*Trigger warning: this chapter contains dark memories of being held captive.

Tear You Apart // SHE WANTS REVENGE

Mari

Cold dread crawls across my skin as soon as the door creaks open. The loud thud of boots stomping closer vibrates the floor. I know I can't hide. I have nowhere to go, no escape from it. Closing my eyes is my only defense.

My heart races. I taste my own fear, a sick nauseating bile building up in the back of my throat. I've dreaded this moment, praying it wouldn't come even though it was inevitable.

I crack an eyelid in time to watch as he reaches for the rope wrapped around my wrists. Instinctively I pull away, the rough threads of my bindings pressing deeper into my raw skin. I shiver, nausea hitting me full force. When my vomit hits his boots, he curses, grabbing me by the hair.

Dirty, delirious with exhaustion and terror, I sob uncontrollably as he shouts more obscenities.

"Stop it," a voice implores from the doorway. The only voice of comfort in this house of horrors. "Leave her alone."

"Time you learned to mind yourself, little guy. Shut that door and stand outside. I'll let you know when I'm all through."

I listen for the door, waiting for my world to end the instant it clicks shut. Seconds later, the dreaded sound echoes through the room. Every hope and prayer I've held onto vanishes with it.

His hot breath fills my nostrils as he leans over me. My eyes squeeze shut–the only defiance I have the power to display. He grabs my chin, the calloused skin of his fingers sharp against my tender flesh.

"That crying better stop now."

I hold back more bile at the sound of his voice in my ear.

But just when I'd given up, when I'd about accepted my fate, the floor creaks. He must not hear it because he doesn't twist toward the sound. But I do. And I wonder.

BANG.

The sound is so loud it leaves my ears ringing. Before I make sense of what's happened, his body slumps over on top of me.

"Shit." His weight lifts off of me as his body rolls to the side. "Push, Mari. Help me get him off you."

I do my best to push but what little physical strength I have left isn't enough to do much.

"I can't do it alone. Use your feet."

I obey the voice of my rescuer and shove against his body as hard as I can.

"Okay. Now the ropes. I don't have a knife so it might take a minute. Hold still."

I lean against the wall again, looking down at my bound hands as the boy I refuse to look at pulls at the rope. Grunting with frustration as he works, he mutters obscenities under his breath.

"Shit, finally."

The ropes drop into my lap, stained red in the spots that touched my skin.

"Can you stand up?"

I haven't tried but I shake my head no anyway.

"Here, I'll pull under your arms while you push against the wall. Get up."

I do as he instructs and find myself standing. Filthy and tired, I shiver convulsively as the cold air touches most of my skin.

"Take my hoodie. It's cold out tonight."

Before I can attempt to answer him, his hoodie is pulled over my head. My arms push through the sleeves instinctively and a memory of my mother helping me put on a sweater when I was little hits me like a train.

"Whyyyy?" I cry, the tears bursting forth with the first word I've spoken in days, maybe weeks.

"I don't know, Mari. But you need to get out of here. Right now before anyone comes back."

The boy pushes me over to the window, shoving it open and peering out into the night.

"No one's out there. You need to go now. Thank fuck this is the first floor."

I shake my head, still crying and unable to make sense of my reality. It feels more like a nightmare than anything that could possibly be real.

"Mari," he grabs my upper arms. His grip is firm but even in my foggy state I recognize the difference in the boy's intention than anything that monster ever did. "You can't wait. It has to be now before anyone finds out what I did. I can make it go away but not if you're still here. You have to disappear. Do you understand? You aren't Mari anymore."

Tears pouring down my face, I nod.

Yes. I understand.

My world just ended.

***

I wake up sweating then crawl out from underneath my soaked sheets and onto the floor. I haven't had that dream in years. In the past it's been flashes, small images of memories that came to me out of order from the true events.

Not this time.

No, this time my brain conjured the exact order of events. I haven't remembered that night in such vivid detail since crawling out of my bedroom window and disappearing into the darkness. Memories I buried so damn deep I've never let them see the light of day. Now after being assaulted with the vivid visuals again, I feel sick.

I crawl further into the middle of the room, needing open space to breathe. I spent too many days slumped against the wall in that cell of a room. Ever since, I haven't liked the feeling of plaster against my skin.

Instinct takes over as I pull my knees under my chin, arms wrapped around my legs. I rock, breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth as I have thousands of times since my escape. Tasting clean air, free from the stench of sweat and terror that used to be my daily aroma.

I'm okay.

I got away.

But he didn't.

I shouldn't have gone to talk to him tonight. How stupid. What I should have done is turn and run the other way. Maybe I could go stay with Javi and Emily by the beach. Escape this town that's too small for Guy and I to exist here together.

Too many dark moments. Too many secrets.

Being in the room alone with him was jarring, triggering...clearly, after that nightmare.

My breathing is almost back to normal. Still damp from sweat, I grab fresh clothes and slip into my bathroom needing a shower. Wash away the film left by the memories. Watch as they circle the drain.

But mind over matter only takes a girl so far.

This is new territory and I don't have a clue how to navigate it. I don't understand what's brought Guy to my doorstep and I'm not sure I want to. I obeyed most of his orders. I ran. I never looked back. I almost changed my name but when Nena, my mom in all the ways that matter, came for me and called me Mari with more love in her voice than I'd ever heard in my own mother's, I couldn't. I needed the redemption of my name. I needed to hear it whispered in comfort, sighed with amusement, and spoken with pride. Nena, Mom, did that for me. Something I didn't know I'd needed so badly.

She's why I stayed in Fallbrook Hills. She's why I don't really want to go to Javier's place, or get my own place.

Why would I want to be alone when I spent most of my childhood that way? When I have the love of family surrounding me?

I don't. I have no plans to leave. Maybe that's why Danny broke up with me. I have no ambition for more than what's already mine. That included him.

I shower, feeling better but now wide awake earlier than I need to be. I don't have work, which is why I went to question Guy last night. My need to know about the aftermath was greater than my self preservation. Stupid. Because now I have more questions than answers and I'm pretty sure Guy won't allow me that close to him again. Not after the reaction I had.

Now with a day off, I have nothing to occupy my time but perseverate on the lingering unquenched morbid curiosity. I would have slept in, but my brain had other plans.

Freshly dressed, I head down to the kitchen, thinking I should make breakfast for the family while I'm up. A cup of coffee wouldn't hurt either.

But I'm met with company when I get downstairs.

"What are you doing up?" I ask my little brother, Oscar, as he sits at the kitchen table eating cold cereal. He's almost never home with his senior year coming to an end soon. Too many graduation activities and plans with friends to spend time with us.

"I should ask you the same thing," he says with a side eye.

"You look wrecked."

Now that I'm looking at him in the flesh, I notice the dark circles under his eyes and the slump of his shoulder. Every once in a while, I look at my little brother--not by blood but a brother in all ways that count--and marvel at how much he's changed since he came to live with us. He showed up as a scared, scrawny kid who didn't speak a word for months. I identified with him immediately, a silent understanding between our common trauma. I don't know the details of what he went through, yet I know. I recognized the hollow look in his eyes that spoke of terror you never want to experience ever again.

Now he's all braun. He shot up his freshman year and joined the football team, spending hours every day in the workout room at school building muscle. He stands at least six inches taller than me now, shaggy brown hair and olive skin tanned from his time on the field. His piercing blue eyes have the ability to look deep into your soul, a defensive technique people like the two of us developed for survival. No one messes with him or anyone in his circle, he sees to that. My brother, once a scared little boy, is now the enforcer.

And I love him so much for it.

"Just what a guy wants to hear, thanks." He rolls his eyes but doesn't look up at me.

I slide into the chair next to him. "What's going on with you?"

This time he doesn't side eye me. He looks me over instead.

"Nothing that won't be cured by getting the fuck out of this town. How 'bout you? Looks like you're only half conscious or something. Bad night?" The arch of his eyebrow is telling.

Did I cry out in my sleep? Does he know I had a nightmare? I can't tell with certainty and I don't want that can of worms opened, so I deflect instead.

"Not out partying like a high school senior, that's for sure. Some of us hold down demanding full time jobs."

"Some of us have social lives."

I shake my head. Damn cocky teenager. But he's right. Danny was my social life. Now it's nonexistent.

"Fine. You win. What are we eating?" I lean down to sniff his bowl. "Cherrios? Just like a toddler."

He shrugs. "They taste good, so sue me. I don't have the energy for this."

"Me neither."

"So go back to sleep."

Yeah, that isn't happening any time soon. I'm actually worried for tonight if my nocturnal subconscious is any indication. I don't think I can handle another night terror like that.

"Meh. Sleep is overrated."

He looks at me for a long second, assessing my sincerity I guess. Then nods sharply.

"Let's go," he says.

"Where?"

"Does it matter? Anywhere but here, am I right?"

I'm silent for a second, not fully wanting to expend the energy it will take to go anywhere but not having a good reason to stay. Besides, I need to get out of my head. And getting out of this house might help that endeavor.

"Yeah, okay. Let's go. But I'm driving. I don't trust your led foot."

"I'm a very safe driver. No tickets on my record yet."

"No, but you've blown out two tires hitting curbs so..." I punch him in the shoulder to emphasize my point. "Give me five minutes then we can leave."

He juts out his chin in agreement while I head back to my room to grab my things. I have a feeling Oscar is hiding something. Maybe time with his big sis will help him open up.

And maybe that will be just the distraction I need.

Like I've said, this story is a bit darker than I expected but I'm following my gut on it and letting the story play out. Guy has been speaking to me but he's still holding onto some secrets. I'm as curious as you may be to find out what they are!

In other news, Inevitable is releasing on Tuesday!! 10/21 will be a huge day for me, dream come true levels of joy. I'm considering taking the day off of work and basking in the glow, haha! If you have a chance to take a look, I'd appreciate it!

ALSO - if you are one of the original readers of Inevitable on Wattpad and loved it, and if you have a Goodreads account, it would be the most amazing support if you could go leave a review, or even just a star rating. HERE'S WHY=> Someone added the book to Goodreads without my knowledge and lowball rated it a 2. I was linked as the author and now that rating is wreaking havoc to my release. It will take so many more 4 or 5 ratings to pull up the average it makes me want to cry. Thank you in advance if that is something you are willing and able to do. My author heart appreciates your support so much! ❤️❤️

I'm not sure about this song, but the title and the name of the band clinched it for me. The vibes aren't exactly right but I went with it anyway.

https://youtu.be/ixw_bLVUL34

Thanks so much for reading!!!