Crushed (Torn #7)(36)

“No! God, no,” I instantly interjected. “Are you kidding me? You think Carter would hurt me? Never in a million years.”

His nose flared as he watched me, beside himself and feeling helpless as he waited for me to open my lips and finish what I had begun.

“But it was a man … another man…” I licked my lips, hurting all over again as I remembered everything. “He was someone I’ve known for years.”

Brody seemed ghastly pale, looking frantic as he waited for each word that came out of my lips.

Closing my eyes, I knew I had to relive that torturous night one last time.

“I was invited to this party. These parties I go to are the rogue ones that you guys usually don’t go to because it’s too rowdy, and it’s a mixed-crowd. But I’m used to going to these bashes … because, well, it’s when I most especially need to really get f*uked up. This guy, he’s the person I call to hook me up and score some coke here and there.

“Well, that night the drug of choice was different than what I was accustomed to, and since I was already out there, ready to have fun, I didn’t see the point of whether it was Molly or cocaine. In my mind, as long as I have fun, everything will be okay, and it’ll turn out as I normally expect. I’d have my escape for a few hours before I headed back to the real world...”

I heard Brody hiss, as if he knew where this story was heading, but thank goodness he didn’t interrupt me.

“I know the difference between the drugs, of course I do—I think everyone does—but it didn’t particularly register in my head. I was too busy and too caught up in my own pains and sorrows to even consider my surroundings and the peers I was with that night, and though I had small reservations about taking the drug, I didn’t voice any of them. Instead, I took it without a thought. In hindsight, it was an irresponsible move, but I was past it that night. The need for escape was pivotal, so I chose the path of recklessness.

“So, after taking the pill, it didn’t take long for it to work into my system. By then, I was dancing with him. Time went on, and we danced some more. He began to gradually start touching me. Nothing too daring on the dance floor, but he became a little too daring for comfort as things progressed. It wasn’t necessarily making me uncomfortable, because it felt good when he touched me. Still, in the back of my mind, I knew I shouldn’t even give in an inch, but you see, my mind and body were reacting differently. It was as if they weren’t synced right, and even though my mind was still rationalizing everything, my body’s intense reaction took precedence. A mere brush, a soft touch of his hand, anything he did to me felt like he was electrifying me…

“Whatever he did then jolted my body into a different dimension. It was like no other experience I’d had before. So, when he decided it was time to leave the dance floor, I had little control. I should’ve known what the next phase was, but I think I was in denial that he was capable of anything indecent when it came to me…

“In the bedroom, he had a friend there, who at that time was jerking off to porn, but when he saw what his friend was doing to me, he basically turned his attention to us—”

“f*uk. Stop!” Brody interjected, madly shaking as he shut his eyes, breathing heavily. “f*uk. f*uk. f*uk!” he screeched out, growling as he punched the wall several times.

I watched him, helpless and thunderstruck. His violent reaction had caught me off guard. I wasn’t sure if I should keep going, but I knew I had to, for both our sakes.

Breathing out, I bit my lip before continuing my wretched story. “Though his friend distracted me for a few seconds, once I realized I was on the bed and … he was on top of me, I knew I was in for something I wasn’t prepared for. High as I was, I knew. I swear to God, I told him to stop, that I didn’t want it like that, but he kept going. It was like he knew that, if he pushed his luck, he’d get lucky because I was on Molly. So that’s what he did … until he took whatever pleasure he could from me then passed out cold.”

Silence filled the room, the only audible sound that of Brody’s animalistic breathing. I wasn’t sure if he was about to have a heart or asthma attack. All I knew was he wasn’t pleased—he was furious, and he was going to blow up soon. The question I had was whether his anger was directed at me or to Rob, whose name I hadn’t disclosed. Whatever his opinion of me after hearing the reason behind my odd behavior for the past week, I just hoped he would still keep his promise to never utter a word about this to anyone.





Chapter Twenty





Watching him wearily, I knew I had to say something, or he would eventually die on the spot, and he really did look like he was about to turn blue from where I was standing.

“Brody, please say something. I hope you’re not mad—”

“Mad?” he hissed out as though he was trying his damnedest to rein his anger in yet failed miserably. Frantically pacing the room, he glanced at me with pain, sadness, and pure agony evident in his gaze. “You think I’m mad? I’m f*uking incensed!”

It meant so much to me that he cared so deeply. If it had happened to one of my dearest friends, I would be reacting the same way. This was my battle, though, not his.

“Who the f*uk is this guy? What’s his f*uking name?” he growled out like an angry, caged animal, ready to pounce at any given moment. “I want his f*uking name!”