A/N: [Warnings for verbal and Physical abuse]


Linda glanced around as she climbed out of Adrian's car, smoothing down her long sleeve green dress. The green dress worked well with hiding her bruises. Adrian had made her change her first few dresses, claiming they were too short or too revealing, he only liked it when she dressed conservatively otherwise she was dressing like a whore who belonged on the street corner. Linda didn't agree but if she even thought about voicing her opinion she was sure it would cost her a beating she rather avoid.

Adrian wrapped his arm around her waist as they made their way up to the front door of the house the party was being thrown. There were already people gathered on the front lawn and porch, drinking and smoking. Loud music emanating from the house.

The music only got louder as they made it inside. The house was packed with people drinking, some were dancing, some were making out against the wall and some were just talking in groups.

"Hey, there's Caitlin and Ronnie." Linda spotted her friend across the room with her boyfriend. "Is it okay if we go over there and talk to them?"

Adrian glanced at her. "Since you ask." he conceded with a nod.

Linda led them over to the other couple. "Caitlin, hey."

"Linda, you made it, I'm glad." Caitlin stepped forward, giving her friend a quick hug.

"You look great." Linda complimented Caitlin's blue dress, it clung to her friend's curves and stopped a few inches above the knee with a flirty skirt.

"Thank you." Caitlin smiled.

"Adrian, I'm surprised you made it. I didn't think this was your scene." Ronnie commented.

"It's not. Linda wanted to come." Adrian responded, glancing away from them and looking around disinterestedly.

"Where's Felicity and Cisco?" Linda wondered.

"Cisco is off flirting with that girl Gypsy," Caitlin answered. "And Felicity went to get a drink with her date, Sara."

Adrian's brow furrowed. "Felicity's into girls?" he frowned, turning to Linda. "Did you know about this?"

"It's a recent development," Linda answered. "But if she's happy that's all that matters."

Adrian frowned, he could remember a couple nights where Linda and Felicity went out with just the two of them and he wondered just how recent this change in sexuality was.

"There they are," Ronnie pointed out.

Linda glanced to her left to see Felicity approaching them with a smile, there was an equally pretty blonde girl beside her with blue eyes and freckles.

"Linda, I'm glad, you made it." Felicity smiled. "I'd like you to meet Sara." She smiled at her date. "Sara, this is Linda one of my closest friends. Linda this is Sara, you have a class with her sister Laurel."

Linda extended her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"You too, Felicity's mentioned you a few times since we met." Sare offered a kind smile.

Adrian cleared his throat and Felicity frowned at him, barely keeping the glare she wanted to pin him with at bay. "This is Adrian." Felicity didn't bother keeping the dislike for him out of her tone.

Adrian glared at Felicity, not liking her tone before focusing his gaze on Sara. "Adrian Chase, Linda's boyfriend."

Sara nodded. "Isn't your father like a lawyer or something? I think my dad may have mentioned him a few times. He's a detective."

"Both my parents are well-known lawyers. What did you say your last name was?" Asked Adrian, looking at her questioningly.

"Lance." Answered Sara.

"Oh, you're Quentin Lance's youngest daughter. The problem child." Adrian gave a smirk that was almost insulting.

"Yeah, that would be me." Sara gave him a fake smile, thinking he was a dick. And that it was no wonder it appeared Felicity didn't like the guy. She has barely been in his presence for two minutes and already she wanted to get away from him. She turned to Felicity. "Dance with me?"

Felicity nodded, taking Sara's hand. "I'll see you guys later." She called over her shoulder as she disappeared into the crowd with Sara.

"Hey," Barry appeared with his arm wrapped around a pretty dark-skinned girl. "I'm glad you guys made it." He smiled welcoming, he smiled at the girl that was with him. "Everyone this is my girlfriend, Iris West. Iris, this is Caitlin and her boyfriend, Ronnie, and this is Linda Parks and her boyfriend, Adrian."

"Hi," Iris gave a small wave. "It's nice to meet you all. I'm glad Barry has made an effort to meet more people outside his physic classes."

"Your friend throws a pretty great party," Ronnie commented.

"He does." Barry agreed, looking around for his friend.

"It helps that he's hot. He's on my top five cheat list." Iris said playfully with a grin. She liked to tease Barry about her attraction to his best friend but he knew she was only messing with him. "Oh, hey there he is." She caught his attention by calling out to him and waving her hand.

Linda felt Adrian's hand tightened around her as Barry's friend made his way over but she barely noticed as she took the other man in.

He was gorgeous. He had a strong facial structure covered in light stubble, his hair was cut into something resembling a buzz cut. He had the body of an Adonis and the most gorgeous blue eyes she had ever seen.

"I'd like you guys to meet Oliver Queen, he's a very close friend of mine." Barry grinned at his best friend.

"More like brothers," said Oliver.

"Oliver, this is Ronnie and Caitlin." Barry waved a hand in their direction. Caitlin smiled and Ronnie nodded at Oliver in greeting. "And this is Linda and her boyfriend-"

"Adrian Chase." Oliver cut him off, his once friendly smile vanishing.

Adrian glared at Barry. "You didn't say your friend was Oliver."

"I wasn't aware I was supposed to," Barry replied with a look of confusion not understanding where all this tension was coming from.

Linda frowned up at Adrian, wondering why he was reacting to Barry's friend the way he is. "Adrian," she began hesitantly. "Do you two know each other?"

Adrian's eyes snapped to hers and she couldn't help but flinch back from the anger she could see in them. Oh God, tonight was going to be awful.

She was afraid what he would do when they went back to his place. How he would take his anger and frustration out on her.


When Oliver first walked over to meet Barry's new friends, he had taken them all in before recognizing Adrian and his eyes instinctively went to the girl he had his arm wrapped around.

She was a small petite little thing but beautiful with curves in all the right places, long black hair, pale skin, dark eyes, an expressive face. He wondered what she was doing with a guy like Adrian.

It was obvious to him the way she stood perfectly still, that she had already met the real Adrian. How he liked to hit women, he was cruel and abusive. His charming charismatic grin was nothing but a mask to hide the abusive dick that lurked just beneath the surface.

Oliver knew his type well, he had grown up with an abusive father. Robert Queen was known to the world as a majorly successful businessman that was until he was exposed for the abusive bastard he was behind closed doors.

And that was the man Oliver knew. Some of Oliver's earliest memories was of his mother covered in bruises from his father or the sound of her sobs as he yelled and belittled her. When he got older he tried to protect her from his father but he only ended up, getting hurt in the end. He still had the scars from just how severe his father had beat him.

Being at the end of one of his father's beatings instead of his mother only made him want to be able to protect himself, his mother and his little sister, Thea from his wrath that much more.

He took martial arts classes, learning self-defense. It was a surprise at just how well he took to it. He wasn't the best student in regular classes but in this, he excelled. And he was quite proud knowing he could protect his loved ones from threats if he needed to.

He couldn't help but wonder if Linda had someone that would fight for her. That would keep her safe from her abusive boyfriend.

"You can say that." Adrian glared bringing Oliver out of his thoughts.

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Do you really want to get into this here?" Oliver arched a brow at him.

He had no problem kicking Adrian's ass again. Just the sight of the other man had his short temper rising to the surface.

Adrian stepped forward. "You don't scare me, Queen." he sneered. "You never have."

Oliver's jaw clenched in anger, tension coursing through him. "Maybe we should change that, Chase."

"Oh." Barry's eyes widened as it hit him how they knew Oliver and Adrian knew each other. He hadn't realized that Adrian was the same Adrian Oliver told him about.

"Adrian, don't, please." Linda pulled on his arm but he shrugged her off. "Adrian, C'mon, I just wanted to spend an evening with my friends. I don't want any trouble."

"You should listen to your pretty girlfriend," Oliver growled at Adrian. "I'm sure you remember what happened the last time you tried to come at me."

"Stay away from my girlfriend," Adrian growled, choosing to ignore what Oliver just said. He turned, grabbing Linda's arm roughly. "C'mon, were leaving."

"I'm not ready to leave." Linda protested as he led her way, wincing at his tight grip.

"I don't care. Move your ass, Linda!" Adrian snapped, shoving her forward and she barely kept herself from falling face first.

"Okay, okay," Linda said, trying to cruel into herself as he grabbed her arm again yanking her after him. "Ow, Adrian." his grip was so tight, painfully so. She knew he was going to leave yet another bruise.

Oliver frowned, watching the way he roughly pushed Linda around, treating her as if she was nothing more than a ragdoll he could push and pull around.

He was moving quickly, following after them before he even realized what he was doing. He grabbed Adrian's arm jerking her around to him.

"What the fuck is your problem?!" Adrian demanded.

"My problem is you and how you can't treat your girlfriend with an ounce of decency." Oliver clenched his jaw, taking a step forward. "She's a person, not a ragdoll!"

"Shit!" Barry muttered, pushing aside a few people, muttering apologies as he tried to get to Oliver.

"This is not any of your damn business!" Adrain snapped, focusing his rising anger on Oliver.

Linda stumbled back in surprise watching on with wide eyes.

Oliver stepped more into Adrian's space, anger and violence coursing through him. "I'm making it my business."

Adrain's face twisted up, right before he pulled back his arm, swinging it at Oliver.

Oliver blocked Adrian's fist with his arm, twisting around, grabbing Adrian's arm and twisting it behind his back, lifting his leg and slamming it into the back of Adrian's kneecap, sending him down to his knee, and twisting his arm.

Adrian groaned, clenching his jaw shut to keep from making a sound.

"How do you like being pushed around?" Oliver demanded the chatter and noise from the party had fallen silent as they watched on.

"Go fuck yourself," Adrian said through clenched teeth.

Oliver twisted his arm viciously and a small grunt of pain escaped Adrian despite how hard he tried not to show Oliver was hurting him.

"Oliver, man, don't," Barry said, laying a cautious hand on his friend's shoulder finally reaching him. "Stop, don't do this here, not now." His friend couldn't afford to screw up. He had his little sister to consider.

Oliver could hear what Barry wasn't saying. He couldn't lose it again in front of all these people. He had Thea to think of. He shoved Adrian away with a growl. "Don't embarrass yourself further, Chase."

Adrian pushed back to his feet with a grunt, glaring at everyone around him, he whirled around snatching Linda by the arm. "We're leaving."

Linda didn't fight him, allowing him to pull her out, still, she feared what would happen when they returned to his place and she couldn't help but glance back at Oliver, surprised to find his eyes on her, a troubled look etched across his handsome face.


Linda flinched as the apartment door slammed closed behind them. "Adrian," Linda said cautiously.

"Don't." he snapped advancing on her. "Don't say a word."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know that you knew Barry's friend and that you clearly didn't like-" Linda broke off on a cry of pain as her head snapped to the side from the back of Adrian's hand striking across the cheek.

"I told you not to speak!" He snapped advancing on her, his hands gripping her arms painfully. "What part of that don't you understand?"

Linda whimpered as he shook her roughly. "I'm sorry, please, please, just calm down." her voice cracked, her fear audible.

"Don't tell me to calm down, bitch!" He shoved her away from him harshly and she slammed into the wall, her head smacking against the hardwood, pain shooting up her back.

She cried out in pain and tried to curl into herself in an attempt to make herself a smaller target but it didn't help, she whimpered in pain as Adrian slammed his fist into her stomach, knocking the breath out of her.

However before she could sink to the floor Adrian yanked her up against him, looming over her threatening. "You think I didn't see the way you were looking at him?! You're going to stay the fuck away from him or so help me, God, you will regret it. Do I make myself clear?"

Linda nodded, whimpering, fear coursing through her. She would agree to anything if it would keep him from hurting further.

"Bitch, speak when I'm speaking to you!" Adrian snapped, striking her across the face again, she felt her lip split with the force and she cried out. She tried to break free of the grip he had on her with his other arm but couldn't. "Do I make myself clear?" Adrian growled, his hand raising to strike her again.

"Yes, yes, I understand." She cried, tears escaping her eyes, black streaks smearing down her cheeks from her mascara. "Please, please, Adrian. I'm sorry."

"You better be." He shoved her away roughly and she knocked the wall again, sliding to the floor. "Go clean yourself up, you look like a mess." he sneered.

Linda recoiled from the look of disgust he sent her, she quickly picked herself off the floor and rushed to the bathroom. She shut the door behind her, locking it, sliding to the floor, her back pressed against it. Tears welled up in her eyes as she wrapped an arm around her stomach where he struck her and gently touched her other hand to her face and wincing from the pain, her lip stinging and cheek throbbing.

She took deep breaths to try and will the pain away, her lip trembled, she tried to blink back the tears but failed as they chorused a path down her face, she let out a shaky breath, crying silently.

God, she hated this, hated her life, hated being weak, hated being Adrian's victim, his prisoner. She just wanted the pain to stop. She wanted to wake up from this nightmare she was living.

She curled into herself silent sobs wracking her body.

She wanted to be free. Free of the hurt. Free of the pain. Free of Adrian.

She just wanted her life back. Her freedom.


A/N: Feel free to leave a review. They're always appreciated. Thanks for reading.