Page 30 of Ruined

“You can grab the ice cream, I won’t bite.” Jace laughs. Thankfully he doesn’t make me actually take the carton. Instead, he hands it over.

Digging in, I sit back, tucking my feet under my legs. I don’t know how long it takes before Jace finally just picks the movieJohn Wick, and it begins to play.

“Plan on sharing?” He nudges my arm. Freezing, I nearly drop my spoon, trying to remember it’s just Jace. Taking a deep breath, I don’t look at him as I hand the ice cream over. I need a moment to calm down. Jace takes the ice cream not saying anything. Which I’m even more thankful for. It seems we’re both slowly learning more about each other.

Closing my eyes, I take a moment to clear my head, reminding myself over and over again that it’s Jace sitting next to me. The one that let me stab him twice and hasn’t retaliated against me. Leaning against the armrest, I pull my hood up over my head. It’s not long before my eyes begin to droop, and I let myself drift off.

I can’t breathe. I try to move my head to the side to stop them. Whoever is holding me is much stronger. My head doesn’t even move an inch. The cloth over my head stops any sound from coming out. Even if I wanted to scream, I learned it’s just worse to open my mouth.

“Where is it?” Someone asks above me, yanking the cloth off.

I gasp for air, coughing and spitting water up. My nose burns, and no matter how much I try to cough, I can still feel the water in my lungs.

“Fine, we can play it that way,” he says.

“No,” I weakly cry, but it’s too late. The cloth is once again placed over my face, and water is pouring down on me. I can feel the water filling my lungs, and everything burns again. I can’t breathe. My body thrashes against the cold metal table. I’m vaguely aware of someone touching me. My body can’t take much more, but none of them care. I’m just the enemy’s daughter. I’m nothing to them.

My visions begin to blur again. All at once, the cloth is yanked off my face, a hand is wrapped around my neck, and someone thrusts into me.

I can’t scream, I’m barely able to breathe. Not when my vision barely comes back, and Henry’s face fills my vision. I shake my head, refusing to believe this is real. That my bodyguard since I was six months is here raping me and letting someone else waterboard me.

“Knew you liked it rough,” he grunts above me.

Tears stream down my face, not that they notice. I’m soaked from the water.

I’m helpless against him, helpless against them all.

“Burn the bitch,” someone yells from around me.

I try pleading with Henry to stop. I don’t understand what made him hate me so much. I can’t understand.

Henry keeps grunting above me, thrusting into my body as something presses against my side. I scream low in my throat, not that it makes a difference, not when Henry’s hand is pressed against my throat.

“FUCK, YES,” Henry bellows. He removes his hand from my neck moments before bending down and his teeth sink into the side of my neck.

I scream at the top of my lungs, my body convulses, and I can feel myself shutting down. I can’t take much more, but no one cares. Not even when the cloth is placed back over my face, water streaming down just as Henry finishes inside me.

“Hey,” someone whispers, nudging my shoulder.

My eyes snap open and my hand grips the scissors, never having the chance to pull them out before someone grabs my hand, shushing me.

“Sunshine, it’s me,”his voicefilters into my head.I’m safe, I’m okay, I am safe.I nod my head before I’ve even calmed down. It’s Jace and I know deep in my heart that I am safe.

“That’s it, breathe for me, baby.”

My heart shouldn’t squeeze at the word, but it does. I like that word coming from his mouth, and I like him calling me that. I don’t know what takes over my brain. I’m not sure if I’m trying to erase the memory of Henry or if it’s because I’m beginning to trust Jace. But before I can second guess what I’m about to do, I’m picking my head up and slamming my lips against his.

Jace doesn’t move, instead, he goes stiff as a board. Realizing I’m making a terrible mistake, I jump back, eyes wide and afraid to look at him. Only I do, and Jace looks confused for a second. Biting my bottom lip to stop myself from crying.

“Blake,” he whispers. Shaking my head, I don’t want him to finish whatever he’s going to say. I don’t want to hear that what I did was a mistake because I already know it was. A terrible, terriblemistake.

“Look at me,” he mumbles.

I’m still shaking my head, bringing my legs to my chest. Emotions that I don’t fully understand seeping into me.

“I said look at me,” he orders. His voice is strong and demanding to be heard. My head snaps to the side, tears forming in my eyes.

“Did you want to kiss me?” he asks.

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