showed me care, concern and love, that I now know was all fake. He was the one that showed me the truth about my home. They called it lessons of love, it was abuse.'' I saw the sadness in their eyes. ''I don't need or want your pity, it happened, I survived, life goes on.''
''Trent, once I'd left my parents, took me under his wing. He taught me to survive the streets,'' I flashed Greg's car keys, '' gave me food and shelter. In exchange, I allowed him to introduce- force me to the Dom/Sub lifestyle. I thought it was love and that even though I knew next to nothing about it and I wasn't comfortable doing some stuff, I felt compelled to do it for Trent. After everything he'd done for me, he'd remind me that this was my way of showing gratitude. Plain and simple, he abused me, physically amongst others. ''
''I endured it, for the longest time and got myself hooked on drugs as a way to escape the torture at his hands.'' I took a deep shuddering breath. A large hand clamped over mine and rubbed soothingly. Nathan. I played with his fingers as I continued my story.
''Painkilers, meth, ice, weed, whatever it was I had to have it. One day, I was suffering withdrawals. Much worse than you witnessed. That was more mild than most I've experienced. I got mad that Trent, wasn't getting me the pills I wanted. I couldn't go out, he'd taken the keys and hidden them. If I wanted them back I'd have to..uh...please him. Orally. I was so out of it, that when he brought his friends over too, i didn't care. I just wanted my damned fix. I passed out after a while. The air supply was cut off.
"When I woke, I took the keys and wallet from his pocket, never feeling this kind of humiliation that I had then. I wore his clothes, and left, never looking back. I ran all the way here to New York. I got myself this shitty apartment. I met a guy here, he introduced me to a different way of getting release. I got clean, got a degree with a partial scholarship, because my academics weren't that good. Aaand then I worked for you guys. So here we are!"
I grinned falsely, gauging the reactions of my untainted angels. They didn't need to know the sordid details, I wasn't looking for pity, sadness or reassurances. No, I told a story, with facts and let them decide for themselves how they wanted to proceed with this information. It would be horrible of me to guilt them into being my friend, to treat me like a charity case. Fuck no.
The silence was tense and I could see them darting their eyes between each other, clearly communicating but didn't want to say stuff in front of me.
''o...kay, so, I'm gonna pretend that there isn't an oppressive silence here and will head out to get some food. Any requests?''
Silence.
''Thai it is!'' I walked to the door took the car keys (Greg's) and the apartment keys. I shut the door behind me and almost laughed when I heard the immediate chatter that broke out behind the door. Shitty apartment, with paper thin walls, gotta love it.
I took the 5 min drive to the Thai place and ordered a massive amount of food. 1 of everything on the menu. Thankfully, the food was on Greg. (Yup, I swiped his cash too)
It was a good 45minutes before I went back to the apartment, lugging everything up the stairs.
I unlocked the door, and set the food on the counter, silencing whatever chatter that had been going on. ''Come now, guys, don't be shy, dig in! We gonna be here a while''
That set them moving and everyone moved in a well-coordinated manner to move the furniture so that we could all sit in a large circle on the floor. There was light conversations and I just knew they were dying to ask me stuff, so I gave them the opening they wanted.
''So, ''I swallowed a mouthful of phad thai, '' what questions do y'all have. Don't be shy now.''
Almost at once everyone started talking animatedly. I giggled. ''Guys, lets go in clockwise direction alright?'',My boys nodded so I turned to face Silas who was next to me.
''Are your parents still alive? And do you still contact them''
''Not my 'parents','' I corrected. ''Upbringers, but yeah. They declared bankruptcy just a couple months after I started working for y'all and they named me their next of kin. So, in some sort of twisted reparations, I'm saddled with their debt. Next!''
North cleared his throat. '' What aspects of the Lifestyle did Trent teach you? And are you interested in it''
''Curious one aren't you? He didn't teach me. He forced me into it. So honestly, I think I have next to zero accurate knowledge about that lifestyle. I've read a little and am open to it but now-a-days we don't even know if what's on the Net is accurate. Raven?''
''Do you have any tattoos or piercings?''
''In places you can't imagine,'' I teased. ''Dakota?''
''If you're injured, what do you use to dull or numb the pain?'' Good question.
''Nothing, I just endure it'' I said bluntly. ''Next?''
''But the cauterizing you did the night outside Sal's to stem the bleeding, surely you had something? And how did you do that?'' Ever the medical mind, Sean
''Well, my Cherub, I've learnt to live with it. And, that was done with lots of gunpowder and quick thinking. It's 'practical' medicine'' I said light heartedly
''Does your different way of release hurt you?'' Axel quizzed
''It's either that or the addiction and I very much prefer a bruise over a withdrawal, Chief. Nate?''
''What is this 'new form of release' and was it linked to the Sal's incident?'' He probed, trying to gauge if he'd gone too far with his questioning.
I nodded slowly. ''What I do isn't exactly legal and yeah it's linked to the incident at Sal's and the hospital too.
''What is it?'' Brandon, who was next, asked softly
I kept mum for a while, debating if I should tell them. It wasn't really their mess to deal with and the less they knew they better. I told them this.
Corey, who was next to his brother shook his head. ''We're not going to judge you Hayden, we just want to know what's going on. We deserve to know that, at least, especially if our lives are at stake...'' He comforted me.
''Underground fighting.'' I mumbled
Gabriel, who was on my other side stiffened with Silas.
''We didn't quite get that baby girl'' Owen told me from across the circle. I rubbed my forehead, agitated.
''I said, underground fighting. Grudge matches, betting, no holds barred, the whole nine yards'' I huffed, crossing my arms. I skipped over Owen and Corey since they'd already asked something.
As that new information sunk in, Luke asked ''Do you like chocolate chip pancakes?''
''Not really, but I can appreciate a good pancake if you're offering to make them? I'm not a fantastic cook'' I said rubbing the back of my neck. ''next?''
Marc asked, '' How long are we gonna stay here and what happened at the hospital?''
I sighed, expecting this question to come up sometime today. ''Long story short, I'm a good Grounder, that's what we call our fighters in my club. The second-best Grounder, Wendigo, colluded with the higher-ups in the club to take me down. Hence that night at Sal's. The guy who brought me in, my mentor of sorts, Plank, owns the club and was in on this plot to get me out of the picture, permanently. I survived, obviously, but they don't know that. Wendigo, is scouring the city looking for my dead body so that they can be sure I'm gone.
''At the hospital today, he was there, given a tip by a nurse called Greg. He can't know that I'm alive or that I'm associated with you guys. I've been tryna keep a low profile these days if y'all haven't noticed.I'm working on my revenge plan, and it'd ruin the surprise if they know I lived. That's why I had to get you out of there today and he won't think I'll come here.'' I explained to the group.
''I'm planning on getting you guys out of here by tomorrow evening, hopefully. There's no reason for Wendigo to track you down because I've destroyed all the paperwork in the nurses' station and on computers. ''
''I'll just hack into the database to make sure'' Victor voiced
''Oh, uhm, sure?'' I said, surprised. ''Last question, Gabriel?''
''Can I design your Grounder outfit, if you ever go back?''
''Gabriel!!'' Multiple voices yelled around the room
''She's not going back, are you sugar puff?'' Nathan asked
''She better not...'' Dakota hissed
''Yes, I will. Because that is who I am.'' I insisted, daring them to say otherwise with my glare. ''Sure , Gabriel, I'd be honored.'' I smiled sweetly
''I'll come along,'' Raven boomed
''Me too,'' North grumbled
I rolled my eyes. ''That's a discussion for another day''
''Go on, guys, sleep wherever.'' I shooed them, cleaning up the area.
''I'll help,'' Victor and Dakota approached me.
''Sure?'' I was impressed that the billionaires were taking to my shitty apartment like fish to water. They were amazingly kind and humble and I was so glad to have met them. Wendigo wouldn't ever get his grubby hands on them, even if it was the last thing I do, I vowed to myself silently, watching all 14 settle down around my apartment.
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Hey, got this chapter up! hehe so we learn more things about Hayden's past, finally. Hope it really lived up to your expectations of the big reveal! More explosive stuffs to come soon, I just can't resist some healthy doses of chaos.
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