Page 10 of Broken

“Knox. He did something to me. I felt heavy, but then I felt light, like I was flying.” She blinks up at me, my thumb moving up her jaw until it reaches her lips, touching the round metal. My heart is racing and I know that I won't get this chance again.

“Who tucked you into bed?” I ask as my will power begins to falter.

“I don't know,” she whispers.

“Why don't you know?” I want her to admit what happened, I need her to see the path she's chosen.

She shoves at my chest, separating us. “Why are you doing this?”

Grabbing her shoulders, I move her until she's backed against the closet door. “Why don't you remember?” My words aren't nice, they are laced with venom. Pushing her harder than I want to, but I just want her to see.

“I was drugged!” She screams in my face. “Is that what you want to hear? Adding ammo to your never ending arsenal against me.”

“Who drugged you?” I can't stop now, I have to keep pushing.

“Knox.”

“What did he do to you?”

“He-” her mouth slams shut, her body begins to shake and I can see the tears swelling in her eyes.

“He tried to rape you, Katherine.” There's a darkness to my tone, one that I don't use often. The one I keep hidden from the world. Because if I let that beast out, I'm not sure I could cage him back in.

She shoves at my chest again, and again. Hitting her palms against me over and over. “Why do you care, West? Why?” And just like that she drops to the floor, yanking my heart down with her as she sobs.

I lift her off the floor, holding her bridal style, just as I did that night. She doesn't fight me off as I move towards her bed. Carefully, I lean over, putting a knee on the mattress as I lay her down. The second she's out of my arms, she pulls her knees up and continues to cry. Just like that night, I unzip her boots and drop them to the floor. When I reach over her body to grab the blanket, she flinches. “I'm not him.” I tell her softly, tucking a loose strand of her hair that's fallen into her face.

She blinks up at me, “I know.” She replies, just like she did last weekend when I told her the same thing. “I can't help but flinch.” It's like she's reliving that night, whispering the exact same words.

“Then maybe you should find a different guy to hang out with.” I say, just as I did that night, hoping this leads to the same outcome. I want to hear those words from her again. Only this time while she's sober.

“Guys only want one thing from me.” She says it. Fuck, I take a deep breath as I cover her up and squat down next to her.

“Have you ever considered that not all guys want just sex?” I run a finger down her jaw until I reach her chin, tilting her head up to look at me, “Maybe some of us just want you.” Please say it. I just want to hear those words.

“Yeah right.” She rolls her eyes and moves her head out of my grasp. Well, she didn't say it. So at least I know that it was just the drugs, and not her.

“I'm serious, Katherine. Not all guys just want sex, sometimes we just want a connection.” I push up off the floor and make my way to her window. “Don't go to the party tonight. He's not worth it.”

Climbing out of the window, my feet hit the roof, and I hear her let out a sigh, “Maybe if guys wanted a connection, they'd treat me better.”

It's like a hot poker sears right through me, because I know that jab was directed towards me. I don't bother to say anything back as I climb down and make my way back to my house. Tonight I'll be watching her.

Chapter Five

Katherine

I feel empty and exposed as I stand here in the middle of the living room, listening to a song that just tears me down bare. With each passing lyric I feel it more and more, each phrase cutting deeper. My heart beats heavily against my chest as I just breathe.

Opting out of drinking unless I got it myself has proven to be a challenge. Every time I try to get a new drink, someone attempts to hand me one. Of course when I decline they look at me like I’m the insane one. But there’s no way I’m getting a repeat of last weekend.

Arms wrap around my waist and I’m lifted off the dance floor and taken into the hallways. “Put me down.” I shout, trying to get out of their hands, and when I manage to get my feet on the ground. I turn around completely ready to hit the person only to find West standing there and not Knox.

“I asked you not to come to the party.” He says, grabbing my hand as he leads me further away from the music.

“And I told you to not act like you care. So here we are, both liars.” I look around to see a few others making out in the darkness of the hallway. Feeling a little uncomfortable. “Why are you here?” I ask, a little annoyed at him.

“I asked you not to come to the party. Especially alone, so here I am, making sure you’re not alone.” He says, like he’s some kind of knight in shiny armor. Is that the saying, or is it a knight in shining armor? I shrug to myself and focus back on West.

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