Page 5 of Gabriel
My cheeks heat and I mash my lips together as I bite back my words, but screw it. Screw him. “I know what you’re doing.” I’mnot stupid. I can read just fine between the lines he’s so clearly drawing out for me.
Austin quirks a blond brow. “Do you, now?” His tone is condescending. If I was at all confused before, I’m not now.
Nausea sweeps through me when I nod my head, the motion making the room spin, but I manage to hold myself together. “You…” I swallow past the lump in my throat. “You raped?— “
“Woah, woah.” He holds both hands up in the air. “See. That’s what I’m talking about.” He makes a tsking sound and shakes his head. “You and I need to get on the same page here, Cece. That sort of accusation can ruin someone’s reputation.”
My upper lip curls. “Are you screwing with me?”
His eyes are hooded. “I think we did a good amount of that last night, but if you’re looking for round two?— “
“This isn’t a joke.” I swing my arm and hurl my phone at his head with every ounce of strength in me. It narrowly misses him, thudding against the wooden door as he jerks out of the way.
Meanwhile, I crash into the dresser beside me as I lose my footing, but I manage to stay on my feet, barely, nails digging into the dresser top.
I bare my teeth. “I’ll die before I let you touch me again,” I seethe. “Stay the hell away from me.”
Austin looks momentarily at a loss for words as he looks from me to my phone and back again before his expression hardens.
“You’re not feeling like yourself,” he tells me, bending down to retrieve my phone, “so I’m going to make myself clear. What happened last night was?— “
“Rape.”
He continues on, ignoring me. “A few friends having a good time. We had some drinks. Things got a little out of control.”
I’d shake my head if I wasn’t so worried I was going to pass out.
“You… you—" I can barely get the words out, but I force myself to say them. “You held me down. You held my hands behind my back while?—“
“While my buddies fucked your face,” he finishes with a smirk. “Yeah. I did. And you liked it.” The look on his face is one of complete satisfaction. He’s proud of himself. He makes me sick.
“No. I didn’t!” What the hell is wrong with him? How could he possibly think I enjoyed any part of what he did? “You helped your friends assault me and then you—” My brows pinch together. Parts of last night are still a little hazy.
It was late. I was drunk. I wanted to find Kim and Joelle and leave. I remember being tired and when Austin offered to help me find my friends, I took him up on it.
I thought it was kinda sweet. I didn’t know him that well, but Kim’s had a secret crush on him since freshman year. Having his help was an easy way to introduce the two of them. Give her an in. I talked her up, even. Told him how great my friends were. How Kim was probably his type, and he seemed interested at the time. But it was all just a game to him.
He checked the yard while I checked downstairs, but no luck. When he suggested we check the bedrooms on the second level, I dismissed the idea. No way would either of them hook up with some random at a party. But Austin thought we should look, anyway.
He led me upstairs. I remember thinking it was weird when he bypassed the first two doors. Like he was heading for a specific room. And looking back, it’s clear he was.
There were two guys waiting inside, and when I apologized for disturbing them and turned around to leave, Austin blocked my escape. He used his size to press me further into the room, forcing me to stumble back before closing and locking the door behind him.
He planned it. All of it.
“You had it all worked out,” I whisper to myself. “The room. The drugs.” He drugged me. I remember that now. That must be why my head is so foggy. After he helped his friends, he forced his fingers into my mouth and rubbed something on my gums. A powder of some sort. It tasted awful, but after that, everything starts to fade.
“What was it?” I ask.
“What was what?”
“The drug. Whatever it was you made me take.”
He doesn’t even bother to deny it. “Ketamine. And don’t give me that look. It helped, didn’t it? You were more relaxed.”
My hands curl into fists. “I didn’t want to relax!” I scream. “I wanted to leave. I wanted to get the hell away from you.”
He takes a menacing step toward me. “You got what you wanted last night, Cece. Stop deluding yourself. You came to a party dressed like that.” He points to my dress. “What did you think was going to happen?”
