I woke up the next morning baggy-eyed and battered. I rolled off the bed painfully, and made my slow journey to the other end of the earth - AKA, the bathroom. Once inside, I shut the door behind and turned around. I gasped in horror at the sight that I was confronted with - my reflection. I let out a strangled scream, and the pain in my ankle was forgotten as I jumped a foot in the air. "Oh my God!" I yelled, to no one in particular. Cupping my left cheek, I stared in horror at the purple bruise that was under my eye. Apparently my face had collided with the pavement when Adrian threw me out of his car.
Upon further examination, I discovered that I also had a bruise on the left side of my ribs, but it was small, and didn't hurt. I carefully tried twisting my upper body, and was greatly relieved to find that I could turn without any pain. The only thing really hurting was my ankle, but no way I was letting that stop me.
Stepping into the shower, I let the cold water flow over my body, soothing me. After remaining like that for a few minutes, I turned the hot water on and began applying my strawberry-and-cream body wash, rubbing it all over me. When my hand passed over my breast, my breathing hitched. I hadn't been touched in eleven days. It's been eleven days without any affection from any man. But then again, what Adrian had for me... Well, I don't know what it was, but I damn sure knew it wasn't affection. If it was, then it was the most fucked up affection ever. Affectionate punches, affectionate kicks, affectionate rough sex that left me feeling like I'd been hit by a bus... Yeah, I have the best boyfriend ever, I thought to myself sarcastically.
I removed my hand from my boob, and I kept rubbing the body wash on me. It felt cool against my skin, and I watched in fascination as the creamy soap turned into suds, and I brought my hand to my face/ Feeling childish, I made an O with my thumb and index finger, then rubbed some soap on my hands. I brought the O shape to my face again, and blew gently. A bubble blew from my fingers, but didn't make it's escape as it popped. I tried again, and the bubble got a little farther, but still didn't free itself. Third time's a charm, I told myself, bringing a freshly lathered O to my mouth. I blew air gently this time, and as the bubble was about halfway out, I blew harder. The bubble popped, and suds came back, stinging my eyes. I yelped and jumped backwards, slipping on the shower floor. I flailed my hands rapidly, catching the wall before I could fall on my ass. My ankle tensed at the almost-fall, and although it wasn't a bad pain, it still made me wince.
Me and my stupid ideas...
I didn't feel like washing my hair, but I wanted to smell extra good since I was going to work today, so I reached for my bottle of 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioner - also strawberry scented - and squeezed some into my hands. I massaged my scalp gently, wincing as I mashed a bruise. Since I hadn't had sex with Adrian, or been around him, in eleven days - not counting last night - I didn't have any bruises from being hit. And I felt pretty damn good about that.
I decided to get out of the shower when the hot water started running cold. Grabbing a fluffy teal towel, I dried off and began getting ready, drying my hair and styling in neatly, making it cascade down my back. I loved my long hair, and I didn't ever want to cut bothering to wrap up in my towel since I was alone, I walked into my bedroom and dug through my closet. I grabbed a pair of dark skinny jeans and I sparkly gray short-sleeved shirt the exposed one shoulder. I put on a pair of pink boxer-like girl underwear and a strapless black bra. I grinned when I imagined how sexy I looked in my bra and panties. I imagined walking towards Adrian, all catty and playful, teasing him, not letting him get to me. Of course, I knew that in real life, Adrian would beat the living daylights out of me for even attempting to refuse him.
Sighing, I finished getting dressed, applied some makeup and plenty of concealer to hide the bruise on my face, and grabbed my nametag off of my dresser. I slipped on a pair of black flats, and walked out of the apartment, hopping into my car. I shut the door behind my and gripped the steering wheel. I glanced down briefly to examine my ankle. For all the fuss everyone made yesterday , I was surprised to realize that I hadn't felt much pain since moving around a bit. Turning my attention back to the parking lot of the apartment building, I cranked the car and backed out of my parking space, then began driving to the cafe yo begin my boring shift of serving coffee and bacon and eggs to strangers with scruffy beards and overalls.
^~::~::~^
I arrived at the cafe about ten minutes later, and after checking in, I attached my nametag to my shirt. Since this cafe was basically run by country folk, we didn't need to wear uniforms. And since I wasn't a cook I didn't have to wear an apron. I was just the main attraction waiter with the sexy body that made the men in this place whistle and make comments, which might've flattered a country woman but had no effect on me, such as the man who often said "Well looky here, Daisy Duke has arrived at last.". Who the hell was Daisy Duke?
I went strait to the counter to ask what I needed to do, and my friend/co-worker Mia Rinaldi quickly filled me in. "Mason is covering the three occupied tables we have now, but I want you to take the one over there - "
"With the old man?" I whined. He was bald and wrinkly, and he had huge bulging eyes. He was like the stalker perv that drove around the neighborhood in a white van, asking kids if they wanted to have a look at his secret freckle or some shit.
"Yes," Mia told me with a glare, "And any other table that becomes occupied in that section."
"Fine," I huffed, and got right to work, Walking over to creepy perv man, I gave him a dazzling smile and asked him what he wanted to eat.
He picked up his cup of coffee with shaking hands, spilling a little on his shirt, which he failed to notice. He set back down with his hands still shaking, and squinted at the menu in front of him. "I want me a... a..." he began, with a tremor in his voice. I couldn't help but notice that his body was shaking a little too. I swear, I suddenly wondered if there was a mini earthquake happening that I wasn't aware of. "I want... the..." he began again, but didn't finish his sentence as he kept looking at the menu.
"You know, the eggs are really good, as is the oatmeal," I said, tapping my foot impatiently.
"What?" the old man rasped.
"I said, the eggs and oatmeal is really good," I repeated, louder this time.
"What?" he repeated, squinting at me as if I'd grown another head.
"I said that the eggs and oatmeal are great choices!" I said, raising my voice a couple octaves. The people from the two other tables peered at me curiously, as I glared at the old man.
"I'll take the sausage biscuit, with a side of bacon and toast." he told me.
I glared at him a few more seconds before turning away and marching back to the counter, where I handed Mia the ticket I'd written on. Leaning against the counter, I let out a huff, and felt the pain in my ankle returning. I saw someone walking up to me, and glared at a red-headed man with freckles smudged across his face.
"Hey there, Hathaway. I see that you just took Victor's order." he said with a grin.
"Oh shut up, Mason," I smiled. "I just offered him my advice."
Mason chuckled. "Be easy on him, Rose. He has some disease.. Scando-something."
"Fine," I sighed. "But he better keep those bulging eyes on my face and not my body."
"Well, I, for one, would much rather keep my eyes on your body." he said with a grin.
I punched his arm playfully. "Come on, Mase. You know Adrian would kill you if he heard you say that."
"No, he'd try to hit me, just like he hits you," Mason said, becoming serious. "I heard about last night, you know."
"Lissa..." I groaned. "Why does she have to run her mouth..."
"Rose, you can't keep letting him do that to you. It's not right."
"It's not your place to worry about it." I told him.
Before he could respond, Mia interrupted. "Rose, someone needs you at that table over there." she said, motioning behind me. "And take his order quickly, before he realizes that he's too sexy to be here."
I turned around, and a tall man with shoulder-length brown hair tied in a short ponytail and chocolate eyes met my gaze. After staring for a few seconds, I saw a slight smirk grow on his lips. Snapping out of my daze, I walked over to the table, a little more eager than necessary. "Hi!" I said with a smile.
"Hello," he chuckled. "Sorry to interrupt you and your boyfriend, there."
"Oh, no, he's not my boyfriend!" I said quickly. "I um.. I don't have a boyfriend." I wanted to slap myself as soon as the words left my mouth. Oh fuck, I'm so glad Adrian isn't here. He would surely have punched me on the spot. "So, um, what would you like to drink?" I asked, putting a grin back on my face.
Dimitri's raised an eyebrow questioningly, and I kept the grin on my face. "I'll take a cup of coffee, thanks." he told me.
"Alright, I'll be back in a flash!" I said, turning around with a smile on my face. Mia giggled when she saw the stupid grin on my face, and quickly gave me a cup of coffee to give to "sex on legs", as she called Dimitri.
I turned and walk back to him, setting the cup down in front of him. "Are you ready to order?" I asked, with the stupid grin still on my face. I faintly remembered someone telling me that my face would freeze if I strained my muscles too hard.
"No, not quite. But I do have a question," he said, raising an eyebrow again. Man, I wish I could do that...
"Oh, and what would that be?" I asked, with little butterflies in my stomach.
"What happened to your ankle?"
And the butterflies were replaced with bees. Glancing down, I saw that my ankle was now swollen again, and mottled with purple and black spots. Seeing Dimitri had masked the pain, but now it came flooding back to me. "Oh, I um... fell..." I said. Wow, the second lie in five minutes.
He gave me a hard stare, obviously knowing that I was lying. He'd had this friendly and easygoing demeanor when he walked in, but the trainer personality was seeping back in now. Finally, he just nodded. "Well, I'll take a waffle. With maple syrup." he told me.
Nodding my head, I turned and walked back to the counter, handing Mia the ticket. The pain in my ankle had made a painful return, and the rest of the day at work was painful and slow. When I got off work three hours later, I returned home to rest my ankle.
^~::~::~^
When I got home, I plopped down on the couch beside of Lissa and we chatted about our day. Apparently, a new dog had arrived at the animal shelter, a Labradoodle, I think she called it. It was close to having puppies, and Lissa received the honor of caring for it at the shelter. "I have a favor," she asked me sweetly.
"What?" I said, giving her a questioning glance.
"I need you to use your Rose charm, and get the guy at the front desk to let you sneak in a puppy."
"Liss," I groaned. "Do I have to?"
"Not today," she told me. "I won't be able to get a puppy until about three weeks. But soon you'll have to."
"What's in it for me?" I asked casually.
"Well, how about a $100 gift card to Victoria Secret's?"
"Deal!" I said excitedly.
"Yay, I'm getting a puppy!" Lissa squealed, hugging me.
Just then, my phone rang. "Hello?" I said into the phone.
"Baby, I'm sorry, baby, please come to my house, please baby." I heard the voice of a drunken male on the phone, and instantly knew it was Adrian. "I need you, baby, I need you. I want you to come to my house, now. I want to say sorry, and I want to make it up to you. I want to pleasure you." He added a sexy growl to that last part, and I felt a little warmth seep between my legs. I hadn't been touched in eleven days. Desire coursed through my body at the thought of being touched.
"I'll be there in ten minutes." I breathed. I hung up the phone, and got up quickly, wincing as my ankle started burning.
"Rose, where do you think you're going?" Lissa demanded, getting up from the couch to face me.
"I'm going to see Adrian." I told her.
"He just messed up your ankle! What the fuck is wrong with you?" she asked in bewilderment.
"He was drunk!" I stated, nevermind the fact that he was drunk now, too.
Lissa gave an exasperated sigh. "Rose, one of these days you'll learn that he's bad for you."
I didn't respond, just grabbed my stuff, sprayed on some sexy perfume, and started driving to Adrian's house. I got there in seven minutes, and jumped out of the car quickly, jogging up to Adrian's steps. I opened the door and was met by the reek of alcohol. I walked casually into the living room and looked around, not spotting Adrian. I was about to turn around when hands suddenly gripped my wrist, and a slurred voice whispered in my ear. "Took you long enough to get here, Rose."
"I.. I'm sorry..." I replied, as I got a tingling feeling in my lady parts.
"Well," he chuckled, "I'm ready to get started now, with making it up to you." he told told me. "But now I think that you'll need to make it up to me." he growled.
I nodded as my breathing hitched, and Adrian, still gripping one wrist, began dragging me toward his bedroom. He turned when we entered and locked the door behind him. He led me to the bed, and stopped in front of me. Before I could take a breath, Adrian's fist connected with my rib. I let out a strangled scream at the pain, as Adrian shoved me onto the bed. "Who the fuck did you tell?" he hissed into my ear.
"No one," I gasped. His fist lashed out to me again, hitting me in the side.
"Don't lie to me," he growled.
I grunted in pain, curling inwards. "Ch-Christian," I gasped. "He saw what happened and... and Lissa knows..." I told him.
He hurled another fist at me, connecting with my breast. I screeched in pain, and a few tears leaked out of my eyes. "I'm sorry," I sobbed. "I'm sorry."
And then the beating really began.
A/N
I am SO sorry! I won't be able to update again for a while. I have BIG family issues going on, but I promise I will work like crazy to post chapters when I get back! Again, I am so so so sorry! *Get's down on hands and knees* Please forgive me
