...
Seth just couldn't believe it. Of course he couldn't even begin to describe how he was feeling after what Taryn told him.
"I was raped..." She had told him.
Taryn bit her lip, the look on her face was filled with apprehension and anxiety. She bowed her head down in shame.
"Maybe it wasn't a good idea to tell him in the first place.." She thought to herself.
"I...I should just go..." She got up to leave until Seth's hand stopped her, as she looked at him. She just couldn't read what was on his mind, to which that surprised her.
Seth swallowed hard. He had to know. It would be hard for her to talk about. So damn hard. It would be excruciating.
But he wanted her to trust him and he knew his actions were going to have to speak louder than words.
"Tell me..." He simply replied.
Taryn closed her eyes tightly as she started to go slowly, piece by piece.
"It started off with my father. I was 16 years old when it happened. My sisters and my mom were not home and when my mom was home, he would do it in a sneaky way, whether it would be come into my room late at night or just when I was downstairs at the basement. If I didn't go through with what he wanted, he would more or so less threaten to kill me.." She ran a hand through her hair shakily.
"So he would rape me over and over...and then the next few days I became sick. Sick as if I had been suffering from an illness from so many years. Come to find out, when I went to this private clinic near our school, the doctor had confirmed to me that I was pregnant." She closed her eyes, her memories flooding back to her, hearing the crying she had done when she was younger.
She had went over to the liquor cabinet as she poured herself a drink; Vodka straight up. She downed it, still continuing her horror story of her past as Seth sat there and listened, not interrupting her.
"I forgot how many weeks I was. I knew I wasn't that far along. My baby was probably still the size of a jelly bean for all I know, I didn't bother or think carefully about that. All I could just think about at the time was that for one, I was too young to have baby, and two, my family; My grandmother and my sisters and cousins and aunts would all hate me if I became pregnant through incest, even though I had no control over it."
"So I decided that I had to get rid of it. I had to.." She swallowed hard. "But I didn't make enough money from working at the movie theater and God help me, I didn't want anyone to know about it. So someone had told me that...that there was an operation running to give girls one on one abortions. You know, the illegal shit? You get the wire hanger, the pliers, alcohol and towel and you wind up in a filthy fucking room with an ugly grotesque man who doesn't care if you were a 16 year old girl because he kept staring at your breasts? Like a horror movie except this shit really happened to me."
She sipped more of her vodka drink, knowing she had to spill the truth to him. "I had went down there. I paid them my money and Seth...it was horrible. It was disgusting and rancid. I had thrown up a couple times and felt like I was going to pass out."
"Anyway, I had got on the bed as the man was about to perform the procedure. But then something hit me, Seth." She stared out into the window of the night. "I didn't want to go through with it. I knew I couldn't be a mother but I couldn't kill an innocent life. Women have the right to decide what they want to do with their bodies, whether they wanted to be a mother or not but that wasn't me. I tried to tell the man to stop and that he could keep the money. But you know they never fucking listen."
She poured herself another shot as Seth could hear the anguish in her voice. He wanted to just reach out and hold her but he stopped, knowing she had to get this all out.
"So...the members of our football team...the ones you had hung out with, since you were popular and all.." Her hand had shook a little as she was holding the glass. "Greg and Billy...they decided that it was OK to stick the wire hanger inside of me, tear me apart inside. And then..."
She had gasped, almost seeing flashbacks as to what happened. She told herself to get a grip. She had to do this.
"No one will believe you..." She remembered Alex's words.
She couldn't take it anymore.
"Alex...Alex Riley, Billy and everyone in that room...they had done the procedure anyway. They were holding me down as they stuck everything inside of me. Then...they recorded me as they all took turns violating me. Having sex with me while I was bleeding and passed out. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. I was so paralyzed."
"I felt like everything inside of me was torn apart. Everything was taken from me; My self respect. My confidence. My happiness.." She whispered.
"And then...Angelina Love and her fucking whore of a best friend, those preppy cheerleaders had bullied me in the bathroom, and they had a video of what happened back in that room. Threatened that if I was to ever say anything..they would tell everyone and that they would hurt Ariel. After that, they spat on me and left me there."
"All I could think about was this; What have I done to deserve this? What have I done for them to do this to me? There were too many damn questions that I've kept asking myself over and over again. I remember when they kicked me out in the pouring rain, blood was still running down my legs. I was in pain. The worse pain that anyone could have ever imagined. I just wanted to fade away Seth..."
She shut her eyes as she thought about it all taking place; Every scar that she had carried inside of her. Her eyes snapped right back open though.
"And then...that's when I decided no more." She looked at him, her eyes changed color. "I was sick of being on my knees, crying and pleading. I was sick of being bullied, pushed around. I had enough. So.." She continued to drink, the alcohol making her bolder. "I took matters into my own hands."
"What do you mean..." Seth treading lightly, knowing he was practically further into the rabbit hole. There was no going back.
"You know the reports of what had happened? On the news of what happened to half the football team and Alex Riley. That figure that was beating him as well as Greg and Billy being brutally beaten to the point of being comatose? And don't even get me started on that bitch, Angelina Love." She tightened her grip on the glass, finishing up the remains of vodka.
"Taryn, what did you do..." He asked quietly. He had remembered the reports and everyone talking about what happened to half the football team and the two cheerleaders. They weren't dead but he knew some of them were paralyzed and even a few were sent to a mental institution.
Taryn didn't say a word as she went to her phone, pulling up a picture. She gave Seth the phone as she showed him the picture of a painted skull mask. He looked at it carefully and then back at her.
"Many people have talked about the figure walking around in a strange mask. I'm that woman. I'm the one who decided to get my own justice." Taryn's eyes filled with tears. "Don't you get it, Rollins? Because of what they had done...because of what Alex had done. I can't have any children. Three doctors. Three doctors told me that I was sterile after doing some testing because of the damage. Stefan demanded to know why I couldn't have children. I didn't tell him all except about the illegal abortion and the revenge I had done. He swore to keep it a secret for the sake of mines and his reputation. But every day, he's made me live with the guilt and horror I have done. Threatened to go to the police and then even when I would admit to going myself, he would manipulate and say that they would lock me away. I would never see my family again."
She paced back and forth in the room. "Living with this secret has been a nightmare. Do you know what it's like, having to think of your body being violated to you over and over again? Then my father, that fucked up bastard." Her eyes filled with a fresh batch of tears. "I set him on fire. Struck that match after I stabbed him in the arm with a pair of scissors. I didn't murder him even though I wanted too. But God help me...seeing him cry for help...seeing him struggling as the flames were torturing his body, making him helpless and suffering. The way he has made me suffer for years. That was my first time!" She cried out, wanting to scream so loudly. "My first time, my virginity was taken from me. I was robbed of something so precious that I can never get back. I never wanted to hurt anyone Seth. But I couldn't take it anymore. The monster in me came out and I destroyed everything I had touched. All I wanted to do was just kill myself. Part of me still does.."
She dropped to her knees as she trembled, crying. She was rocking back and forth. She didn't expect Seth to even understand the pain she had felt. She expected him to be disgusted with her. To leave her and to even tell her to get out.
However, what surprised her the most, was that he went over to her and held her so tightly. He held her as though she was the last thing on earth.
"Jesus Fucking Christ..." Seth was shocked. He couldn't believe that the mysterious attacker was Taryn. Even though what she had done was horrible, she did it for good reason. A very damn good reason. Now she was suffering and he felt like shit for not seeing it.
He also remembered hanging out with Alex most of the time throughout high school, and even talking with him as they both laughed and joked around before and after Monday Night Raw. He was angry that piece of shit was walking around, happy and cheerful, not knowing this side to him. Not knowing he did this sadistic cruel operation and was running it for awhile.
He knew Alex's parents were rich. Beyond rich. So he had a feeling that they never knew of Alex's horrific actions. And probably still didn't.
"Sweetheart...I am so sorry...I'm so fucking sorry..." he whispered as she sobbed in his arms. He held her so tightly. It was killing her inside to hold a dark secret such as this.
"I couldn't take it anymore, Seth. And now, the punishment of this is that I can't produce children. I'm less of a woman now. And now God is punishing me. He's punishing me because my own husband cheated on me and left me for someone better than me. Stefan won't even make love to me the right way. He sees me as nothing more than a plaything for his own use. I wanted to be with him for the fact that I felt like he was saving me. But I knew it was all an illusion. I was still in hell...sometimes he would throw it back in my face what I have done."
It was then that something clicked inside Seth. He looked at her as more tears spilled. As he remembered the cuts on her arms.
"That's why you have been cutting yourself..." He asked quietly as she nodded, confirming his suspicions.
"It was much more. I couldn't tell anyone about this. I couldn't tell my sisters, especially Ariel and my grandmother. My mom will never know now that she is gone. They would hate me and they wouldn't believe me. They would be disgusted with the fact that I was involved with incest."
"Sweetheart that wasn't your fault." He cupped her cheek, looking into her eyes. "And I believe you. So what makes you think they won't? They love you so much."
"I just know. Alex has planted it inside my head as well as all of them." She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face.
She didn't say anything else as Seth held her in his arms as she rested her head in his chest, feeling his heart beat. He was so strong. So tender and sweet. But why? Why was he still showing how much he cared? She did something horrible and should have been hated and disgusted for.
"Wh..Why are you being so caring to me?" She wiped her eyes. "I don't understand.."
"Because to me, you did nothing wrong. You stood up for yourself. You fought back. Even in the worst of the worst situation." He explained to her. "I just never knew how much pain you were in. I'm incredibly sorry."
"Don't apologize. You didn't do this to me." She stroked his cheek, looking back at him.
"I was part of the reason. I was the one who made fun of you, bullied you. Not even acknowledging how much you were suffering." He shut his eyes, forcing himself to be strong. He already had feelings for Taryn. Now they just grew deeper for her.
He realized that's where all her repression came from. How she was embarrassed and ashamed of everything that was sexual.
He saw the way she was looking at him. He honestly couldn't believe she trusted him enough to speak out about this. It wasn't easy to talk about. Rape nor any form of abuse was never easy to talk about.
It made him smile inside, knowing that she opened a part of herself to him, no matter how horrible it was.
He wasn't disgusted with her at all. He admired her for how she fought back. Being tired of pushed around. Even though she had snapped and lashed out, he realized it wasn't just for the hell of it.
If anything, he wanted to fucking kill Stefan for even putting her through this. The thought of him and Alex angered him even more inside.
It was as though Taryn could feel the anger radiating off of Seth's hard body. He set her down on the bed as he was about to grab his things.
"Wh-Where are you going?" She asked, fear in her voice.
"We are going to the police and we are going to handle this shit and make sure Alex is in jail."
"No!" She ran over to him and grabbed his hand. "Please I can't..."
"Taryn this isn't your fault. You didn't ask for this. Alex did this shit. He did this to you. He almost killed you that night!" He was furious. That smug son of a bitch was walking around here as if everything was all fine and happy go lucky.
"I can't, Seth. I can't do it. I can't put you at risk like that." She shook her head, frightened. "I don't want him to hurt you. Please Seth, I don't want anything to happen to you because of me.."
Seth could see how frightened she was. He could see that in her eyes, it was a mistake to tell him her secret but at the same time, he was glad she did.
"I don't want him to hurt you either..." He sat back on the bed with her, trying to calm her down. "Has he been...threatening you..."
She closed her eyes, feeling as though her tongue had swollen up in her mouth as she tried to speak. So instead, she nodded.
"Please...don't go to the police...don't say anything...please, I'm begging you..." Her voice cracked as she was shaking, almost on the verge of an anxiety attack as Seth went over and held her back in his arms, holding her tight.
Taryn then calmed down. She couldn't describe it but being in Seth's arms was amazing. He didn't make her feel so alone in the world.
"I promise you." he cupped her face in his hands. "I promise you I won't say anything to anyone. You have my word. I want to help you in anyway that I can."
It was quiet for a moment until he asked her another question.
"Does anyone else know about..well...about this besides me..?" He asked quietly.
"I told Naomi I was raped when I was younger but I didn't give her the whole story. Not like the one I've told you." She swallowed hard. "Other than that, no no one else knows."
"I know maybe Ariel, Roman, My Grandmother, and Dean may find out. I do want to tell them just...I'm too scared right now. I'm not brave like you, Seth. I don't know how to take chances or even often express what's on my mind half of the time. Whatever comes out of my mind is nothing of anything sweet. It's all damaged. I'm damaged.." She whispered, bowing her head.
He removed the black strands of hair from her face, just to see those beautiful eyes. "Sometimes...the ones that are damaged are the ones that are the most beautiful thing they have ever seen. Just like you."
Taryn found herself blushing as she hid her face in his chest as he smiled to himself. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to kiss her pain away. He wanted to be the one to rescue her from everything she had been through.
But he didn't do it. Not yet. It wouldn't be time yet. He wasn't going to make a move on her. He would only comfort her and just let her know she wasn't alone.
He promised her he would keep his secret and he was going to stick to that.
Eventually, later that night she was snoring softly on his bed while he decided to lay out on the pullout bed, giving her some space.
Even though Naomi and him knew now of what happened, he was bothered that Alex was getting away with it. He knew at this point, he was going to need some help.
Who better than his former Shield Brothers, Dean and Roman?
Seth, Roman and Dean had all met up for breakfast as Seth texted him that he needed to talk to both of them asap. Luckily for Roman, Ariel was busy working out and hanging with her friends. Taryn hung out with Ariel as well. They all met at a local brunch bar that was only a few blocks away from the hotel.
"So what's going on?" Dean munched into his breakfast sandwich. "It's too early for this shit and I'm fucking tired."
"Shut up, idiot." Roman rolled his eyes as he drank his coffee. Neither of them had gotten enough sleep. They had to be back on the road within the next hour so Seth had to make it quick and keep it simple.
"It's about someone I know." Seth drank his coffee. "You know Alex Riley right? Back in high school? He was pretty much the quarterback for the football team I was on and was an arrogant jackass?"
"How could we forget?" Dean huffed, annoyed. He never liked Alex Riley but tolerated him because of the fact that they worked at the same workplace.
"Well, long story short." Seth continued. "Taryn told me something that Alex had done...one that you both have to keep your fucking mouth shut, alright?"
Roman and Dean nodded, knowing this was about to get legit serious.
Seth just couldn't sit there and let Taryn suffer through this. He was going to get this bastard to pay for what he's done.
It was then that Seth told them that Alex had been running an illegal operation of abortions and that Taryn was raped by him. He never told them of what else she had done as well as other things he had done to her. Just the fact that he raped her and abused her.
"You sure she is telling the truth about this?" Dean asked to which Roman and Seth glared at him so hard, Dean wished he never said that nor thought about it.
"Are you fucking kidding me right now?" Seth growled defensively. "You really think she would lie about some shit like this? I would have fucking known if she did Ambrose, and I'm pretty sure she wouldn't make up something like this."
"I wasn't calling her a liar I just wanted to make sure we had all the facts before we get his ass! I would love nothing more than to beat his face in." Dean assured him, his hands up in defeat as his two best friends were about to punch the shit out of him for saying that dumb comment. "I wasn't calling her a liar about this, I swear to God."
"Ariel's going to fucking kill him and I'm going to be right there with her." Roman's fists balled up, knowing the truth.
"That's the thing; Ariel can't know about this yet. Neither can Taryn." he sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "I told her I was hanging out with you two at the gym. I told her that I wouldn't say or do anything but that piece of shit is walking around here, probably stalking her and threatening her and I'm not going to let him get away with it. She's afraid that not even the police will believe her, given the fact that it happened when she was 16. But I can't just sit there and do nothing. I can't.." Seth replied softly.
"I can't lie to my fiance, Rollins." Roman was frustrated. "And you know how Ariel is about her sister. Long story short, Kristen is a fucking bitch for what she did."
"So you know?" Seth's eyebrows raised up as he ate his doughnut. Roman nodded as Dean looked between the two of them.
"Am I missing something here? Don't keep me out of the fucking loop." Dean huffed.
"Long story. trust me but we'll get to that later. This is now." Roman stated. "And as of now, I say we take this situation into our own hands."
"Look, we can't just beat him up right now in front of everyone, and think this isn't going to come back on us. We still have our careers too and Hunter and Stephanie wouldn't like it." Dean reasoned, even though he wanted to beat the shit out of Alex as well.
Seth chuckled confidently. "You two seem to forget here that I am good friends with the Authority, inside and out. I already have a plan in mind. I just need my brothers with me on this. So...are you in or out, guys?"
Roman and Dean looked at each other and then back at Seth who had his fist out. Roman and Dean put their fists together.
"Always the Shield. Forever." Dean smirked as all of them smiled, bumping their fists together, knowing that their brotherhood would never die, especially outside the ring
"So, here is the plan.." Seth indulged them on the details of making sure Alex would get what he deserved.
Alex had finished his afternoon jog in the park and was heading home. He smirked, knowing good and well he had Taryn wrapped around his little finger. The best part was that he had been getting away with this for a long long time. The illegal abortion operation and he had enough money to where he could buy his way out of anything. He was just that damn smart and better.
It sucked he couldn't get in the ring and wrestle like he wanted too. He was stuck being a stupid NXT commentator in front of his stupid ass peers and in front of the WWE Universe, to which he really didn't give two shits about.
He made it inside the house, ready to hook himself up a snack and put the ice pad on his back from the fact that his lower spine had issues for years know ever since the attack. It was then memories of that attack was coming back to him. He was trying to put two and two together.
"If I had to guess...that bitch Taryn sent someone to get me. Or maybe...maybe it was.."
He had to hold that thought as he heard someone knocking to the front door of his condo.
He looked through the peephole.
"Hey dude it's me!" Seth grinned. "Come on out."
Alex smiled as he opened the door, both of them slapping fives with each other.
"What have you been up too lately?" Alex smiled.
"Awe nothing really. Just was wondering if you wanted to hang out right now? I know there's the football game going on and I'll be leaving in about an hour and you have the few days off. Might as well right?" Seth convinced him. "We can catch up like how we use to in high school."
"Sure. I mean, I'm pretty fucking tired from running but I can score a couple beers and flirt with the ladies. You're not with that bitch, Zahara or Taryn are you?" He rolled his eyes.
"No." Seth made sure Alex wasn't looking as he locked his door, ready to exit as he gave Dean and Roman the signal.
Just as Alex was about to go down his walkway with Seth, Dean and Roman grabbed him as Dean pulled a dark hood over his head as all three of them grabbed him, going to the truck that was parked in the shade of trees, taking him in the black unmarked truck. Alex struggled and yelled but the fact that the hood covered his entire face, no one could hear him. Dean and Roman worked to tie him up as Seth started up the car, heading out and thankfully, no one in his neighborhood saw anything.
"We got a lot of catching up to do, Alex." Seth replied to him. "Lot's and lots of catching up to do..."