Derek's POV

I forgot to close the curtains and the sunshine hits my face before I'm even done with sleeping.

It's too early for me to wake up now.

We went to sleep late.

I realize I'm not alone when Veronica's hair tickles my skin, most of her hair is clung to my beard and the rest is on my face. But it doesn't stop here.

My arms somehow got wrapped around her and she is sleeping on my arm.

Fuck, no. This wasn't my plan.

I don't want to give her mixed signals... I don't want to be too close to her. But it feels so fucking good.

My arm is numb which tells me we probably cuddled all night. I slowly brush her hair out of my face and I realize it smells like my shampoo.

Now I remember, she told me she used my shampoo but I was too busy staring at her.

It's hard not to when she was almost naked, the half-wet shirt glued to her body and I could damn tell she didn't bother to wear a bra. Well, not really her fault considering she doesn't have her clothes here.

I shouldn't think like this about her. It makes it thousand times harder to stay away from her.

Then why the fuck is my arm still around her? Why is her scent all over me and my chest is warm?

I want to stand up, take a deep breath and pretend I don't love her.

I look down at the blanket and I notice her legs are exposed, it's not really cold but since she was freezing last night goddamn running away from that motherfucker—which I'll beat up soon—I decide to pull the cover on her legs up to her hipbones.

I look at the clock on the wall and I notice it's barely 8 am. It's so early. I want to fall asleep again and not wake her up.

I don't move my arm despite not feeling it anymore, and I just close my eyes. I love her warmth.

How did we get to this point again... why can't I stay away from her if it's the right thing.

I feel her move and I pretend I'm asleep, I don't know who initiated the cuddle but I'd rather pretend I'm not awake.

Veronica whispers, "oh!" And it takes everything in me to not laugh. I feel her looking at me.

She slightly pulls away, so slowly and carefully and the bed cracks a bit when she sits up.

Why did she stand up?

It shouldn't make me upset. But I wish she would pretend she didn't know and we'd enjoy our last moment like this.

We never got any closure before, besides the one letter I sent her—which she claims she never received.

After a few minutes, I open my eyes, pretending to wake up and I yawn.

She is staring at me as she sits on the bed.

"Admiring the view?" I chuckle.

"What?" she asks mindlessly. "No!"

"Sure," I say as I stand up. I quickly groan in pain when I move. The gunshot wound always hurts when I make sudden movements.

She looks at me worried but I ignore her as I grab the shirt from my closet.

"Today I have to go to my dorm..." she says and I look at her.

There is no way she is going to campus before I beat up that idiot.

"No," I simply say as I put the shirt over my head. She continues staring at me.

She doesn't know that I know we were kind of cuddling in our sleep.

"I will see Alex today."

"No!" she shouts as she walks near me.

"I swear I'm going to make him regret it." I clench my jaw and she does something I didn't expect.

Veronica cups my face with her tiny hands and I freeze for a second. She is so close I can feel her warm breath on my chin.

"You are hurt, please don't," she whispers and I relax my jaw.

"I'm okay," I try to convince her even if I can't even stand up from a bed without groaning in pain.

"You aren't. You need more time to get better," she adds, her fingers grazing against my stubble.

I stare into her warm sea eyes as I say, "I'll go with Dominic."

"I don't care. You aren't going."

"Do you want me to remind you what Alex did to us? Prison? You getting kidnapped and Shanice almost dying?" She lets go of my face. "Or the fact that he drugged you several times? You don't even remember what happened... he could have sexually assaulted you!"

The moment I say the last phrase she takes a step back and I instantly regret it even if I am right. He is a psychopath, and he deserves whatever it's coming his way. But she doesn't care about him. She cares about me. She is right, I wouldn't be able to fight, not like this. I'm not as strong as I was before the shooting. Going with Dominic is not foolproof.

Her eyes are glossy and I tighten my jaw when I realize that the last phrase struck a nerve for her because it happened.

I don't walk closer to her, afraid I'd make it worse. I want to smash everything in this room. I want to end Alex... if he touched a single hair of hers.

"It wouldn't be the first time," she says and my jaw drops to the floor. Some part of me wishes I didn't understand, but I did.

I want to comfort her but I don't think she wants me near her.

"Did he rape you?"

She bursts into full-on crying and my heart breaks when I realize that it did happen.

I asked the wrong question. It was insensitive. I hate myself for it.

God, I'm an idiot.

I want to walk closer to her, I want to comfort her. But what do you say to someone who's been through that?

I clench my fists. I want to kill that bastard, I want to do unimaginable horrible things that would get me in prison for life. I calm myself down because I don't want to scare her. It's not about me. It's about her.

"No. He didn't r- rape me-" she says through cries and my mouth's agape. I don't understand. She reacted as if it happened. Is she lying out of embarrassment? Is she protecting that piece of shit?

"I'm crying because... because he might have. I don't remember anything and he was jealous of you," she continues and I feel my heart heavy as if it was my fault.

I walk toward her, and I wait before getting too close. I don't want to make her uncomfortable. There is no right thing to say.

I wrap my arms around her and I tightly embrace her, with as much love and warmth I can find within myself even though I feel pure rage and hate in my heart.

I won't control myself around Alex. I can't promise I won't go back to prison. When I see him, I know I'll be the last person he sees.

She slowly wraps her arms around me and I pull her in tightly. I missed her.

I can feel her tears on my chest and I let her cry into my arms for however long she wants.

Minutes pass before she pulls away, and I feel empty again.

She is heartbroken and I can't even help her.

I hate myself for it.

"I'm here for you... if you ever want to talk about anything," I whisper and she nods as she wipes away her tears.

~

When I left, my heart was heavy with worry. I didn't want to leave Veronica alone especially after what she went through. But I have to solve this Alex problem fast. She needs to continue her life and go back to college. And he needs to pay for it.

I called Dominic and Irène. She still has a gun and she saved our asses so I can't complain. Although it's hard to forget I stayed two weeks in solitary confinement because of her.

I have to admit it helped me more than I thought, I was hunted after I snitched on everyone, and no guard could ever defend me in those prison cells stacked with inmates.

I told Irène to meet us at the garage not far away from campus.

"I am ready to blow his brain out," I say through gritted teeth.

"No, you won't. We will record his confession and take it to the police," she says calmly.

As much as I wish to kill him, it's not the best solution. We need his confession so I can prove he framed me.

"You will take him to the police all beaten up?" Dominic and Irène laugh and I stare at them annoyed.

"Not without a bit of torture before. I have to ask some questions."

"Huh, I like this new Derek," Dominic says as we prepare the garage I rented for a week.

I put the metal chair in the middle of the garage and I turn on the light.

Now we just have to find him alone and 'kidnap' him.

Revenge for Veronica.

"How do we get him out?" Dominic asks and I pick up the phone.

"I will tell Veronica in approximately ten minutes to call him. I gave her a burner phone and hopefully, he will accept."

"He isn't very bright. I don't know how she believed him for almost two years," Irène mocks her.

I shrug off her idiotic attempts to assert how smarts she feels compared to everyone else. I don't have time for this.

Irène and Dominic will kidnap him. And I'll be here opening the garage and tie him up.

Veronica didn't want to agree at first but at least I'll be safe. Irène has a gun and I won't be the one doing the kidnapping, although we need to be subtle since there are security guards on camp.

I send the text to Veronica.

Me: call him and tell him to meet at the frat house in the parking lot. Pretend that you are hurt and you don't understand why he would do that to you but you still want to give him a chance to explain himself.

Veronica: Okay. Please stay safe :)

I smile and Dominic and Irène stare at me.

"Idiot," Irène says.

"In love," Dominic finishes and I roll my eyes as I put the phone on the table.

I take out the ropes and I put them near the chair. They are resistant but they won't matter much considering Irène will have a gun pointed at his head the whole time.

"Go now. But hide in the car several feet away from him. Make sure he doesn't see you," I avert them and they nod.

I take out the phone and call Veronica after ten minutes.

"How did it go? Did he believe you?" I ask her on the phone.

"Yes, I think he did. He did warn me that if anything went wrong I'd be dead." She chuckles.

"You will be safe. Just don't leave your hotel room, okay?"

"I won't. Be careful, Derek," she says and I smile.

"Don't worry, we won't kill him and he won't get to me."

Thirty minutes later

I told Irène to give me a ring when she has him in their car and she is near the garage.

So when the phone rings and she quits the call after one ring. I quickly go to open the garage door. A minute later they come in with Alexander, Irène walking behind him with her gun low and pointed to his back.

Alex's smile fades when he sees me.

Dominic kicks him and shoves him into the garage. I quickly close it once we are all in.

There are no cameras around here, it's a sketchy cheap place.

"It was easy huh," I mock him as I grab the rope.

"Sit down," I spit as I push him back into the chair.

"I really expected him to at least hide until he sees Veronica, but this idiot actually waited near the sidewalk," Dominic says and Irène just bursts out in laughter with her gun pointed at Alexander's head

"Oh, come on guys, you give him so much credit. Look at him. Poor little puppy," she bends near him as I tie his calves to the chair.

"Do you really think he is smart? He only pulled it off 'cus Veronica isn't that bright," she continues as I tie his hands together.

Alexander shifts in his seat, trying to free himself from the ropes as he tries to attack Irène but fails miserably.

She loads the gun and she points it to his dick.

"Well, what a show." Dominic laughs.

"If I see you breathe one more time louder than I want you to, I'll reserve two bullets for your balls, understood?"

I chuckle. She is scary sometimes. I'm glad I called her.

"Say yes ma'am," she makes fun of him while Dominic and I laugh.

"Yes..."

She points the gun closer to his jewels as she forces him to speak.

"Yes ma'am," he says through gritted teeth.

"Good boy."

"Get to work, Derek," she says as she walks away from him.

I don't show him that my wound still hurts, and I don't groan when I move.

Not even when I walk straight to him and punch him in the face harder than I thought I could.

His nose spills blood and his mouth is crimson, he spits some of the blood all over himself.

"What did you do when Veronica was unconscious?" I ask through gritted teeth, ready to punch him again.

"I- nothing!" He spits more blood and I look behind me. Dominic looks concerned.

He didn't know every detail.

I punch Alex again and his face flies to the side, spilling more blood.

"Honest answer."

"I didn't d- do anything! I swear. I-"

I punch him again, his head rests on his shoulder for a few seconds and then he looks down at his hands. He tries to free himself but I grab him by the collar of his polo.

"Nothing?" I spit in his face.

"I swear- I swear, Derek! I only drugged her so you could think she was still abusing drugs and sleeping with me. I haven't drugged her at all the past few months!"

He says as if it was such a charitable act to not drug her the past few months.

I push the chair back and it falls. He groans in pain but I ignore it.

I let him chill there for a few minutes and I clean the blood off my hands with a wet towel.

"Don't go too far," Dominic mouths without speaking so Alex can't hear.

"Absolutely do!" Irène mouths as well but I ignore her.

"I swear I'm telling the- the truth!" Alex murmurs and I go to him and I lift the chair up.

Big mistake. I groan in pain and he can tell it's because of the wound from the gun.

"That's why you brought Dominic and Irène? A gun? What a pussy. How you gonna protect Veronica?" he mocks me and I don't let it get to me. I don't want this freak to tell me what I can and cannot do.

"Well, she is a slut so don't worry, she has many men protecting-"

I punch him again, his chin covering up with blood and Dominic runs to me to stop me from pushing him to the ground and punching him again and again.

"It's not worth it," Dominic says as he pats my back. "Calm down."

I take a deep breath in and I let Alex rest for a few minutes.

I don't believe him. I don't think he would get her unconscious for nothing. It makes zero sense.

"Irène, take out the phone and voice record this," I say. Alex looks up at me with his sunken eyes and raised eyebrows, confused about what I'm going to do.

"Answer with honesty or I'll take out your teeth one by one."

Irène comes closer to us and she puts the phone near his face.

"Don't act nervous, don't pant or do anything that implies we hurt you, understood?" I say and he nods.

His jaw clenches as Irène says, "start."

"Did you buy 30 grams of high purity 538 cocaine so you could frame me?"

"Mmh."

He looks horrible, blood all over his shirt and face, his voice is shaky and breathy. This won't work out.

"Turn off the voice call," I spit and Alex winces but Irène does as I say.

"It's not a good idea. We should keep him here for a few days. Clean him up, make him look normal, and film his full confession instead," I suggest and Dominic nods.

Alexander isn't happy about it as he tries to move out of the chair but he can't. I tied him up tight enough so that it cuts his flesh whenever he moves too much.

"Won't someone hear him?" Irène asks and I nod.

"Let's move him." I put my hand in his pockets and I take out his house keys. He lives in the dorms but he also owns a house one hour away from here.

It's better if we film his confession in his room and without blood as if he wanted to do it willingly.

"I won't let you h- have it easy," he screams but I knock him out.

Alex passes out and we untie him and clean him up so we can take him to the car when he wakes up. We can pick him up and shove him in my car but he needs to look normal when we get to his house. I know his yard is immense and he doesn't have neighbors close.

Veronica's phone is not on him so I assume he left it in his college dorm. I stole all his keys so I can give one of them to Irène so she gets back Ronnie's keys and phone.

I park the car near the garage and we check before taking him out. We need to be sure no one sees us. The lights are dim and we thoroughly checked for hidden cameras.

I shove him in the rear seat near Irène, so she can keep an eye on him—more likely the gun on him.

"Easy," I smirk as I get in the car with Dominic. I turn on the engine and drive out of the garage.