Trigger Warning: Self-harm

Welcome to the last official chapter of ROD! (There are two more bonus chapters) Make sure to leave a lot of likes and comments to end on a good basis!

Today is the 1 year anniversary of ROD. I published the first chapter on July 9th, 2020! So happy 1 year to all my dedicated readers who have stuck around for a year exactly today.

"I just don't know how dad is going to react, I mean he's going to flip when he finds out." I sighed as I walked beside Aster. We had been walking up to the doors of Xanders mansion for Reese's fourteenth birthday party- where Xander agreed to host his little sister's birthday party.

I was excited to be taking this next step with Pierce, and I couldn't believe we had cosigned a lease together. I was glad to be growing u0and taking these big steps, it's just that I was afraid to tell my parents-well more specifically my dad. I knew my mom would be happy for me although my dad would not share the same excitement. 

"Just relax, he'll just need to process it. You're growing up and he needs to realize that." Aster stated confidently, but he had no idea how protective and at times controlling my dad was over me. I took in what in he said, and pushed open the grand wooden doors only to be welcomed into a house filled with people. 

I hadn't stepped a foot away from the door when Reese and a group of her friends came running past me. Reese stopped in front of me, flashing me a smile as her eyes flickered against the light "Hey Aspen."

"Hey, kiddo, happy birthday." I flashed her back a smile as I pulled her into a quick hug before handing her the card I had wrapped in an envelope. "Holy shit-" A blonde kid spoke up as he stared over at me, making Reese roll her eyes in response.

"Forget it, Danny, she's 1) way too pretty for you 2) like four years older than you so ew and 3) my brother's girlfriend," Reese said in annoyance as if this was a reoccurring thing. I let out a chuckle before my eyes snapped up to see Pierce approach behind the group of teenagers. 

Reese's friends began tugging at her arm as they pulled her away from the door entrance, Reese giving into their pull. "Thanks for the card, Aspen!" She called after me before disappearing behind a corner. "I see you met Reese's friends." Pierce pressed a quick kiss to my forehead before acknowledging Aster beside me. 

"I am so glad you are not that age anymore." Aster narrowed his eyes towards me before turning to Pierce "Evangeline here, yet?" Pierce nodded in response, directing him to find her in the kitchen which left us alone in the door entrance. 

"So did you tell your dad?" Pierce cocked an eyebrow at me as he pulled me closer, his arms hanging loosely around my waist. Pierce knew what a problem it would be to tell my dad that I was officially staying in New York and there was no getting out of a lease, which is something he knew. The night Pierce asked me to move in with him was at dinner with my parents, where my dad immediately spoke up to say no.

"Not yet, I just couldn't. He's going to be pissed." I was in my head about telling him. I knew that I had to tell him and that I couldn't continue to put it off, I just wasn't mentally prepared to break the news to him. Pierce took my hand and led me down the hallway before we entered the kitchen where Mrs. Gunner was preparing food with all of her daughters offering help.

"Aspen." Mrs. Gunner looked up at me with a smile on her face, as she set the knife down from her hands. Walking around the marble island countertop, she greeted me with open arms. She pulled me into a hug, which I returned as I caught the smell of her perfume. I pulled back from her as she took my hands in hers.

"Congratulations on the apartment." Her smile didn't fade, "I'm so proud of you guys." I offered back a small smile with a thank you before looking over to Pierce. I couldn't help but be jealous of Pierce and not having to deal with fighting his parents over buying an apartment-although I knew I was lucky enough to have parents that cared.

"You better invite me over all the time, I might strangle Triston since we're dorming together." Juniper gave me a wide-eyed look. I couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of Triston and Juniper living together-they were best friends but after an amount of time together they were at each other's throats and I was usually the one to mediate between the two. 

"You guys really lucked out on not having to dorm-it sucked." Harley added before she looked directly over to me "Aspen, are you still going for nursing?" Harley was in nursing school before she dropped out to become involved in the gang full time, and she was pretty adamant on how good I'd be in the field.

"Planning on it, although that might change after the first week and how much work I get," I said sarcastically. I knew nursing was going to have my work cut out for me but it's what my heart had been set on since I was 13, always wanting to become a trauma nurse- no matter the work it took to achieve that.

"Well if you need any help, just let me know." Harley gave me a small smile before returning back to the fruit tray she had been putting together. I followed Pierce out of the kitchen and into the living room where the rest of the gang had gathered, all of us early to the party.

Pierce took a seat on the leather couch next to Cypress before reaching for my hand and pulling me down next to him. Mercury's eyes immediately shot over to me as she glared at me. I tried to ignore her stares but knew it was only because I was so close to Pierce-something she still hadn't gotten used to.

Pierce and Cypress became engrossed in a conversation about some drug deal they had done lately but I was paying too much attention to Mercury to listen in. She looked over to Greyson as they shared a look with each other before Mercury let out an aggravated sigh and stood up from her seat. Her hips swayed as she walked away, her heels clicking against the hardwood floors. While Greyson rolled her eyes before sinking back in her seat and returning her eyes to her phone.

"I'll be right back," I said quickly to Pierce before standing up and following the same path that Mercury had just taken. I watched as she stayed a few steps ahead of me, her long blonde hair being pushed to behind her shoulders. It wasn't long before she reached the outside patio, shutting the sliding glass door behind her.

I waited a few moments behind the glass door, watching as she pulled a cigarette and lit it before placing it up to my lips. I took a deep breath in before pushing the door open and joining her on the patio to the cold winter air. The patio overlooked the pool area which had been covered till summer.

Mercury's eyes snapped over to mine as she hovered the cigarette between her lips "What the hell do you want?" I already knew this wasn't going to go over well but I was sick and tired of the stares, the glares, the whispers, or the wise-ass remarks. Mercury hated me since the first day I stepped foot in the Northeast for absolutely no reason.

"Why do you hate me?" I asked bluntly, getting right to the point. It didn't make sense as to why she hated me, even before Pierce and I became anything. I didn't understand her mindset, she hated me more than anyone but barely knew me.

Mercury let out a snarky laugh before stopping when she saw how serious I was being. "Seriously?" That was the only thing she said to me before taking a drag from the cigarette and letting the smoke puff out from her pink-colored lips. 

"You have no reason-I've never done anything to you. I mean is this all about Pierce? Because then seriously Mercury you need to grow up." 

"Never did anything to me?!" She exclaimed, her eyes widening as she looked over to me "Are you fucking kidding me, Aspen? You did everything for me! The day you got here you ruined my life. I don't even know why you're here right now!" 

"I'm here because I don't understand..understand this grudge you have against me," I said in honesty, as I began to feel small rain droplets fall from the sky but not enough to make someone scatter inside as soon as possible. Maybe it was useless to ask Mercury, but I wanted to try.

"You took everything from me!" She shouted, her voice cracking as she looked over to me "Pierce was mine! I've loved him since we were kids, we were always Mercury and Pierce and then you took him! He was mine!" 

"Pierce didn't want you anymore, so why hate me for him leaving you?" I didn't understand why Mercury would hate me when Pierce was the one who left her. It was pointless to bring up the toxicity of their relationship as well because Mercury would deny all of it because in her mind it was perfect.

"You don't even know, do you?" She put out her cigarette as she scoffed. "Know what?" I raised an eyebrow in confusion as to what she had been talking about. I didn't understand what she was talking about and part of me told me that I didn't want to know.

"The night we were at the club when you left with Tucker and Pierce went running after you." She started, referring to the night of Pierce and I's second kiss ever in the back of the club after he told me he had been raped at a young age. 

⚫ Mercury Charlotte Sullivan POV ⚫

"I've been waiting for you to come around." I slid my hands down Pierce's chest as I tugged at the bottom of the white t-shirt. I found his lips again, his moving in sync with mine as he slammed me up against the wall. My back hit the wall, as Pierce's hands moved all over my body. 

I stayed pinned against the wall as his hand went to my thigh, pushing my thigh upward as it was pressed against his hip. His hand snaked under my dress, reaching for the side of my thong before slipping it off my legs. We both broke away from each other momentarily, both our breath heavy as we both could barely breathe but it didn't stop us.

Pierce pushed me back onto the bed, my head falling against the pillow as his body holstered over me. His hand groped my breast while the other pinned my arms behind my head-something that Pierce knew I loved. He loved being dominant and aggressive and he always knew I would let him always be the girl to satisfy him.

I broke away from Pierce as I pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it to the side. I looked down at his bare chest, which showed off his six-pack abs that would make any girl drool. I bit my lip in response looking up at him as our eyes met. I forced my lips back to his as he gripped my hair in his fist, tugging me back. 

"I love you," I said breathlessly. My heart was beating a thousand miles a minute, while butterflies continued to erupt in my stomach. Pierce always made me feel at home and never once did I not enjoy a moment in his arms. We always found our way back to each other. 

I opened my eyes when Pierce had broken away from me completely, standing in front of the bed as he got off. I sat up on the bed, looking at him confused as to why he would just break away from me. I held my dress up to cover the top half of my body.

"I can't do this." He muttered under his breath as he grabbed his shirt off the floor. "What? What do you mean?" I asked, confused "We've done it a million times before. You told me just a couple of weeks ago that you couldn't wait to do it again."

"I'm done, Mercury." His voice was cold and demanding. "W-what do you mean?" I shuttered at his words, hearing those exact words countless times, and never once did it get easier to listen to. Every time Pierce had left me hurt just as much as the first time he did. He meant everything to me. 

"Pierce!" I said loudly to get his attention after he ignored me, his piercing gray eyes snapping over to mine "Get the fuck back on the bed and stop being such a little bitch. What the hell has gotten into you?!"

I was tired of playing games with him, he had been so wishy-washy lately, it was getting harder and harder to read him. "What? Are you bored of the sex? We can try new shit-" I began but was cut off when his voice became enraged "What don't you understand Mercury about I'm done?!"

"Is this about her?!" I shouted back, Pierce becoming completely silent. I couldn't even think about Aspen without getting sick to my stomach. I had seen how Pierce looked at her and she was becoming an obvious threat, but I told myself over and over again that she wouldn't replace me. 

Pierce didn't respond, his silence giving me the answer. "Well is it?!" I shouted again, wanting him to say the words so I knew it for real. 

"I like her, ok?!" He shouted back at me "I fucking like Aspen and I can't fucking do this anymore. I won't do that to her."

"I can't fucking believe you." I gritted the words out, my heart shattering into a bunch of pieces. I knew he liked her, but I convinced myself he didn't. I couldn't face the heartbreak of watching him fall for her-especially Aspen. 

I wasn't able to compete with her.

Tears began to prick my eyes as I looked at him, the sadness and anger taking over me both at once. I reached over to my nightstand where a razor blade had been sitting before holding my wrist up and digging the blade into my skin. I yelped at the pain, not taking my eyes away from Pierce as he stared back at me.

The blood began to trickle down my arm, the blade not cutting deep but only to break the surface of my skin. Pierce's eyes bored into mine as he watched the blood appear from the cut in my skin. 

"Fine, cut yourself. as much as you want. I don't care anymore." He said before tearing his eyes away from mine, grabbing his leather jacket, and leaving my bedroom as he slammed the door behind him. I shouted after him, my voice breaking with every yell as tears flooded down my face. 

"That's what happened that night." Mercury finished off the story as she wiped away her tears. I couldn't believe what had happened, and I knew Mercury wasn't exactly a reliable source but from the show of her tears, I had no other chance but to believe her.

They were both at fault. Pierce shouldn't have said what he said, and Mercury shouldn't have victimized herself and manipulated him like that. It was the perfect toxic relationship that they both got themself caught up in. 

"You hurt me without even doing it directly." She turned away from me as she stared out of the patio. I hadn't known what else to say, there was no getting through to Mercury that she had been in the wrong and that was manipulative. 

The most manipulative people manipulate themselves into thinking they are the sane ones.

"Hey." A voice appeared, making me whirl around to see Juniper standing behind me. I looked back at Mercury who refused to look over to me, a tear making its way down the side of her face. I stepped back inside, leaving Mercury to herself and letting the conversation go.

"What was that about?" June asked as she closed the glass door. "Nothing," I mumbled, not wanting to talk about it any further.  June had told me my parents had just arrived, my anxiety spiking by ten times. 

I followed her back to the living room where most of the gang had been as well as other people began to arrive. I took a seat next to Pierce, who was in the middle of talking to Cypress, which I was glad for, so he couldn't get the chance to question where I had gone.

"Have a drink, you seem stressed." Triston handed me an alcoholic seltzer which had some fruity flavor. My eyes snapped over when my mom and dad walked into the room, my dad looking very unsettled.

My dad had never been around Crestmont and definitely didn't want to be after everything that happened. In his head, Crestmont was like a gang that you'd see on the police shows when it wasn't exactly that.

"Ashton!" Mrs. Gunner entered the room cheerfully as she stuck her hand out to my dad "It's so nice to meet you." My dad looked down at her hand before looking back up at her, hesitantly shaking her hand in response.

"Ashlynn has told me so much about you." Mrs. Gunner tried to lighten the mood. "Oh has she?" My dad looked over to my mom, his eyes giving amusement but not the good kind. It wasn't long before Mr. Gunner walked out to the living room.

"Oh no..." I mumbled to myself as I watched Mr. Gunner interact with my dad. "Well I'm glad to finally meet you, I mean Ashlynn had put it off for years." Mr. Gunner gave a snarky laugh before placing the glass of whiskey up to his lips, taking a swing from the glass.

"I mean considering our kids bought an apartment together, I think it's time the parents meet." Mr. Gunner said sarcastically, my eyes widening in response as the words left his mouth. Aster's eyes shot over to me as he shared the same 'Oh shit' look with me. 

My dad looked over to me, his face filled with confusion but also hurt "What?" I closed my eyes shut tightly as I let out a sigh, not wanting him to find out this way. My dad meant everything to me, the least he deserved was for me to tell him myself-not find out from my boyfriend's asshole father. 

"Aspen, I think we need to talk." My dad looked over to me, the whole room becoming silent. I sighed, standing up from my seat as I followed after him to the study. My dad walked up to the desk, his back facing me as I stood by the doors completely silent.

I swallowed a lump in my throat, not knowing what to say. I didn't plan for it to go this way. It was hard for every dad to watch their baby girl grow up, but especially for my dad after finding out his whole life was a lie and finding out his only daughter was kidnapped, beaten, and raped.

"Dad I can explain-"

"I can't believe you, Aspen." He didn't let me finish as he turned around to face me, a distance staying between us "We had a plan, we had everything planned and now you went behind my back and did this."

"Plans are meant to change sometimes." I spoke up calmly "I didn't mean for you to find out like this, I was going to tell you I just wanted to wait for the right time."

He turned his head away, not looking at me as he stared down at the ground, placing his face in his hands. He rubbed his face before pulling away from where I could see tears prick his eyes "You don't get it, Aspen. You are ways too young to be doing this to yourself."

"A ton of girls move in with their boyfriend in college, it's really not that bad-" I started, trying to rationalize the situation. I was growing up and I was taking the next adult move, it wasn't as terrible as he was making out to be.

"No Aspen, not that!" His voice raised, his green eyes snapping back over to mine "It's everything! Look at yourself now, you are not the same Aspen that I dropped off here. You've turned down the wrong path and made the worst decisions. I mean you're in a gang for christ's sake! And for some reason, you and your mother think I'm just supposed to be ok with that?!"

"Dad-"

"You were kidnapped!" He yelled, his yells making me flinch slightly "You were kidnapped, beaten, and raped but you're going to stand in front of me and tell me this is the life you want to live? We used to watch cop shows on TV where they'd bust gang fights, and now you're living it!? You're so smart Aspen, but since you got here I wonder where your head is at. You're a completely different person."

I couldn't be mad at him, I couldn't be frustrated.

When looking at the situation from his perspective I knew why he felt the way he did. I was always my dad's girl, we were all each other had after my mom was gone and Aster left. Every day it was just him and me and he watched me be taken advantage of by my own boyfriend when I was only 16.

I went through a ton of pain after being raped by Cayde but my dad went through every stage of grief for me but the entire time I put on a smile just for me, never breaking in front of me so he could be the strong one which is exactly what I had needed. 

Once I was kidnapped and he found out about my mom but not only that she was involved in a gang but that she was alive, it destroyed him. A gang is what took my mom away from him and he thinks that's what will take me away from him.

"I'm better now." I insisted "I'm a better Aspen. I've grown so much since I've got here and it's for the better even if you don't see that now. I don't expect you to get it. I'm not the same little girl that was broken and fragile. I can fight my own battles and I don't let anyone walk over to me something, you always told me to do."

"I can't lose you." My dad said in an almost whisper, sniffling as he wiped away the falling tears from his face "When I found out you were kidnapped, my heart broke. I thought I lost you and I didn't want to go on but I knew I had to. You're my little girl Aspen, I don't want to watch you make bad decisions that screw you in the future."

"Moving in with Pierce isn't going to screw me. We're good for each other, and he'll always be there to protect me." I hoped the idea of Pierce being able to protect me would settle his worries a little bit but I doubt it would help at all at this point. 

"Aspen, you're young. What happens when you break up and you're stuck in a lease with Pierce? What are you guys going to do? What happens if you guys are struggling to pay bills? What happens when you face all these adult situations when you're still so young." He began to question, trying to do everything he could to change my mind.

"Then we work it out," I admitted honestly, walking up to him as I closed the far distance between us. Pierce was my one and I wasn't worried about us ending up not together, I knew that whatever the world threw at us that we'd handle it together.

My dad's eyes shifted over to the door, making me turn around to see Pierce standing in the doorway. I could only imagine how long he'd been standing there, but I hoped it hadn't been long. Pierce made his way over to us, and let out a deep sigh as he looked over at me before turning over to my dad.

"Sir, I love your daughter more than anything in the world." Pierce began "And I will never ever let anything happen to her again. I know you see Crestmont as something like the bloods or crips but it isn't like that. And I know how much you mean to Aspen, she wants your blessing more than anything."

Turning my direction towards my dad, his eyes met mine as I said softly "Please be happy for me."

"You promise to take care and protect  my daughter?" My dad looked over to Pierce with a stern face. 

"With my life, Mr. Ambrosia."

My dad let out a sigh before looking at me "I'll make you a deal. I'll give you to the end of your first semester to prove to me that you can do this. If you can then you can continue to be an adult and live on your own. If it was obvious there are problems and it's proven you can't do this you have to move back home. And you have to promise to call at least three times a week?"

"I promise." A smile broke out on my face, knowing my dad may not accept it but he was willing to tolerate it and put his own worries aside just for me. I threw my arms around my dad in joy, hugging him as he hugged me back tightly. 

I closed my eyes tightly for a moment, letting everything sink in and my worry officially was pushed to the side now that everything was out to the open. I pulled back after a moment, looking over to Pierce with a smile plastered across my face. 

"I'm glad you found a man who cares about you so much." My dad said proudly as he glances over to Pierce "And she's a keeper, so treat her well." With that said my dad gave me a small smile, giving my hand three squeezes to say 'I love you' before heading out of the study and going to find my mom.

Turning towards Pierce, I let out a sigh as he pulled me closer to him. His arms wrapped around my waist and I placed my hands flat against his chest that radiated warmth. I glanced over to the windows to see it was now downpouring as thunder outside rumbled above us.

I was glad to be where I was, in a place where I knew I was loved and appreciated. I had changed since I got here from New York, not the same weak and broken Aspen. When I was introduced to Crestmont I hated it and thought it was some sick group of friends that did illegal activities- but I was only right about the illegal part. 

Crestmont was nothing less than a family, no matter who had it out for you- when it came down to it, we'd always all be there for each other. I was glad to be accepted into this family where I could continue to grow and become the person I am today, and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Pierce and Crestmont.

"I can't believe we got an apartment." Pierce shared the same shock as me "It seemed like just yesterday you got to Northeast and everyone's eyes were on you."

"Yeah, I still haven't forgotten about you shoving me up against the wall and threatening me to join the gang." I let out a small chuckle as I thought back to that day when Crestmont was all still new to me. 

"Hey, I was just doing what I was told. Trying to stop you from being killed." Pierce pressed his forehead to mine as a smile pulled at the side of my lips. I loved this, I loved us and I just hoped we could live this life forever. 

"I guess it really was Ride Or Die," I added, remembering when Pierce told me that it was Ride or Die and I just had to choose which one.

"I love you, Aspen Ambrosia." He inched closer to his face, his lips brushing against mine as I smelt his peppermint breath.

"I love you, Pierce Gunner." I pressed the small gap between us, Pierce responding to my kiss immediately. I closed my eyes tightly shut, gripping his shirt in my hand as I kept my body pressed against his. 

The only noise in the background was the falling rain and the chatter of everyone from the party. I blocked everything out, focusing on only us at this moment- the perfect moment. He pulled me closer, his right hand pushing to the small of my back while his left cupped the side of my face. 

I kept my eyes shut, my lips moving in sync with his as I thought back to our first kiss the night of June and Pierce's party in December. I couldn't believe how far we had come. If you told me we'd be here now when I first got to Northeast I would have laughed in your face. 

While Pierce and I have had our ups and downs, we were always there for each other. Every time he'd look at me I'd get butterflies or anytime he'd say anything, I couldn't help but blush. It was just him, me, and the world. 

This is when I learned the real lesson that not all bad boys are actually bad, they're just boys waiting for the one girl to come along and take the bad out of them. And I was that girl for Pierce, and he soon dropped the persona and was himself around me. 

I loved him with my whole heart and I knew this was just the beginning.

Pierce and I broke away from each other, Pierce pressing his forehead to mine as a smirk grew on his lips, his hands keeping tight around my waist.

"What?" I asked curiously. 

"Next chapter is going to be more of a Rebellious Ride." 

* * * * * 

Hi! Happy Friday and Happy 1 year! I cannot believe it's that long and that is book is finished. Ride or Die has now finished at 590 pages (no double space and size 11 font)

Let me know if you plan on sticking around for the second book: Rebellious Ride!

What did you guys think of this chapter? 

You got to see Mercury's POV, would you like to see it in the future again?

What do you think about Mercury and Pierce's relationship now that you got an insight?

Do you think Aspen and Mercury are going to be able to be friends one day or no?

What do you think about Mr. Ambrosia? Do you understand his perspective and think it's justified?

Do you think Aspen is going to prove her dad right that they can live together after the first semester is completed?

Any guesses with Aspen in the next book?

Guesses about Pierce?

Any guesses about any other characters?

What do you think will happen to Aspen and Pierce when they return in the next book?

~Ash