Page 82 of Aftertaste

“I know,” she said, her voice cracked and deeper than usual. It was no surprise considering she had a band of bruises around her neck.

“Do your parents know what happened?” The nurse in me wanted nothing more than to call the police, but the Haven who had a connection with her refused to dial the numbers.

“No.”

Rush made a noise from the doorway. “I think you should tell them.”

“I can’t,” she tried to yell, but it came out as more of a hoarse whisper. “You don’t understand.” A tear tracked down her cheek, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t be this close to her and not comfort her. “You don’t understand,” she repeated.

“Make us understand,” I said, swiping the tear away gently. “Talk to us, T. We can help.”

She shook her head, a sob breaking free. “Why?” She turned to face me with so much pain on her face it was too much to handle. I wanted to take it away, to break her free of whatever demons she had inside her. “Why should I talk to you? You pushed me away. You kicked me out.” She heaved a breath. “You ignored me.”

“I know.” My stomach bottomed out and I hated myself for reacting the way I did. “I was just…I was trying to process it.” I glanced to Rush who raised a brow at me, a silentI told you so. “I shouldn’t have. I should have talked to you. I know that now, but I tend to…” I gritted my teeth and breathed through my nose. If I was asking her to confide in me, then I needed to do the same. I needed her to know she could trust me. “I tend to overthink things and run away.” I shrugged. “It’s easier that way.”

My gaze clashed with hers. I wasn’t sure what I was going to see when I looked into her sorrowful eyes, but it wasn’t the understanding that I got.

“I get that.” She sighed, still gripping the box of emergency contraceptive in her hands. “I…” Neither me nor Rush said anything as she glanced around the room, not stopping on any one item. The last time she’d been in my living room I was telling her to leave, but now all I wanted was for her to stay. To be safe, here, with me.

An Open Wound

Thalia

I wasn’t sure where to begin, but I knew I wanted to tell them. I didn’t want to keep the secret anymore—his secret.

“I…” I stared around the room, taking in every piece of furniture in Haven’s living room, and finally landed on a beam of light bouncing off one of the walls. I needed something to center me. Something to keep me grounded.

“It started with innocent hugs.” My head spun as I said the first words. “I didn’t think anything of it at first. It was normal for family to hug, right?” I wasn’t asking them a question, and they knew that from the silence that greeted me. “The first time he got into my bed I think I was around thirteen. I’d felt his erection on my back, and it had freaked me out.” I laughed, thinking about how much had changed since then.

Haven grasped onto my hand, and I held it tight.

“It only got worse after that. But it was all about him. It was always about satisfying him.” I shrugged. “And I was okay with that. The more it was about him, the less it was about me.” I paused. “And then I met you.” My gaze landed on Haven; her features carefully neutral. “And for the first time, I felt…I felt…like me.”

“I did too.” She smiled. “It’s like when I’m talking to you, I’m the true version of myself.”

I nodded, knowing what she was saying because that was how I felt too. But… “Then you kicked me out.” I tried to inhale a deep breath, but it burned the back of my throat. “And I…I kind of just floated from one day to the next.” I bit down on my bottom lip, knowing I couldn’t keep it inside any longer. “So when he came to me two days ago, I fought.” A tear slipped down my cheek, but I didn’t nothing to move it. “He wanted me to fight. I realize that now. But at the time, I couldn’t stop it. I wanted to feel something. I wanted to fight for myself.”

A sob bubbled up and I didn’t stop it. I let it out, not willing to hold everything in any longer.

“He raped me.” I swallowed. “He raped me in my own home and didn’t give a single fuck.”

“Who?” Haven asked, her voice breaking on the word.

I blinked, looking her square in the eyes as I said, “My brother.”

The atmosphere plummeted, the room swirling, yet inside I was rejoicing. I’d finally told someone. I’d finally confessed what I’d been going through.

“I’ll kill him,” Rush ground out, his anger evident. “I’ll fuckin’ kill him with my bare hands.”

“Rush,” Haven whipped out. “Stop.” She shook her head. “Not here. Not right now.”

“I need to go cool off,” he said, his face turning red. “I’ll be back in ten.”

We both listened as he padded out of her apartment and clicked the door shut behind him. And then it was just me and her. Haven and I.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I ignored you.” She placed her hands on either side of my face, her lips centimeters from mine. “I’ll never do that again. I promise.”

“Promise?” I asked, needing the confirmation again.

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