CHAPTER 13

"Mmm… I see you love being wet."

Briar cringed at Paul's voice greeting her.

Slowly, Paul approached the shower, bending down so they were eye level with each other. He watched as she trembled against the wall, clinging to it like it was a lifeline. "I can make you wetter, sweetheart." He purred, reaching out to run a thick finger up the curve of her breast. "I'm not going to hurt you…" He whispered, almost tenderly, pulling her out into the open then against him. "God you feel so good…"

He was insane, her father associated only with sociopaths. All of them hell bent on seeing her cracked and broken. "No." Briar whispered, her hands wedged between them, trying to push away. She was roughly five foot eight, she was a ragdoll compared to him. A flimsy, tiny thing that would easily shatter if he so much as tapped her with a fraction of the strength she knew he possessed. "Don't touch me." Her voice was soft but growing stronger.

"But you feel wonderful…" He growled softly, feeling her nails digging into his bare chest. "That feels good." Paul sighed, bending down to seal his lips to her neck, kissing her skin gently; a hand now sliding down her stomach and further, cupping her crotch.

Briar was breathing heavily, on the verge of hyperventilating.

"Ssh, relax, I'm not doing anything you don't want. We'll go at your pace." He soothed.

Briar didn't have a pace because Briar was terrified of sex, anything to do with being touched scared her. Being with Mark and his now disbanded Ministry had done that to her. She drug her fingernails down his chest, leaving scratches in their wake. "Stop it!" She yelled, refusing to let him go any further.

This sudden defiance was pissing him off. He used his free hand to cup her slender neck, squeezing to silently let her know just how horribly fragile she was. "Shut up." He ordered in a deadly hiss. "You gave it to Bradshaw and Midian, you're damn sure not denying me."

The fear in her grey eyes was a bit of a turn on, knowing he had the power to do whatever he wanted to her. What could she do against him? Scream? Swat at him? The idea of her harming him was ridiculous. Paul resumed stroking her through her pants, capturing her mouth with his. "I want to feel you, cum Briar…" He murmured against her soft lips.

Delusional, she wasn't even anywhere near being turned on. Not even remotely close to even feeling relaxed or pleasant. Of course it would help if he wasn't over seven feet and scary as hell, or that he was forcing himself on her.

Then again, she also probably needed therapy once more before she even considered entertaining the possibility of dating again, let alone sex.

"STOP!" Briar full out screamed, this couldn't happen to her. Not again, there would be no recovering her precious sanity for a third time.

"What did I say?" He demanded, wrenching her head back with her hair. Before he could finish what he was starting, he heard Mark's angry bellow. "Until next time." He nipped her ear, then disappeared from the bathroom.

"That COCKSUCKER!" Mark roared, driving his fist into the nearest wall, blood streaking down his face. "Him and those fucking blonds!"

"'Taker, what happened?"
"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK? LOOK AT ME!"

Paul cringed as the gash spanning across the other man's forehead finally got his notice, clearing his throat nervously. "I- I wasn't paying attention. Your kid freaked out and I was calming her down."

"Figures." Mark snorted, going to wash his face.

Briar was sitting in the shower now, trying to fold herself into something invisible, arms locked around her drawn legs. She stared up at her step-father, trails on her face from her tears, seeing the blood. Had it been Jeff who had did that to him? She hoped so, it was the very least he deserved. She opened her mouth; closing it just as fast when Paul's massive frame took over the doorway; her head lowering.

"Do you need anything, 'Taker?" Paul asked, shooting Briar a cautioning look.

"Yeah, go find McMahon and let him know I want Jeff, Christian and Edge against us next week for Raw." Mark said thoughtfully, anger etched into his face. He reached for the first aid kit, pissed beyond belief. The idea of his step-daughter hanging out with Jeff had been officially thrown out the window after that little stunt Hardy had pulled. Snorting, he began suturing himself.

Personally, Briar thought Mark deserved what he had gotten but knew better than to voice it. She waited until Paul was gone before standing up. "I want to stay at the hotel during your shows." She said evenly, seeing the shock flit across his face. This was the first time she had spoken to him since that night she had lost it. "Please?"

Mark slowly turned to face her, setting down the threaded needle. He observed the pleading in her eyes, thinking back to that night at the house and shook his head. "I can't take the chance of you doing something again, Briar." He said softly, turning back to the mirror.

"Please, Mark, please?" She begged, watching as he shook his head no resolutely. "You deserved everything they did to you and much more!" She spat angrily. "If you hadn't let-" Briar fell silent when his eyes snapped to her, slumping back against the wall and relapsed into her silence.

He could destroy her one minute and the next he was almost kind, and people said SHE was crazy.

"I did deserve it, you're right." Mark spat back, slowly turning around. One long arm reached out to grab her wrist, pulling her towards him viciously, a sneer on his lips. "But THIS is the reason you're never going to be alone again, Briar!" He ripped her shirt sleeve up, tearing the fabric. "You hurt yourself when you're alone. So don't you worry about that boy of yours, worry about YOURSELF!"

***

Briar could not sleep. Mark wouldn't let her have her own room. She was surprised he had let her have her own, suppose she somehow suffocated herself? After a quick shower –she had a three minute rule or else he'd come in and watch her- she crawled under her blankets. In the next bed over, she could hear Mark tossing and turning; knowing his head was probably paining him and snorted; served him right.

"Mmm… I see you love being wet. I can make you wetter, sweetheart."

"Hmmm, those lips are perfect for this, baby."

"She's no innocent virgin but she's probably tight as fuck."

"I want to feel you cum, Briar…"

"Make me cum…"

"STOP IT!" Briar screamed, clamping her hands to her head, sitting upright. "NO MORE!"

Coming out of a dead sleep at the shrieking from her bed, Mark bolted out of his own and rushed over to Briar. He fumbled for a moment; finally flicking on the nightstand light and inhaled sharply. Her pale, wan face was glossed with tears and the fear swirling through her grey eyes was enough to piece his heart. Sighing heavily, Mark pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his strong arms around her.

"Sshhh…" He whispered in her ear, both feeling and hearing her violent; body wracking sobs. "God Briar, Briar I'm so sorry… I'm sorry I did that to you… I'm sorry… Jesus…" He buried his face in her hair, tightening his hold when she tried pushing him away.

"Let go!" Briar gasped harshly, using her balled hands to push at him. "Don't touch me! Don't TOUCH me!" She screamed over and over when he refused to let her go, hitting him as hard as she could repeatedly. "No, no, no, no!"

"I can't… I can't let you go, Briar." He whispered in her ear, holding on even tighter. "God, I'm so sorry…" His voice was filled with remorse, knowing just how badly he had fucked her up, probably for the rest of her life. "Briar, shhh, it's alright, nobody is going to hurt you…"

Briar buried her face in her hands and just cried, ceasing her struggles.

***

The next night at the house show it was like nothing had ever happened. Briar refused to look or talk to him; though when she had woken up in the morning, she had found a pair of long black fingerless gloves on her bed, knowing they must have been from him.

She wore them now, having fallen in love with them the minute she seen the delicate grey lace that overload the black on her hands. She had mumbled thank you and that was it.

"Nothing is going to happen." Mark promised, walking behind her, his hands on her tense shoulders. "You'll stay in here with Wight." He didn't even notice the sudden stiffening of her body or how her pace slowed as he gently nudged her into the dressing room, nodding at Paul. "She had a rough night, she won't be much trouble."

"Besides a little meltdown she wasn't any trouble last night, a perfect angel." Paul grinned. "My match is first."

"Good, don't disappoint me."

Briar tucked her legs under herself after settling on a small couch, staring at the monitor though she didn't really see what was on it. Every inch of her was tensed and ready to spring, to run if Paul so much as laid a finger on her. She sincerely hoped he did disappoint Mark, maybe Mark would pound him into oblivion as a punishment. A wicked smile graced her pale lips for the barest of moments.

Mark hadn't missed that smile and shook his head, wondering what on earth she was thinking about. Unless he was looking directly into her eyes, he had a hard time reading Briar. She had gotten so well at keeping her face a mask of nothingness, except her damn eyes. Though grey orbs always showcased whatever it was she was thinking or feeling, piercing into him all at the same time.

"Go." He ordered, glancing at Paul who merely nodded and walked out of the room. No sooner had the door closed behind him then it seemed like someone was knocking, eliciting a groan from Mark. Sighing, he opened it and blinked.

Edge and Christian were both standing there with hesitant yet angry expressions on their faces.

"We want to speak with Briar." Edge said firmly.

Amused, Mark crossed his arms in front of his chest. "If I say no?"

"She's an adult, she can make her own decisions."

"Briar, do you want to talk to tweedle dee and tweedle dum?"

Briar slowly looked up at them, looking blank for a moment before nodding; getting to her feet. "May I?" She asked in a whisper. "Please?" If this was him fucking with her she would follow him to the ring and destroy herself before his audience just to punish him. She couldn't bear being taunted with her friends.

Christian didn't give him the chance to say anything, just guided her out into the hallway, staring at Mark calmly. "We'll be right here with her."

"You three can talk in here." He grunted in return, smirking at Christian when Briar immediately obeyed, the blonds reluctantly following suit. "I've got other business to attend too." Mark muttered, leaving them to their privacy, shaking his head. Briar did not make friends with girls it seemed. Why must every boy in the nearby vicinity want to be around her? He didn't understand it, nor did he like it.

Christian wanted to hug her, she definitely looked like she needed one but the look in her eyes told him if he even moved to quickly she was liable to panic. Briar reminded him of a trapped animal. "Bri…" He couldn't even ask if she was okay, that was a no brainer. How she'd been? Another stupid question. "Do you want us to take you out of here?" He finally asked, his tone soft.

"Man, do you have any idea what 'Taker would do if we did that? She's under his guardianship for another eight months." Edge shook his head, he had the date marked on his calendar, expecting that to be the day she finally killed herself. That was a sad thought.

The door opened again.

"What are you doing here?" He hissed, eyes widening.

His eyes were only for his gothic angel on the couch. Jeff ignored the other two as he walked over, crouching down in front of her and reached out to gently lift her face to meet his gaze. "Briar…"

"Jeff." She whispered, staring at him like he was a mirage.

He smiled.