Tough Shit (Rejects Paradise 1)

I crash into the wall and have to hold a hand against it to keep me on my feet. What’s happening to me? “Help,” I say weakly, needing to press my whole body against the wall as my head continues to spin.

I try to take a step and feel my body sliding down the wall. knowing that once I hit the ground, I won’t be able to get up again. I desperately try to right myself, only my attempts are laughable.

“About fucking time,” comes a voice from behind me.

No. No, no, no. I didn’t think he was here. He’s been MIA all week.

I try to spin around but the movement only has my mind spinning and my feet twisting awkwardly beneath me. I start to fall but Jude rushes in and slips a hand around my waist while pulling my arm around his neck.

I try to push him away but his grip only tightens and I finally start to understand what’s going on and even in my fucked-up state, I’m more than aware that this is a situation I don’t want to be in.

“Is everything alright in here?” a passing waiter asks on his way back to the kitchen, eyeing me warily.

“Yes,” Jude is quick to say, giving the guy a charming smile. “She’s just had a bit too much to drink. I’m going to take her upstairs to sleep it off before the other guests see her like this.”

“Of course,” the waiter says with a polite nod.

“Wait … no, no…” I say, my voice barely recognizable.

“Now, now,” Jude says, speaking over me. “Let’s get you to bed, sweetheart.”

No, no, no, no, no. This can’t be happening.

I keep trying to fight against him, dig my nails in and kick at his feet but it’s as though I have the strength of a newborn kitten. “Keep trying,” he laughs in my ear. “Nothing is going to stop me from taking what’s mine.”

“Nic’s going to come for you,” I slur. “They all are.”

“Let them fucking try. Your little gang bangers have already fucking tried and failed. They’re going to wish they had killed me by the time I’m through with you, but beware, when they come for me, I’ll be waiting and this time, they won’t be walking out alive.”

We reach one of the many staircases and he easily sweeps me up into his arms then starts up the stairs. I try to wriggle free, not even caring if it means, dropping to the floor and tumbling down the stairs. I’d do anything if it meant getting out of here.

“Help. Someone help.”

My voice comes out as barely a whisper and Jude’s loud booming voice instantly drowns me out. “You’ve got Colton wrapped around your little finger but he’ll see after this that you’re nothing but a whore. Can you hear that, trash. No one is coming for you. No one cares about you here.”

Tears begin filling my eyes as he reaches the top of the stairs and dives into the first guest bedroom. All my hopes of getting out of this begin to plummet and all I’m left with is the knowledge that my boys are going to kill him. There’s no getting out of this. I’m going to be left to endure it. Endure the pain and endure the dirty memories that will plague me for the rest of my life.

The door is kicked shut behind him and the panic rises in my chest. My heart beats rapidly and I start searching the room for anything that can be used as a weapon. There’s a lamp on the bedside table but seeing as though I could hardly open the back door, I doubt I’m going to be able to lift it let alone smack it hard enough over the top of his head to do any damage.

I’m fucked.

Maybe this is what Nic meant by his warning. Maybe he wasn’t referring to my heart getting hurt at all, maybe he was meaning something a little more physical. Either way I look at it, he’s right. I should have gone home with him. I should have let him take me and then I would have been safe. I wouldn’t be having to deal with this. I’d be happy and know that no matter what, I had four boys at my back.

Why am I so fucking stupid? This is all on me. I’m going to be raped and there’s not a goddamn thing I can do about it. I thought I was strong enough to handle this.

Jude throws me down on the bed and my head slams against the wooden headboard. I hear a sickening crack but the sound is drowned out by the pain that rocks through my body. He starts striding toward me, looking at the way the split in my dress is open and drawn up, showing off my lace thong.