“They grabbed me, held me down… he got on top and…”
I shake my head.
“Mason hit him with a bat. Russel came running in and hit me, hard, and told me I could never deny one of his brothers again.”
Tears fall freely now.
“Then when I was sixteen, I had a fever and no strength, and he came into my room again. He took my blanket and held my hands down…”
My voice breaks.
“Please don’t make me relive that.”
Dex is in front of me in an instant, his hands on my face, forcing me to look at him.
“Did he rape you?”
“No,” I whisper. “But he…”
I can’t say it.
“Mason stopped him again. We dragged him out.”
I take a shaky breath.
“After that, we slept outside whenever he was home, winter or summer, it didn’t matter.”
I look up.
Dex looks like he’s about to kill someone.
“Until you ran?” he asks.
I nod.
He turns away and walks to the window.
“When were you planning on telling me?”
I close my eyes.
“That first day. When I saw your tattoo, I knew who you were, what Russel would be to you.”
I swallow.
“I was scared you’d kick me out or use me as leverage for your MC. I’ve seen what MCs can do.”
I shake my head quickly.
“I didn’t know you back then. I didn’t know you were…you.”
He turns.
“You thought I was like him?”
I nod. “Only in the beginning. But I was wrong.”
“He hurt you?”
