Confusion drips steadily into my mind, but I haven’t the first fucking clue what he’s talking about. I don’t get the chance to ask him either because he slips out the front door, leaving me standing there like he was never here.
What the hell is going on?
Scrubbing a hand down my face, I sigh into the quiet room. Something tells me there is more to Roman and Luke then they’re letting on. The way Luke acted tonight, it wasn’t just anger that was flowing through his veins. He looked like he was capable of killing. I’d never seen him like that before. Then Roman shows up here, spouting nonsense. I’m not sure why, but I walk over to my laptop and open it up, navigating to the internet.
I’ve never even considered looking someone up, but here I am. Typing in the name of Roman’s gym, I hit the enter key and wait for the results to appear. At the very top of the page is the gym’s website. Then there are a bunch of other gyms as well as blog posts and such.
Going to the next page, I see a post at the top that says: Owner of Local Gym, Iron’s Fists, Ties to the Mob?
Swallowing thickly, I click on the link and wait not so patiently for the page to load. It’s an article for the city of North Woods from a couple of years ago. My eyes scan over the words, and it’s like I can’t gobble them up fast enough. The article is clearly written by someone to smear their names and the gym’s based simply on the content.
Many claim Ivan and Roman Petrov may be involved with the Rossi Crime Family and are simply using the “gym” as a way to build up an image here in North Woods.
I don’t continue reading; instead, I slam the laptop closed.
Rossi Crime Family? Mob? Cartel?
Fuck, this is bad, and now I’ve drug Jude into it. Panic starts to take hold, but I shove it away, clearing my head. I can’t jump to conclusions based on one article. Roman and Luke have been good to me, been my friends when I needed one, gave me a job, and an outlet for my anger. Surely, it’s a lie. No way are they doing anything illegal. Luke is just protective of his wife. Roman is just worried about Luke and me getting in trouble. That’s all this is.
Deciding to shelve the feelings at least until tomorrow, I push off the couch and go to check on Jude. I know she doesn’t want to be here, but having her here is going to make me feel more at ease. When I promised to protect her, I never put an expiration date on it, and I meant what I said. I would protect her from anything and everything.
Reaching the door, I hear the sound of the shower. My mind goes to a place it shouldn’t, envisioning her naked, the water cascading over her delicate skin. Of course, my cock hardens at the thought. Shaking my head, I remind myself that I have so many questions I want to ask her. Like, why she left that night, and why she chose to give me her virginity?
Staring at the door for a long second, I turn around and walk back into the living room, sinking down onto the couch. Pulling out my phone, I scroll through Facebook to give myself something to do. My head is swimming with thoughts right now, and all I want to do is shut down. All that matters in my mind is that I found Jude again. Now, I just have to find a way to make her stay.
4
Jude
My chest heaves as I stare at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. I didn’t hear much of what they said through the thick door. Even with me pressing my ear to the wood, I could only make out bits and pieces.
She is a liability… Keep an eye on the girl… Trouble…
What I did hear made my stomach churn. Each word was an arrow piercing into my skin, and I knew instantly I shouldn’t have come with him. I should’ve run faster. Hell, I should’ve run as soon as I saw them. I’m so stupid. Just when I get away from one tyrant, I run into the arms of the next. When will I learn? There are no good men, there is no one that is going to treat me the way I should be treated. Lex will be no different than the next. No, he hasn’t hurt me yet, but it’s only a matter of time.
Deciding I need a shower to clear my head, I strip out of my clothes. I avert my gaze, trying not to look in the mirror while I’m naked, but like always, my eyes are drawn to the marks on my back and side.
They’re mostly healed now, but still very much visible. I’m certain some of them will leave scars. Until now, my father has always been careful not to leave permanent marks. Who wants a damaged wife, right?
Since I damaged myself by losing my virginity, my father took no mercy with the last beating he delivered before kicking me out, disowning me as his daughter just like I’d hoped he would. What I didn’t expect was for it to actually hurt.
The sound of the belt slicing through the air meets my ears seconds before it comes down, landing harshly across my back. The pain is so intense I gnash my teeth together to stop myself from screaming out loud. I will not grant them the satisfaction of hearing me scream in pain. I’d rather bite off my tongue before letting a scream pass my lips.
“You are a disgrace to this family!” My father screams, spit flying out of his mouth as the belt comes down on my back and ribs again and again, ripping into my skin with each lash.
Through teary eyes, I look over my shoulder at my mother. She is standing by the wall, her face void of all emotion. How can she just stand there and stare at me? Watching this happen? Not even bothering to protect me.
At least my father is angry, at least he is showing some kind of emotion, but my mother looks like she doesn’t care at all. Like he could kill me, and she wouldn’t even blink.
I didn’t think that part would hurt so much. My mother’s indifference to me getting the hell beat out of me. To me leaving the family, being shunned, and told never to return. We were never close, but she was my mother for Christ’s sake. She could’ve at least shown a sliver of… anything.
Shaking the memory away, I turn on the water and wait for it to get hot. Those people are not my family anymore, maybe they never really were, not as I would perceive a family to be anyway. A family’s supposed to love you, care for you, cherish, and protect you unconditionally. My parents never did any of that. If it wasn’t for the books I’d read in the library, I probably wouldn’t have known any different, but I did, and that was what mattered to me.
As soon as the water is hot, I step under the spray and let it soothe my sore muscles. I didn’t realize how tense I had been until I stepped under the water and let myself relax against the tile. Turning, I find a bottle of shampoo, and body wash. Popping the cap, I give it a sniff and almost choke at the manly scent that assaults my nostrils.
The smell reminds me of Lex, clean and woodsy. It reminds me of our night together. Our night that made me believe he was a better man. Anger and betrayal push to the forefront of my mind. I feel duped. I don’t know why I’m surprised. I shouldn’t be.
Grabbing the shampoo, I wash my hair, and then my body before rinsing quickly and turning off the water. There is a towel hanging on a hook, so I grab it and wrap it around myself. Bending over, I reach to pick up my clothes, only to realize that they got wet in the process of showering.
Great.
I hang my clothes over the tub to let them dry, and I pop my head out of the bathroom to look into the bedroom. Lex isn’t anywhere in sight, so I walk into the room. I should just climb into bed and sleep naked… but I’d feel weird sleeping naked. Especially in his bed. What if his friends come back, and I have to fight my way out of here or make a run for it? No, I can’t sleep naked.