Warning: this chapter may be triggering. There will be violence against Callie and an attempt at sexual assault.
‘He broke up with his girl, he’s on a warpath.’ Bodhi’s words bounced inside my skull. As my back pressed into the cold brick wall. Staring into the frigid, soulless eyes of the snake in front of me.
‘He’s drunk, probably took God knows what.’ More of Bodhi’s words haunted my thoughts. I knew deep down, I was in deep shit. His strength outranked mine tenfold and if he took something, I could be in danger. But despite the danger raising red flags in front of my face, this felt like my one and only chance to enact my revenge. If I couldn’t physically fight with my fists, then I could fight with my words. With the words I had bottled up for years, I felt ready to uncork the bottle and let all my words flow freely.
Man---what shitty plan, but I had to do it.
For them.
For me.
His grey eyes narrowed as he stared at me, really taking in my face. “I feel like we should pick up where we left off......” His heavy tongue slurred every word, weaving them together. His calloused fingertips roughly drifted over my cheek possessively. The potent stench of alcohol mixed with garbage wafted from his parted lips. Bile rose onto my tongue making my throat constrict into gags at the foul smell coming from him threatening to spill onto his shirt.
I swallowed hard, forcing the acid back into my stomach. My mind instantly numbed with his unwanted caresses touching my body. My brain wanting to retreat into myself to a safer place and disconnect from the outside world where danger lurked. It chanted at me to hide myself from him and not let him take anymore from me. I shook my head trying to regain myself at least a little. I could handle this. I could handle him.
Stay. Stay alert. Stay yourself. Don’t mentally retreat within.
“No!” I hissed suddenly, shoving my hands into his hard as a wall chest. His large frame fell away from me in surprise. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing, Zane Peterson, but you will not touch me!” I yelled again with purpose now, letting the shakiness of my voice shatter away to show my strength. His eyebrows raised into his hairline in surprise and his fully-blown pupil’s glared daggers into my defiance. He truly believed I wouldn’t fight back as hard as I did. Because to him, I never had. He thought I was the prey, but in turn, I was the real predator now.
“Do. Not. Touch. Me.” I warned again through growls, pointing a finger into his hard chest. Bluish veins erupted along his forehead and his jaw tensed. His muscles strained against his clenching teeth and flaring nostrils.
I turned my body, stupidly leaving my back to him. I took a few steps before his hand slapped in front of my face against the wall stopping me dead in my tracks. A trickle of ice-cold fear flew down my spine, as I tried to duck under his arm. He shoved me back into the wall and I groaned as his forearm rested against my neck, blocking small amounts of air from my lungs. He pressed into me. His features the same angry contortions they were before. But he was losing his grip on the monster lurking inside of him, clawing to get out. I knew my time of safety was numbered. I had to fight back this time.
For them.
For me.
For us.
“I’ll touch you when I want.” He gritted out in a harsh tone, dipping so low. His voice seemed to growl like an angry wolf on the attack. I pushed against him again, but he didn’t budge this time. His body seemed like the brick wall behind me. Tall, sturdy, and unmoving. I knew I couldn’t push my way out of this, but I still had a few choice words for him.
‘How far would his father go to protect this psycho? When will he say enough is enough?’
“Is that how it goes then?” I asked in a small voice daring to make eye contact with him. Swirling emotions erupted behind his grey eyes like a thunderstorm brewing behind them ready to unleash its terror. Tornadoes and hurricanes blasted through ready to strike me down and twist me up into ten pieces.
“What?” He growled again, pushing his body further against mine. Causing my mouth to hang open trying to catch as much air as I could.
“Is that how it goes, Zane?” I asked a little louder this time making full eye contact with the monster. “You just take as you please? Didn’t your father teach you any manners? No means no, you fucker.” I spit at him, letting my sticky saliva fall down his nose. His eyes darkened to a dangerous level and I knew right then I had awakened the sleeping monster inside of him. It crossed his features contorting his face to pure, unadulterated evil ready to strike down on me.
And strike me he did.
A blast of pain whipped my head to the side, sending stars into my vision. I cried out from the pain rolling around inside my head and my vision blurred in my left eye. His chest heaved in angry puffs, as my head settled back into position. Whatever worked its way through his veins, made him like the hulk. Angry and ready to pounce on my defiance, even willing to strike a defenseless girl.
“That make you feel better?” I rasped out, my voice failing me. I needed to make myself seem strong, but with the shakes rocking through my body. I didn’t stand a chance. And who was I kidding? He was a beast, an absolute beast.
“Hitting a girl make you feel like a man?” I asked again, as he cracked the other side of my face. Sending stars and black dots into my vision threatening to send me into permanent darkness.
“Would you shut up!?” He screamed in my face. “Just make this easy.” He growled again.
“Is that what you said to Talia? To Alicia? Huh? I remember what you said to me! You fucking rapist.” I seethed and his eyes widened. He recoiled slightly like I had slapped him across the face. He shook his head back and forth in disbelief. Did he think he did nothing wrong with me? Did he really think when I had said no back then that it meant I wanted something more?
“Because of you, I couldn’t have a meaningful relationship. Because of you, I could never show anyone where I lived! Because of you…….I lost it all. You raped me when I was vulnerable. You took my virginity and then threatened my family!” My eyes were slowly swelling shut from his closed fist hits, but I continued my stare.
Making him look into the eyes of one of his victims. Because I’m real. I have feelings. And he just stared back, before pulling his fist back and knocked me straight into the mouth. Pain rocked through my lip as my flesh tore into a gaping wound into my lower lip, pouring blood down my chin. I instantly tasted the coppery blood pouring into my mouth, my teeth loosening from the force of the hit. But the pain was only physical. My main pain was finally out in the open. He could beat me black and blue to shut me up, but I had to get these words out. I had to confront him.
My breaths felt shaky, as he pressed into me again. His hand began to roam down my sides and hot tears fell down my cheeks.
“You’re a piece of utter shit,” I whispered and all the fucker could do was smirk at me. My blood seeped out onto his face at my words, but he continued his assault. His hands reached under the skirt of my costume and he tore into my panties.
“You’ll pay for this,” I whispered hearing the urgent steps of someone crunching into the rocks of the alley.
“YOU MOTHER FUCKER!” Zane was ripped from me and thank god. My knees nearly buckled, but I felt a familiar pair of hands grab onto me and pull me close.
“Oh God! Oh God, Cals, do you hear me? Fuck. Fuck. I tried to get here as fast as I could. I swear to fuck. I tried to find your brother and…..” Dex babbled, his voice trailed off as tears rolled down his horror-stricken face. His deep brown eyes took in every ounce of damage across my face. Concern laced his eyes as he took in the blood from the cuts resting above my eyes, hiding in my eyebrows. Small amounts of blood seeped down my cheeks and chin. Dex paled at my injuries but pulled me close to him. Letting me bury my pained face into his chest. A comforting gesture, bringing small amounts of peace to my inner turmoil.
“You sack of shit!” Bodhi grunted from behind me and I finally turned my face. My jaw dropped, as I watched Bodhi’s heavy fists pound into Zane’s face over and over and over again. Relentlessly uncaging his roaring anger at the man who had caused all my pain. Bodhi knew. He had to have known.
“He knows?” I murmured into Dex’s comforting chest. Not expecting any sort of answer.
“He knows,” Dex confirmed and I peeked up through the swelling slits of my eyes. “I didn’t have to say anything about it. He just knew something wasn’t right.” He whispered and I squeezed my arms around him. Squeezing him in gratitude for his dedication to my trust and I knew any secrets I had, I could tell him.
Zane's bones snapped and cracked, as Bodhi sat on top of him. Pounding his fists and slinging a slew of curses at him.
“You fucked with my sister?!?! MY FUCKING SISTER?” Deep emotions cracked through his thunderous shouts. Bouncing his deep voice off the brick walls surrounding us. Even over the moans and groans of Zane’s painful yelps and pleas for help.
But nobody stepped up. No one stepped in to stop him.
A crowd of men formed in the alleyway. Mostly the brothers of the frat looking on in horror as one of their own beat his friend. They looked at me. Then they looked at them. And they knew. They knew what Zane would have done had I not sent for help.
Another warm presence embraced around me, and Jade cried into my shoulder. “I’ll fuck him up! I’ll kill him for you!” She sobbed into me, and I leaned my head against hers. Letting her emotions envelope mine and they took over. Tears burned down my cheeks and from my eyes. The salt from my tears searing through my wounds.
“Jesus,” came another voice beside us. He gaped at the assault in front of him. “Cals,” Alec whispered, looking between me and Dex. “God!” He ran his fingers through his hair, pulling the roots. “Should we call campus security?” He asked, looking into Dex’s eyes, and his arms tensed around me.
“No,” I said with finality.
“Cals,” Dex gave me a warning tone, growling in anger. I lifted my head from his chest, and then cupped his cheeks in my hands. How I kept myself sane during this whole thing, I didn’t know. I looked deep into his brown eyes and stroked my thumbs against his paling cheeks. His eyes roaming my face again. The horror of what happened taking a hold of his expression once again.
“Call the police.” I shifted my eyes toward Alec, who nodded. “But wait ten minutes. I have to get Bodhi away from here.” Alec and Dex nodded in unison.
“And him?” Dex nodded to Zane, who had stopped making any noise, but Bodhi still attacked.
“What do you do to someone inside the house that breaks the rules?” I wished I could raise an eyebrow at my creativity, but it hurt too much to make any sort of expression.
“Fucking flagpole, that bastard!” Alec piped in almost loud enough to rile up the group behind us. They hollered and agreed, but waited for confirmation.
Dex’s hands gripped my waist and gave a small squeeze. Almost asking if I was sure this is what I wanted. I nodded without hesitation. The whole campus, the police, and Zane’s father would finally glimpse the monster what he truly was.
“You heard the lady! Grab the fucking duct tape and let’s flagpole this bitch!” Dex shouted above the commotion and they took off to do as they were told.
“I gotta stop him,” I whispered, and Dex hesitated to lose his grasp on me.
I turned myself around towards the ongoing, one-sided fight. My head swam in a dizzying sea, and my legs wobbled with my steps. Jade grabbed my arm and led me along in silence. I was almost positive I had a serious concussion, but I couldn’t stop now.
I grabbed Bodhi’s fist on his backswing, startling him out of his aggressive frenzy. He flinched at my touch and then looked back like he wanted to clock me too before he realized it was me. He stood up and cupped my face. His large hands took in the damage. Blood stained his knuckles and his lips quivered with the pain of knowing.
“My best friend,” he whispered. “He fucking... he…” he closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against mine, showing me affection for the first time in years. “I’m so sorry, Cals. I’m so fucking sorry.” I swallowed hard, putting my hands over his.
“We’ll talk about it later, I promise.”
“You’ll tell me everything?” He whispered, and I nodded in agreement.
“Absolutely everything. But right now, I have to get you out of here. Alec is going to call the cops for me after we flagpole him.” Bodhi smirked through the pain of it all.
“That bitch ass deserves it. I would have killed him for you. I would have…..”
“Death is too pleasant for him. He’s already in trouble for this upstate and now…”
“He’s absolutely fucked.” Bodhi finished my sentence and wrapped an arm around my shoulder like the protective brother I always wanted.
Two frat members walked toward us and cracked their knuckles. They scooped down and picked Zane’s moaning body off the ground. Dirt and blood masked his face as they slung his arms over each of their shoulders. His feet dragged against the ground, unable to walk on his own. His own blood spilled from his face. His eyes were swollen almost shut, and his lip split with several deep lacerations. More lacerations lined his cheekbone and all of them leaked bright red blood down his chin, dripping onto his shirt.
“Just a sec,” I said in a small voice limping to stand in front of Zane. His head hung low, and he groaned with every movement they forced him to make.
I put my hand under his chin and raised his disgusting face-up. His grey eyes were hidden under the swelling, continuing to grow. I leaned forward, letting my breaths hit his ear.
“You will never touch a woman against her will again. It started with me and it ends with me.” He groaned in response, his head almost nodding in agreement. “I made myself a promise a long time ago and now it’s time to deliver my final blow,” I whispered again, removing my hand from his chin. It fell again, his chin digging into his chest. I stood back a little and reared my foot back before launching it into his dick. I swore I heard a crunch and then he howled in pain. The boys holding him up each stiffened their bodies and hissed at my actions.
I leaned into Bodhi again. Finally, letting the pain from my ordeal settle into my bones. My face pulsated with every beat of my heart. Sending pain through my nerves with every step I took. I leaned my head on Bodhi’s shoulder as Dex took my other hand into his. The adrenaline that raced through my veins came to an abrupt halt, flicking off as soon as it had flicked on. Leaving me dragging and my mind fuzzy with exhaustion.
Everyone around us disappeared in an instant and reappeared with stoic faces. Crowding around the front of the frat house where the flagpole stood tall and proud. The house before me abruptly changed from hours before. The shadows dancing from behind the windows disappeared, and they had shut the thumping music down minutes before. The brothers crowded the front porch with their arms crossed over their chests.
It began in silence, taking over the crowd. Their cries for justice ceased, as the distinct rip of duct tape echoed through the courtyard. Justice for my years of pain was about to be served in front of 300 people. A sick sense of satisfaction roared through my veins and my years of needing vengeance had paid off. Everything I had set in motion tonight had worked. Zane finally got a big, heaping dose of his own distasteful medicine. Forced against the cold flagpole, held down by strong arms. His whiny voice protested every action being taken against his will as they held him down. Forcing him to take his punishment like the man he should have been. Wapping layer after layer of duct tape around his body. Gluing him to the spot. But he couldn’t move. He could barely talk. All he could do was mumble and plead with them he was innocent and didn’t deserve this. But he did. No one, not even me, deserved to have their innocence stolen in such a vicious way.
I didn’t deserve it then, and I didn’t deserve it five minutes ago. Maybe I was sick to think he deserved every ounce of pain he received tonight? Maybe I was as twisted as he was watching with hopeful eyes as they finished the job. Securing the duct tape to just around his chest, immobilizing him.
“For you,” Dex whispered, handing me a small whiteboard and a marker. I swallowed hard, taking it with shaky hands. I uncapped the marker and Dex held onto my shaking hands. Seeing the alarm in my eyes. This was my moment of outing him. I had to write his crimes on the board for all the world to see. But it was still a hidden piece of me stored in a dark chest in my mind. Only two people for sure knew who he really was.
Dex squeezed my hands in support and leaned down to kiss my bruised forehead. “You’ve been so strong through this whole thing. Continue to be strong. Let the world know what a piece of shit he is. No one on this earth will think anything bad about you and what happened. No matter what’s going through that pretty little head of yours. It wasn’t your fault. He’s…”
“A piece of shit, Callie. I’m behind you 100% on what you do from here on out. But I will never let anyone hurt my sister like that again.” Dex stared up at Bodhi as he cut him off and nodded in agreement.
“We’re behind you.” Dex echoed Bodhi’s words, and I nodded. My shaky hands began writing his indiscretions and I almost couldn’t stop.
“I’m a sexual predator. I rape women. I beat them. I’m a piece of shit.” My hands shook as I wrote it. My handwriting resembled a kindergartner’s more than a 22-year-olds. But I did it. I wrote out his crimes.
For them.
For me.
For us.
Alec walked beside us and nodded. “It’s done.” He muttered to Bodhi, and he nodded.
“Go,” I said in a small voice. Bodhi ran a bloodied hand down his face. His eyes bore into mine like it conflicted him to take a step away from me. His tear-filled eyes conveyed his message loud and clear. He didn’t want to leave me like this, but he had no choice. “You have to. You can’t let the police see you. They’ll know you did it, no matter if you were protecting me. They’ll arrest you too. Go to my apartment. I’ll be fine.” I tried to give a half-smile, but it probably looked more like a pained grimace.
He nodded reluctantly and sighed. “Fine.”
“I’m not letting her out of my sight,” Dex said, putting a hand around my waist protectively. I leaned into him, feeling my body slowly falling. Nothing but the pain took over my thoughts.
Bodhi nodded again and headed out, looking back at us a few times. As the crowd parted like the sea for him to escape. Police sirens sounded in the distance and I sighed. This was my moment. My moment of truth, something I had hoped for, for a very long time.
It was time to tell my story.
I limped toward Zane and placed his crimes around his neck. He begged and pleaded through pained cries for us to release him. But no one listened again. I leaned on Dex again, barely able to keep my eyes open. The police sirens echoed up toward the house, and I knew it was now or never.
●●●●●●●●
I laid my head in Dex’s lap as he stroked my hair with love. The police came to campus and then they were gone. The past few hours blurred together, as I retold my story multiple times to the police. Feeling brave enough to give them and Bodhi every detail of this assault and the ones before. Bodhi hugged me. He told me he loved me and we cried together over the pain of the past five years. We vowed to never again hold just a large secret from one another.
My shoulders felt ten times lighter and my spirit free for the first time in years. I told the police what had happened tonight and five years ago. No matter if there was no proof against what he did back then, they still threw his ass in jail for assault and attempted sexual assault. My face showed the proof of his unhinged violence, and my torn panties served as a reminder of what he would have done. I told them about the bathroom incident. How he cornered me and tried to touch me. How threatened I was by his presence and how scared I was to come forward with his crimes.
After 10 minutes of cutting, they had finally peeled Zane away from the flagpole. They took pictures of my injuries and his injuries. But no one told them who had hurt him so badly, and the cops for once didn’t question it. They arrested him on the spot and had the ambulance check me over. I, of course, had a concussion, and they begged me to come to the hospital, but I refused. I wanted to recuperate on my own time with Dex and my brother, while Jade slept off her drunkness off in my spare bedroom.
“You need to keep the ice on your knuckles,” I grumbled through the ice pack over my face. Hiding my vision in darkness. Bodhi shifted on the coffee table next to me and grumbled.
“How do you know?” He said in a low voice. Ice cubes clinked together as he shifted the makeshift pack over his lacerated knuckles.
“Twintuition?” I snarked back through a painful smirk, as he gave a breathy laugh.
“Yeah…” he whispered. “Are you ok? How are you feeling about….” His voice trailed off uncomfortably, shifting into emotions he hadn’t expressed yet.
I swallowed hard. “I’ll be ok,” I whispered.
“Well, I’m staying here tonight. I’ll sleep on the damn couch. If his dad thinks he can bail him out….” He rambled angrily.
“He doesn’t know where I live.” I protested.
“If he gets out, you’ll be his first stop, Cals! I’m not letting him ever get to you again. I swear on my life.” Emotions took hold of him and his body shifted off the table and he paced the room. Wiping a hand over his eyes, erasing the evidence of his tears.
I turned my head, carefully tracking his movements throughout my tiny living room. “He’ll never get out. I’ll make sure he doesn’t. He doesn’t stand a chance against me.” I whispered and Bodhi stopped in his tracks. His eyes locked on mine, and he shook his head.
“I’ve been battling him for five years now. I got this.” I said, and Bodhi growled like a wild animal, throwing his ice pack across the room. Smashing it into the wall with a thud.
“But you’re not alone anymore!” He yelled, making me flinch in Dex’s lap. His chest heaved as he began pacing again.
“He’s right, babe. You’re not alone in this anymore. We are here every step of the way. For every battle.” Dex said agreeing with Bodhi and I groaned.
“Fine, then,” I said, putting the ice pack back over my swollen face.
Bodhi’s body shifted again, and he lifted my hand into his. He squeezed my fingers around his and sighed.
“I’m so fucking sorry for everything. For him. For me. The way I’ve treated you….” I squeezed his hand in mine, giving him the reassurance he needed. Because as far as I was concerned, Bodhi’s words were nothing. But the actions he had taken against Zane proved everything to me. Had he said some wicked things to me in the past? Yes. But now I could wash everything clean and move on because he understood now.
I washed my hands clean of Bodhi's horrid words and Zane’s actions. it was over.
I was free.
Free from all my pain.
And now I had more than one ally by my side.
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Are you proud of me? I didn't leave you with a cliffhanger this week. I think I deserve some cookies or a large pizza for that. ❤
Btw...prepare yourselves, this book is almost finished. Is there anything you want to see resolved before it ends?