(Trigger Warning: This chapter contains mentions of abuse, assault, nudity and sex. Dark themes ahead so read at your own risk. But it is certainly important.)

13 HOURS AGO

(Lila's P.O.V)

I rushed out of his house, my heart skidding in my chest and my cheeks burning up.

I was...I was...

I was blushing! Fuck.

I felt uncomfortable whileas Derek felt at home when he teased me, trapped me in his embrace. So close.

He called me adorable. Delectable.

He cupped my face.

He was handing out such weird compliments like flyers on a street!

God, we'd been so close.

I'd felt his breath on my lips and seen that look of pure, undiluted want in his copper eyes as he stared at me. I'd felt it all, the warmth of his skin of mine, the feeling of being in his magnetic orbit and I'd been unable to deny.

That manly scent that was all Derek Greyson had encompassed me so fully like a burning embrace of a forbidden fire.

I'd been off-kilter.

And I have zero clue how I managed to come off as indifferent as much as I did. How I teased and bantered while my stomach filled with butterflies - those darn things - and I pictured myself as the Wattpad heroine getting her real spark-filled kiss.

I don't know when it happened, how it happened but these feelings were so unrequired. I hated them but at the same time...

I feel warm and fuzzy and just a look at his coppery eyes, his dimpled smile and tempting lips induces foreign feelings within me.

I shook my head quickly as if it would help clear my mind. 

It didn't.

I steadily took a few calming breaths and hoped my betraying heart would calm down from its galloping. 

It didn't but I almost enjoyed that high.

As I entered my room, alone at home, I felt a damper on the feelings I'd been experiencing.

I couldn't face our friends or Derek himself after the little spectacle of our almost-kiss so I ran out. Like a coward.

I wasn't a coward.

I'd trained and learnt so much just so I wouldn't be helpless. But it wasn't something I could use when it came to these matters of the heart.

In the silence of the room, the dark engulfed me and a sense of despair filled the air. I'd become accustomed to the loneliness. In fact, I liked it a certain bit. The peace and calm that Derek had been disrupting since day one of his arrival in Ladenhill.

And without me realizing, I'd crawled out of my shell. The protective gear I'd adorned myself with so I wasn't impenetrable but no could see all of me had been rendered useless because the dimpled-guy had started chipping away at it.

It felt like drowning under the sea to me. Because I wasn't stupid enough to not realize what path I was headed down with these skipped heart beats, small smiles and thinking of Derek.

But he wasn't good for my heart at all.

I never would've expected anyone to swim down the ocean of my demons and my aloof behavior to reach the chest where I kept my heart locked. Derek had almost found the key to unlock it and it was such a scary thought.

If I did like him, I would accept it. But I wasn't all the way there. Uselessly denying feelings had never been my way of working things out.

If it is, then it is.

Better to accept it than live in denial and fear.

Except Derek Greyson had secrets that could probably rival my own if didn't know at least a few of them. He was the bad-boy who didn't have qualms about taking a pretty girl to bed and letting me hear the sounds of their debauchery all night.

But then he was also the bad-boy who could make me smile when I felt at my lowest and did things that were thoughtful. Noted and cared.

He was so interested in the Wildcat too and it posed another question for me.

Derek was complicated and his actions with both my identities were cordial and nice and....

He made me afraid.

I didn't know what his stance about me was.

We were casual. We flirted a bit, I suppose. We teased. He used his perverted jokes on me and I insulted him back. We bantered. He shared his secrets with someone like me and I let my walls down around him without ever having realized it.

He called me Kitkat....and I...

I think I liked it.

But I didn't want to let him in. t wan to see my demons, to see the ugly sides of me because I had them, a lot of ugly truths  and sins and--

I raised my hand to my chest, rubbing between my breasts and closing my eyes as I visualized exactly what lay there as a brutal reminder.

I hadn't been conscious but with these feelings bordering along the word 'like' came insecurities and distractions. I couldn't have them, especially before my revenge would be completed.

Isn't that what every girl with crush thinks?

And isn't it always the opposite because the guy the girls in the books choose are always understanding in the end?

However, I was no protagonist.

I ran a hand through my hair and tried to think of something else, licking my dry lips and then trepidation about whether he'd like my gift or not filled me.

It'd taken me a good amount of time to come up with that gift of Everlast boxing gloves and tape. And I'd also spent a good amount of my earnings as Wildcat on having them custom made.

I looked out of my window and saw Derek's window open as always. My lips twitched and I cleared my throat, suppressing the smile and decided sleeping early today was a good decision.

•♤•

"Stop it! What are you doing, Stop-"

The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could get a complete handle on the situation. Eyes wide, the only thing my brain registered was the terror I felt seeing my best friend pinned under a huge man, struggling and being slapped.

Everything stilled and then every eye in the room turned to me.

Fear made me cower and I finally felt the ropes binding my hands and feet. It didn't take me more than that to realize what situation we were in.

The pungent smell of cigarette smoke overwhelmed me and I knew I'd hate it forever in the days to come.

If I didn't die that is.

The man pinning Mellisa gave me a look of utter indifference and he looked to be the one in charge.

"You useless assholes had to drag this bitch in, didn't you?" His hand slipped under her shirt as he spoke to the other brutes and my breathing became erratic.

"Shut her up." His command sent the others into action and I hadn't even realized that I was sobbing.

Because seeing my terror reflected tenfold in my beautiful best friend's eyes was horrifying for a 15 year old.

Before I knew it, scary men were in front of me and like a stupid girl I spoke in a rush, "Please don't, please let us go-"

A piece of cloth was stuffed into my mouth by someone and my blurred by tears vision and panic  made my ears register the sounds of protests and struggle Mel made. With the makeshift gag, my sounds were muffled but I didn't stop struggling as and tried to kick one of the brutes as he came closer.

"Ahhh! Get off me you fuckface!" Melissa's scream rang in my ears and I saw that she'd gouged her nails into the man's cheek and now blood was now trickling down the wounds.

Silence ensued and I detected how the man's eyes fell on me, the cold anger filling them made my blood freeze. 

Swear, fear and cigarette smell filled the air around me, thick with tension I I feel deep in my bones.

Mel was afraid too, I could see it as the realization of her actions dawned on her.

She was trembling as the man got up, my lungs felt empty of air and I watched with my breath held.

He touched his cheek and when he saw the blood, a cruel smirk twisted his features.

Mels got up, looking at me as she scrambled to her feet.

Only to be slapped so hard by the man that she was sent sprawling onto the ground. It didn't take a moment for the guards to grab a hold of her and make her yelp, face stained with tears. 

"P-please don't-" She sputtered and I felt like my voice had vanished, buried under the weight of my precarious and dangerous situation.

A dark look filled the man's eyes and he turned away from Mellisa and started approaching me.

My heart was pounding in my ears, my chest felt as if it'd jump out right at that moment. Blood rushed through my veins and I prayed for an adrenaline rush that could make me kick-ass.

My breath was caught in my chest when he spoke, his voice full of violence and barley contained anger. 

"My name is Roy Gambino. And you should be very afraid of me." He reached me and bent down to my level, grinning and I noted the scar on his face as he grabbed my cheeks, squashing them painfully as he continued. "See, I only wanted your pretty friend. But you were a variable."

A sob escaped me tears uncontrollably falling down my cheeks.

Did this mean being pretty was a sin? Then why was I here too when I wasn't his definition of pretty?

"Stop touching her, please, let Lila go, mmfh!" I cringed as I heard her plead for mercy on me and getting slapped again.

I wanted this to end.

The man simply chuckled, delighting in our misery. He leaned forward and licked my tears, making me shudder in disgust and revulsion. "But your friend here, Mellisa, was it?" He glanced back at her as I started to gasp for air, pain radiating in my body as he tightened his grip and someone else twisted my arms. "Yes, she's being a bitch and I think I know exactly how to make her submit."

He gave me an assessing look and then shared a meaningful one with one of of subordinates.

I watched with growing agitation as the minion took out his cigarette and lit it up  making me want to throw up as my stomach turned.

He approached Mel.

I wanted to ask what he was upto but my words failed me as I watched in perplexed anxiousness.

The monster whistled and then the man pressed the cigarette butt over Mellisa's cheek, making her squeal out in pain and fear.

"Oh my god, what are you doing? Stop it!" My cracked voice filled the abandoned area and I panted as I saw in horror how the man continued his assault.

The monster kept staring at me, his smile ever growing and discomfort spread through my body at his obvious enjoyment in our displeasure.

Mellisa cried out again as the cigarette was pressed against her neck, her arms and left burnt skin and marks.

"Stop hurting her, you can hurt me, let her go!" I looked at Roy peladingly  "Please!"

He looked like he'd been waiting for exactly that and I realized I'd fallen into his trap just as he had wanted.

His grin was full of malice and spelled terror for me and his next words made me tremble.

"Bring me the branding iron."

I tried pulling away, my senses back in motion and the Monster let go only for his minions to grab a hold of me painfully.

I shook my head, the gag making my words of protest turn into gibberish. Trepidation gripped me in it's worrisome talons and I was helpless to the acts that came to pass.

And then the buttons of the shirt flew off, a frenzy was created where I couldn't keep trck of every move. I writhed and bucked, but my shirt was open and then a knife slid under my bra.

I stilled, staring at the Monster with wide, horrified eyes as the cold metal bit against my skin. I wasn't curvy like Mellisa, wasn't developed enough, gangly and average and so when he sliced through the flimsy material and my eyes closed of their own accord, my cries echoing, only Roy's maniac laughter filled my ears.

Shame at my nakedness was only a small reminder in the back of my head. 

And under that gruesome grating sound of the Monster's laugh were my best friend's cries full of pleas and pain. 

I focused on them, grounded myself and tried to stop the stream of tears but to no avail. I couldn't imagine how much worse I'd feel if I was alone in such a state.

But then guilt weighed me down because no, I'd rather face this shit alone that have Melisa witness or go through something similar.

"STOP IT, YOU ASSHOLES!"

Her scream made me open my eyes and dread filled me at the sight of the branding iron, a motif etched on it and heat coming off of it in waves as it burned red. Meant to brand.

To hurt.

To burn.

To mark.

No, no, no.

The word was a constant chant in my head and my voice was hoarse from screaming uselessly.

Why was no one coming? Was everyone deaf? Where were we?

I tried to distract myself as the brand inched closer and Roy's eyes danced with a sadistic happiness. Mel's cries mixed with my own and I felt like I was unable to breathe at all.

"I'll do whatever you want, stop it please, don't hurt her!"

No! Don't say anything like that, Mel! My words were only in my head though and the next second pain engulfed my chest so astoundingly that I felt like I was seeing stars.

My eyes rolled to the back of my head as the hot iron pressed between the valley of my breasts, pressed until the smell of burnt flesh reached my nose. Pressed until I was biting the gag so hard I think I was ready to bite my tongue off. My back arched and I screamed with no abandon.

Wailing and sobbing, "Please, no, no! You can do whatever you want to me, JUST STOP HURTING HER!"

And when the monster pulled it away from my burning skin, I felt dizzy with pain and ache, my muscles that were locked so tight until now loosened and fell limp as I simply tried to breathe. I think I was crying but the pain and the blurry vision overtook my mind.

"Please...please, just hurt me, you can touch me, stop it, just stop it, please..." Mellisa's broken words made through to me and as I registered them, the pain in my chest from the burning flesh took a backseat.

So a new torture could begin anew.

"How convenient. I can so easily keep you both in check."

•♤•

A/N

Alright, this was an intense chapter. We're finally getting a glimpse of Lila's elusive past and damn if I didn't cry while writing this one.

Sexual assault or abuse are nothing to be taken lightly, especially as writers. You don't just add the elements to highlight your story and make it better. You do it for those who couldn't survive or get revenge. At least I do. This concept in my book was long since planned out and I want to show the development of how the monsters in this world are going nowhere. Maybe in reality they don't get justice served to them but at least in this piece of fictional work, I can make them go through hell.

It's because this shit happens and so many victims never say anything. Maybe because no one listens, maybe because they're powerless. There are countless reasons.

But I'm hanging onto the one reason I can use here. The survivors.

Portraying the ugly truth of the world and the way one can overcome an ordeal, finding love and family. That's why I wrote this book. We're getting closer and closer to the secrets being revealed so yeah.

I hope the chapter was good enough to pull on heartstrings and even if it wasn't, no problem.

Till next time then, stay tuned because in the next chapter, far too much will be revealed. You'll get to Know Derek, guys!

~Skyler