Chapter eighteen: Yes. Cupcake. It suits you.
Here he stood, Chase Everette.
"W-wow...Noah..you're..here." Chase didn't know how to respond, but to be fair, I didn't know what to say either.
"You guys moved here? To New York?" I asked and he nodded. I let out a breath. "Wow."
"Martha moved back home with my mom but I stayed with my dad...why are you here?"
"I'm here right now with Jude...he's visiting. I moved because my dad is back in my life so mom wanted us to be closer to him..." I scratched the back of my neck. "Wow this is weird..."
"Yeah..I thought I'd never see you again." He admitted and I nodded in agreement. "Oh um- do you want a-"
I just nodded and he went to go make it.
"God, what is your plan for me?" I whispered looking up and shaking my head. How the fuck do I always end up in situations like this? Why does my past keep coming back to haunt me?
"Here you go. On the house." Chase smiled crookedly. God I used to love that smile so fucking much.
"Thanks.." I said and took it before quickly getting up and walking away from the bar. I have no clue where I am and where the guys are right now.
I pushed through the crowds of people until I made it outside to where the actual race was going on. I sighed and scanned around for the guys. Nothing.
"Hey- what are you doing here?" Someone tugged at my arm.
"I'm sorry I don't know you..." I backed away from him.
"You do know me! Ace." He spat. "What the fuck are you doing here? In my territory?"
I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. I have absolutely no clue who this man is and whether or not I'm in 'his' territory.
"Fuck this." He tossed his beer down and landed a left hook on my nose. I felt blood dripping down my face as he lifted me up as if I were a rag doll and landed another hit on my jaw, then he took out a knife and managed to cut under my eye. I hissed out in pain, but I couldn't do anything. I'm completely helpless. I don't know how to fight.
"Stop it!" I screamed trying to kick the man away but it was no use. Everyone around us literally paid no mind to what was going on.
Tears poured down my face as he continued this for about ten minutes. He got up and just walked away like it was nothing.
I managed to get up and I made my way inside, everyone stopped and stared at me when I passed them. God can everyone quit looking at me?
I stood still as I tried to make myself less dizzy.
"Noah? Noah!" I heard Damien yell and suddenly, I was in his arms and he was carrying me somewhere. "Noah what the fuck are you doing here?" He murmured. I wrapped my arms around his neck to steady myself.
"It hurts," I let out a whimper as we finally made it to the top of the stairs. He kicked open a door and I heard the clicks of guns.
"What the fuck? Is that Noah?" I heard Blake shout as he laid me down on a couch. I looked around. It was a smoking room. There wasn't many people in here, and from what I can tell they were all from mayhem.
The door burst open revealing Chase. "Noah! I saw you being carried up here! What happened?"
"Go away Chase." I pleaded, "I don't want you here right now."
He sighed then said he was going to find Jude then ran out.
"I'm fine- I can handle it I-I want to go home." I whined and tried to get up but it hurt to much.
"Stop it. Blake, let's bring her back to the house. My mom can help her." Damien sighed and Blake scooped me up in his arms and brought me down a back stair case to a red car.
"Nice car bro." I mumbled as my eyes fluttered open and shut.
"Keep your eyes open, Noah. We'll be there soon." Blake stated firmly as my head laid in his lap.
"I'm tired." I mumbled and he sighed. "I didn't even know who he was! He knew me and said I should've known him but I didn't. He said I was in his territory then he-"
"It's okay, Noah. We'll worry about him later. Just keep your eyes open for me cupcake." Damien sighed.
"Cupcake?" Both Blake and I chorused.
"Yes. Cupcake. It suits you."
"Lit like a tit." I attempted to give him finger guns as the car came to a halt. The door clicked open and Damien picked me up again and we walked into the familiar mansion. Blake opened the door and instantly they began calling for help.
People came out of a bunch of rooms and began whispering. Asher was confused but instantly rushed to our side.
"Noah?" He asked me and I nodded. "What the fuck happened to her?" He growled and they shrugged.
"She said some guy yelled at her for being in his 'territory' and said she should know him, but she didn't and he was mad then I guess he did this."
"And no one stopped it?" Asher yelled at the guys.
"Damien found her walking inside." Blake threw his hands up in defense.
"Where were you?"
"The race."
"What the fuck was she doing there?" Asher asked Damien.
"I don't know. The bartender said something about her being with Jude and someone else."
"Does her dad even know she's involved in this whole world?" Damien questioned.
"Highly doubt it. Bring her to the infirmary. Now."
A few minutes later, we were in a room that resembled a hospital room.
"Hi honey, I'm Jillian, Damien's mom. And you are?"
"Noah." I winced as she began to clean up my face wounds.
"Noah honey can you tell me why you were at that race?" Jillian asked, "Does your father know you were there?"
I shook my head no, "He doesn't even know that I know he's in a gang. He think me and my sisters are completely clueless. He thinks I met the guys coincidentally."
"Guys? What guys?" She asked curiously.
"Ryland, Antonio, Xavier, and Aiden- ow." I winced.
"Aiden was there?" Blake's jaw clenched and I nodded with a wince. "Why were you out with her boyfriend?"
"Oh chill yourself. If anything I'm interested in Ryland. He's at least my age- holy hell that stings." I groaned and she let out a light laugh.
"So the boys wanted to go to the race?" Jillian asked and I nodded. "How did they get in? I mean, Antonio I understand but the boys are to young."
My cheeks turned bright red and I cleared my throat, "They uh- they made me dress like this and have a talk with the bouncer."
"So they pimped you out?" She asked and I shrugged nonchalantly. "Have they done it before?"
"Jude and Antonio used to make me when he came down to visit."
She just nodded then took my jacket off to examine the bruises on my arms.
"Boys can you get out for a minute? And get her some clothes." Jillian asked and they nodded before leaving the room. "I'm going to need you to take this dress off, okay?"
I nodded and I pulled it off. I was stunned at the fact that my abdomen was basically purple.
"Oh my god..." she said examining my stomach. "Honey you might need to go to the hospital, you might have internal bleeding-"
"No! No hospitals! Please." I accidentally yelled then quieted down. She nodded then looked at my legs.
"Noah..." she said softly as the door clicked open. Damien and the guys walked back in and Asher tossed me a t-shirt. They walked back out and she spoke again. "Noah what happened back here?" She asked referring to the big scars on the back of my thighs and I took a sharp intake of breath.
I looked down and spoke quietly, "I uh- I suppressed all the memories of that time in my life...I was in a foster care when I was about seven till we were ten. My mom couldn't afford us so we got taken away by the state. My sisters and I were separated. They were sent to good homes, me not so much."
"Did you do it to yourself?" She asked placing her hand on my own and I shook my head no then met her eyes.
"Each time I broke the rules I got a punishment then a line to remind myself of how bad I am."
"Oh honey..." she said softly. "I'm sorry for reminding you of that.."
"It's okay. The man who did it got arrested..." I started and the guys walked in, having no clue of the conversation as I finished my sentence, "and he ended up..hanging himself in jail."
"How old are you?"
"Seventeen." I stated and she nodded.
"I am so sorry hon. That's horrible. You shouldn't have had to go through that."
"It is what it is." I sighed then looked up at the guys who were completely confused.
"We texted your mom from your phone saying you're staying at my house with Rhiannon for the weekend. She was okay with it." Blake said and I nodded. It's Friday, does that mean I'm stuck here all weekend?