**Trigger Warning**

[Lucas' POV;]

We left Austin's apartment twenty minutes ago and I still haven't pulled out of the parking lot. After hearing what he had to say, I'm just happy that Maya finally got her closure. However this entire situation makes me hate Josh even more.

"Lucas, would you please loosen your grip, I'm afraid you're gonna tear the wheel off."

The sound of Maya's voice had a calming effect on me, so I hesitantly did as she asked. "If he ever comes near you again, I'll kill him."

She sighed and leaned against the window. "I'll help you kill him."

"No, you won't kill him. I don't want you anywhere near him. You need to tell Riley."

Maya ran her hand through her hair, "I can't tell her." She looked at me. "If she knows she'll tell someone else."

"Yeah, like her dad who is Josh's brother." I can't believe she was doing this. "You can't protect him, Maya. He can't get away with this. Just tell Riley."

"He's her uncle! I don't want her to see him in that way."

I sighed and reached over to grab her hand. "Maya, you need to talk to someone about this."

"Why can't I just talk to you? You don't look at me like I'm damaged goods."

"Maya," I squeezed her hand and looked into her eyes. "You need to at least tell your parents if you're not going to talk to the Matthews. Someone needs to press charges." She stayed silent and looked away from me. Taking my hand to her chin, I gently tilted her head up and kissed her nose. "If you let him get away with this, you're going to see him and be angry with yourself. I don't want you to be mad at yourself. You did nothing wrong."

"I did everything wrong, Lucas." She shook her head and pulled her hand away from mine. "I was so infatuated with an older guy that I just disrespected myself, and he took advantage of the situation."

My heart broke as I watched tears roll down her cheeks, "Oh Maya." I pulled her in for a hug, then squeezed tighter when I felt her head buried in my neck. "It's not your fault. Please don't blame yourself for this."

I kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back. "How could he do this to me?"

"I don't know, but I do know that I'm never letting that bastard come near you again." She pulled away from me and wiped her tears. "Do you want to go back to school?

Maya shook her head, "I can't go back there and face Riley and Mr. Matthews. Will you take me home?"

"Whatever you want." I started the truck and and pulled out of the parking lot.

[Maya's POV;]

Lucas placed a gentle kiss on my temple and pulled me into his chest. "Are you going to tell your parents when they get home?"

I sighed and looked at the blank television screen. "Mom is working late and Shawn is Upstate. Besides, I don't think I'm going to tell them."

"Maya," Lucas started. "You really need to tell someone"

Glancing up at him, I caressed his cheek and looked into his eyes. "This is my decision Lucas."

His eyes softened and he gently held my wrist. "I know, and I'm sorry. It just makes me sick to even think about what he did."

Neither of us moved as we kept each other's gaze. There was a look in Lucas' eyes that I don't get to see very often: compassion for another human being. Granted, we never stopped being friends, but whenever we're acting it often seems as if he's lost his humanity

We were smiling at each other without saying a word when I heard the front door open. "So Cory called and said that you skipped school this morning." Shawn smirked as he sat on the table in front of us. "He also mentioned that you were last spotted with Lucas." I slowly moved away from Lucas, leaving a small space between us on the couch.

"It's really not as bad as it sounds... " I tried finding the words to explain myself.

"Really Maya? It sounds and looks pretty bad. You leave school early with your best friend's boyfriend and I find you all cuddled up on the sofa. Friar, didn't we talk about this?"

Lucas sighed and put his arm around me. "People already talk about us, and I don't think they're ever going to stop. Besides I was just helping Maya with something."

Shawn looked at me with concern. "Is everything okay, kiddo?"

Staring at my lap, I stayed silent and avoided eye contact. "I really think you should tell him. It'll be okay." Lucas reassuringly rubbed my back.

"You're not pregnant are you?"

I shook my head. "Definitely not pregnant." All eyes were on me. "You're going to be so angry with me."

"Whatever it is, you can tell me." Shawn tried to reassure me.

A tear rolled down my cheek as I forced myself to look at my stepfather. "Josh isn't the person I thought he was."

Shawn moved to the couch with Lucas and I. "What does that mean, Maya? What did he do to you?"

I took a deep breath and stared at the blank screen in front of me. "Remember all of those nights where you and mom couldn't find me, and then you'd be relieved that I was at least with Josh?" I felt a hand slowly rub my back. "I know you know that I was always at college parties. I know Lucas told you that I was super out of it. I never remembered any of it. Most of the time it wasn't because I was drunk, it was because Josh and his friends would spike my drinks."

"Maya, what did Josh do to you?"

My face was red and I looked over at Lucas who was just as surprised as Shawn. "I don't know. All of those nights that I can't recall, I can only remember things that happened while I was with Lucas. Then waking up with Josh or one of his friends."

"Why didn't you say something?" The two men on each side of me looked as if they would cry. "I would have done something, Maya."

I looked at my lap and sighed. "He's a Matthews. I wanted to believe that he would never do that to me."

"Please tell me there's nothing else." I looked at Shawn and bit my lip. Looking into his eyes, I could almost see his heart breaking. "What else did he do?"

Staying silent, I looked between him and Lucas as the tears rolled down my face. "You're going to be so angry." They both stared at me and I felt my best friend squeeze my hand. "He recorded us having sex on more than one occasion. And I had no idea it was happening. I probably wasn't even sober most of it." My voice was shaking and Shawn quickly pulled me into his chest. "I'm so sorry."

Shawn held me tight and I could hear the shakiness in his voice. "You don't have to be sorry it's not your fault."

"You were right about him the whole time." I sobbed into his chest.

He rubbed my back and whispered. "I didn't want to be right."

[Lucas' POV;]

I looked up at Maya as she came out of the bathroom wearing a grey sports bra and my black sweatpants. "Whoa."

She laughed and started brushing through her wet, tangled hair. "Keep your eyes in you sockets or I'll tell Riley."

Smirking, I stood up and wrapped my arms around her waist as I pressed my bare chest against her back. "It's not my fault you're so hot." She blushed and set her brush on the dresser. "Besides the only thing I want you to tell Riley about is Josh."

Maya turned around and bit her lip as her eyes trailed up my body. "It's going to take more than a toned body to convince me." Realizing how close we were, she gently pushed me back to create a gap between us. "I begged my parents not to tell the Matthews about this. So she won't find out unless you tell her."

I slowly moved my hand up her back and rested it on her neck. "Why are you protecting him? He's a douche and he deserves to be shunned by his family for what he did to you." My eyes stayed fixed on Maya. She sighed and looked down at her feet.

"Their family is so perfect, Lucas. Something like this will change the dynamic of everything. Riley can't handle it."

I sighed and pulled her in for a hug. "You and I both know Riley is stronger than she lets people think. Stop worrying."

"Lucas?" She placed her chin on my chest as she looked up at me. "I really hope you don't think we're having sex tonight."

Smirking, I picked her up and she wrapped her legs around my waist. "I wasn't expecting to, but it'd be fun. We had fun last time."

"You're dating Riley, and we were drunk when we did it last time." I set her on the bed and laid next to her. "Even if we didn't have those circumstances I'm really not in the mood."

I kissed her forehead and pulled her closer to me. "I was just teasing. I'd never try to hurt Riley like that."

"Besides, I don't even want to think about having sex right now. Not even one million showers could make me feel less gross."

"Don't even think about him, okay? He's an ass. He took advantage of you and he needs to be arrested."

She sighed and rested her head on my chest. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, even though I don't always act like it. I do love you Maya."