trigger warning: sexual assault

•••

My breathing turns deeper as I process his words, trying to tell myself that I'm probably misunderstanding the situation. He's a client of James, he cannot possibly mean what I think he's implying.

"Richard. I think I'll get back to the party in a while? We can talk then." I say, trying to keep my tone as neutral as possible as my eyes move around the bathroom to catch hold of something so that my knees don't give out from the fear crippling my neck.

"I'm glad we're away from the party, Lillian. Why get back?" He asks as he enters the bathroom even further, making me take a step back.

"Listen, I really think you need to leave before I start shouting." I glare at him because I really would start yelling if he doesn't leave.

"One thing about Clark's? Every wall is sound proof." He smirks, stepping closer and making me take two shaky steps back.

I just have to reach the door and then I can make a run for it. God dammit! I shouldn't have left my phone in the room. My thoughts seem to clam up as his hand reaches out to my waist. I immediately gasp from the shock of how his touch manages to repulse me. It's as if my skin is burning from his touch.

"Richard, you don't need to do this." I manage to get out, "Please."

I try to squirm away from his grip but he only tightens his arm around my waist, making my breaths laboured. I push at his chest to get away from him but it only makes him chuckle, aggravating me so much that I end up slapping him across the cheek.

His laugh stops as he glares at me, his eyes turning into slits as he pins me back to a wall, my head hitting it roughly as a pain shoots through, "You really think you can get away, huh? You've been marching your ass around me ever since the wedding day. I think you've been asking for it for a while now."

What the hell is he talking about? I've barely seen him a few times that he has visited the house office in the evening. Tears brim my eyes as his hand twists my wrists above my head and he closes the distance between us to bring his mouth closer to mine.

"You have to let me go, and I promise not to say a word." I beg in hopes that he'll actually consider but he only smirks before pressing his filthy mouth against mine, making me shake my head in attempt to get him off of me.

But he's strong, really really strong as one of his hands comes up to tightly hold my chin in place. I can taste the alcohol on his breath as a bile builds up in my stomach. When he brings his lower region close to my legs and rubs himself against me, that's when the tears leave my eyes as I try not to choke on them.

His tongue plays with my lips as I keep them sealed shut before he squeezes my chin tighter, making me whimper from pain as he invades my mouth. With as much strength as I can, I bite on his tongue between my teeth, and the shock makes his grasp on me loose but I don't let go as I continue to bite before he pulls himself away from pain.

"Fucking bitch!" He yells as he spits blood on the floor and his hand smacks around my face, numbing my cheek from the impact.

Taking the advantage of being out of his grasp, I rush for the door, unlocking it but before I can turn the doorknob, he pulls me back, "Not so easy, now now. All you have to do is comply and stay silent. It'll be over before you know it."

He twists my body to face him again as his fingers run to the slit of my dress before moving up to reach my panties. I sob out, but then I yell, I yell through my cries even though the walls are sound proof, in the hope that someone hears me.

I can taste blood in my mouth from his slap but I don't care, I'd rather him hit me than touch me where his hands are roaming right now. I notice how he unbuckles his belt and I shake in his grasp, continuously pushing at his chest but he holds both my wrist with his free hand.

"No, no, no. Please please please don't do this." I cry, sobs leaving me one after another.

Just as he moves his hand under my dress again and fingers are about to slide into me, the bathroom door opens. My eyes look up in immediate hope and sobs wreck through me when I see the familiar face of my brother.

"What the fuck?" He takes in the sight and Richard immediately steps away from me.

He doesn't even falter before stepping in and immediately punching Richard and I fall to my knees, not being able to hold up on my own. "You fucking asshole!" Jeremy booms as he continues to throw punches but Richard doesn't let go without a fight as he punches him back.

"What the hell is going on in here?" I hear Hale's familiar voice which only makes me scoot closer to the wall as I bring up my knees to myself, wrapping my arms around it as tears leave my eyes one after another.

Hale immediately rushes to Jeremy to push him off of Richard and holds him back and then looks at me, his eyes wide in shock, "Jeremy! Jeremy. Stop listen to me. You need to stop."

Jeremy finally looks away from Richard who stands up, sending a deathly glare to my brother who looks down at me and then at Hale, "He was— oh my god, he was!" He tugs on his roots before tears fill his eyes and he rushes to me.

"I need —"

Hale's voice is cut off when there's another presence on the door. It's James. His eyes meet mine, worry immediately clouding his face before he looks at Richard and his cut lip and then between his best friend and my brother. I can see him connecting the dots in his head before the realisation dawns upon him.

"No." He breathes before looking at Hale to contradict him.

"James, no! No." Hale tries to stop him but he doesn't blink before going straight for Richard and punching him so hard that he falls to the ground.

James keeps throwing punches until I hear a bone crack, that's when both Jeremy and Hale start to push him back, "That fucking asshole." He shouts and I only quiver from his loud voice.

"You'll kill him, James. You need to get it under control." Hale holds his face to look at him and my vision blurs a little from the tears before they leave my eyes.

Jeremy is by my side in an instant, "Lil. Lil, talk to me. Please." He speaks, tears running down his face but I just continue to shake my head because I don't know what else to speak.

"I—" I try to speak but my voice croaks, catching the attention of both James and Hale. I look at my brother, "Don't tell Mom and Dad."

"No, no, no. You're not staying. You're coming back home." Jeremy tells me and I want to laugh because recently I don't seem to know where home is.

"Like hell she is." James snaps and I close my eyes. "She's not going anywhere."

"Why? So another of your clients can get his way with her?" Jeremy yells back at him, anger coursing through his face.

"Jer, no. Don't tell Mom and Dad. Promise me." I look at him and he gives me a painful expression before nodding as I look at the other two, "Don't tell anyone. Just please, please get him out my sight." I break down, a sob escaping me and Jeremy wraps his arms around me.

I shake as one sob after another leaves me before I hear Hale talking to Richard, "You're lucky I stopped him or a dead body would've left this place."

"She's a fucking slut, Clark. Kinky as hell, she likes it rough." He snarls looking in my direction.

That pretty much does it for James as he punches him again, "You really need to fucking stop talking or I will kill you." His tone is so cold that it makes me shiver. "Keep him here for as long as possible, I'm pressing charges."

James scoots down in front of me, his eyes filled with more worry than I've ever seen before as he looks at my face, making Jeremy let go of me a little, just a little.

"We're going to go upstairs, okay?" He asks and I nod, trying to stand up but my knees almost give under me which makes Jeremy hold my elbow. James looks at him, a look of plead in his eyes, "I got her. Just trust me."

Jeremy nods, wiping away his tears as Hale moves to open the door more and I'm so glad that no one has come back here yet. I specifically came to this bathroom because it's hidden in the corner by the home office, knowing that I could be alone in peace.

James looks at me, "Is it okay if I touch you?" He asks and I am not sure if I am but I nod because I just really want to go to my room and lie down.

His arm comes to snake around my waist as he gives me enough support. Just as we leave the bathroom he turns right and opens a door and there are stairs, what looks like a fire exit as he looks down at me.

"I'm going to pick you up, okay?" He says and I don't respond because I don't have the energy to do so.

He puts his arms around my back and under my knees before making his way up the stairs. I can't help the tears that continue to leave me because I cannot seem to stop crying. I can feel Richard's hands all over my body. I close my eyes as tears leave me and then I hear another door being turned before the familiar hallway comes into my view.

When we reach the door of my bedroom, he opens it and makes his way to my bed, before making me lie down. I immediately turn my head into my pillow as sobs rack through me. I feel a dip in the mattress as James sits by my side, his hand coming up to my hair.

"I'm so sorry." He breathes but his apology only manages to add onto my emotional turmoil.

I don't even care how horrible I look as I see up from the pillow and stare at him, "I really want to take a bath, James. I feel him everywhere." I manage to speak and he nods.

"I'll run the jacuzzi for you." He says as he gets up to leave but I shake my head.

"I'll just take a shower. I just need to wash myself off." I say and he nods. I sit up in the bed and look around the room to notice only the side lamp is on. "You should head back downstairs. I'm okay."

He gives me a look like I've lost my mind, "You're an idiot if you think I'm leaving you alone." He says as he gets up to get me a glass of water. I take it and immediately gulp it down before standing on my wobbly knees to get myself some clothes to change into. "I got it, Lil. Just go shower."

I want to argue but I really don't have the energy so I go to the bathroom. I stand under the shower and rub my skin until my fingers starts to wrinkle from being under water too long. I dry myself before pulling on a bathrobe and leaving the room. James is sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. He has laid out sweatpants and a loose t-shirt for me along with some clean panties and a bra.

He must notice my presence because he looks up, his eyes lacking any trace of happiness which was present just a couple of hours ago.

"I need to change." I say and he nods, getting up to leave the room to give me my space.

When I'm done changing, I lie down in the bed. As soon as I close my eyes all I feel is fear crippling my neck and Richard's grasp on my body. I bring up my wrist to my face and notice the bruises he left behind.

There's a knock on the door and I hear James, "Lillian?"

"It's open." I say and he enters the room. I notice that even he has removed his jackets, only wearing the white shirt.

He comes around to the other side and looks at me, "Can I?" He asks gesturing towards the bed and I look at him with confusion, "I just want to sit."

I understand and nod, and he sighs before setting his back against the headboard as he looks down at me.

"Hale came upstairs along with Jeremy to check up on you." He says and I gulp, because I really don't want to see anyone right now, "I told them you were sleeping."

I give him a grateful nod before breathing and looking at his face filled with guilt, "It's not your fault."

"Of course, it is." He scoffs, "I had no idea otherwise I would have never introduced you to him."

I nod, "Which is exactly why it's not your fault."

"You wouldn't be in this situation if it weren't for me."

"Please don't. It's not anyone's faults except his." I speak, tears brimming my eyes again, "I really do want to press charges."

He nods, "I wouldn't have it any other way. I promise."

I nod, making myself a little comfortable before sleep takes over me and I dream about the monster who visited me in real life today.