Page 73 of Never To Suffer

“Yes, he saw you last, so security questioned him. He said you had him drop you off at a bar and he hasn’t seen you since.” Shebites her lip, and I shake my head as she whispers, “He said you were going there to…to meet a man. To…Xander, why do you let them do that to you?”

I search around the room again, slower this time. Condom wrappers. Empty bottles of wine and alcohol. I can stop shaking when my eyes land on the empty bed frame and the mattress ripped off of it and left on the floor. I don’t want to remember, but I have to.

“Oliver. I remember. It was him, he… he…” I grab my head, pressing the sides with the heels of my hands as hard as I can to squeeze the memories out of my brain.

“That’s not possible, Xander. Oliver said?—”

“I can’t remember—No, it was him. He did things…” I don’t recognize my own voice. Even as a child, I never had this much fear, this much pain laced into it. I’ve never begged like I’m begging her now. “Please, don’t make me remember.”

“What did you take, Xander? I need to call a doctor. You’re covered in bruises and?—”

I turn and grab her shoulders, begging her to listen to me. “I didn’t take anything! I swear! I left dad’s office and I…I…”

I try to remember, too much static in my brain makes it difficult and my mind wants to protect me from whatever happened over the last week. When I go to scratch the itch on my hand, I find Theo’s words.

You. Deserve. Better.

You have them on your face, too?

“Tattoos. I got a tattoo. Oliver found me a tattoo place. We were there for like an hour, tops! The guy kept feeding sake to Oliver until he couldn’t walk straight. When we got in the limo. He asked me about… my tattoos. The job.”

I grind my teeth together, struggling to bring more memories back.

“He…He knew about Dani and…Theo…but it goes blank. I can’t remember. He showed me a mini bar. He gave me whiskey and pills for my head. I remember the floor, watching him take my backpack. He took my computer.”

I can’t find anger in her face about what Oliver did, only pity. She doesn’t believe me, and that’s a punch right to the gut. Like Dani, I don’t lie to Melody. I may not tell her everything, but I don’t lie to her. Whatever Oliver’s done or said has made her question me.

“Sweetheart, Oliver claims you seduced him, got him drunk, and…took video of him as blackmail. You forced him to take you to meet some man.”

“No. No, that didn’t happen. I’m not lying, Melody. He handed me a drink and the next thing I remember, you’re tossing a bucket of ice water at me! He gave me pills for my headache.”

“Grab whatever you need. I’m taking you to the airport.”

“Airport? No, someone needs to go after Oliver!”

“I need to get you home, Xander. Safely.” She strokes my face and her eyes well with tears. “We saw what you were letting those men do to you, what you were doing to yourself, what you did with Oliver. Your father broke down and went into a rage. I didn’t see it had gotten this bad, Bug. If you can’t tell me the name of the client you met, I understand. But we need to get you home.”

“He…saw?” I stumble into a chair. The possibility of my parents finding out always existed, but they weren’t supposed to. Knowing they’ve seen it, seen how depraved I get, that’s not something parents should see. Even if they are shitty parents.

“I’ll get the jet cleared to take off and?—”

“I can’t. The backpack has my computer, my ID, and my passport. I don’t have anything.”

“How did you get so careless?” She pulls her phone out and taps rapidly before handing it to me. It’s this room. Oliver. Me. Quick, jerky cuts and…

“No. No, this didn’t happen. He…” Flashes come back, hitting me like a truck. “Hands. Men. They tied me up. They—” I sprint for the bathroom. When I’m done retching, I close my eyes and focus.

Dani. Theo. Skylar. Dani. Theo. Skylar.

I need to get back home.

I repeat the mantra that kept me alive. When I open my eyes again, I get up and stumble to the other room, pulling on a t-shirt and keeping my head down I don’t want to think about what did, didn’t, or might have happened. I can’t stop shaking. I can’t catch my breath. They’ll believe me, even if no one here does.

“Oh, Bug. What did they do to you?” She marches across the room, digging her phone out of her purse and unlocking it before holding it to her ear.

“Alec, I want you to keep Oliver in the building. Search his room for a backpack with my nephew’s things in it or anything else that he shouldn’t have. Search his car, his house, everything, understand?” There’s a pause while she glances around the room and lowers her voice. “Check for used condoms, wrappers, anything of the sort while you’re at it. Anything with DNA. Pictures of everything and bag it up. Do the same in this room. Do not involve the local police in this until I say.”

When she hangs up, she stands in front of me and holds her arms out. I fall into them, letting her perfume take over my senses. “I’m sorry, Xander. I’m so sorry. I just, the videos, they broke me and I… I’m sorry. Come on, I’ll get you somewhere safe until we can figure this out.”

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