Chapter Thirty-Three: Betrayal

He'd shielded her on the way out of the mansion, from view and from any scathing remarks that might have been tossed her way. Nobody said a word, but in all fairness, they'd managed not to run into Luka or Lila in their short travel.

Once they got into the car, and she looked at the time, she frowned. "I've only been asleep for three hours? It felt much longer than that," she muttered.

"Yeah, sorry, I wouldn't have woken you at all, but obviously…" He tugged her gently into his side as they sat, and she rested her head on his shoulder. Her head lulled, as sleep tried to tug at her again, but she caught glimpses of Luka, and jerked upwards again.

His hand kept rubbing the small of her back, soothing, chaste, but she could see him clenching his jaw, and she leaned over to kiss the tense muscle. His gaze moved sideways to regard her, and she kissed his lips lightly.

He gave her a quick peck in return. "Love you," he muttered.

"Love you too," she replied with ease. She slid onto his lap, straddling his thighs, and despite his hands automatically gripping her hips, his brows pulled together in a deep frown.

"W-We agreed, not today," he whispered, but she felt the eagerness in his body as she scooted her pelvis closer to him, feeling his hardness press into her, and she gasped. His eyes widened, and the man used his grip to push her back towards his knees. "N-not today," he said more firmly.

"Don't you think I can make my own decisions?" Her voice was innocent as her fingers curled over his shoulders, endeavoring to pull herself closer to his body, but his hands wouldn't relent.

"I d-do," he croaked. "However, you think you're okay when you might not be, and I don't want you to," he struggled, pondering. "I don't want you to rush and then realize you can't because then you'll be even more hurt," he finished slowly.

She stilled a little, chewing on his words, staring down into his half-lidded gaze. She saw how much effort it took him not to give in, and she dropped her head slowly. "Please? Can we just try a little bit? I just want…" she hesitated, chewing on her lower lip.

"Mari?" His voice was soft, unsure, but he kept her at a distance.

"I just want to feel normal after what happened, and being with you…is normal," she admitted. "I also just want you to chase the feeling of his hands and mouth on me away," she squeaked through her suddenly tight throat. Each time she closed her eyes she felt Luka's mouth on her throat and skin. His hands snaring her arms so hard they bruised, and she'd…enjoyed it.

Adrien made a strangled sound, and she heard him swallow. "M-Mari, I don't think it's a good idea."

"Please?"

He groaned, but his grip loosened. "Any sign you're uncomfortable, and it stops," he bit out, strained.

She smiled, hopeful, and lifted her eyes a little, pressing her lips against his in a soft caress. He responded gradually, but she could tell he was holding back, and she frowned. She wriggled herself back down his thighs, pressing her chest flat against his, delving her fingers into his soft locks. She rocked her hips forward, pulling a moan from his lips into her mouth, and she drank it up, shivering.

His mouth moved more confidently, and his fingers trailed to her ass, pulling her tightly against him, rocking his hips up to meet her slow grinding, and she gasped into his probing mouth, allowing his tongue to explore her depths as her eyes fluttered closed. It should have felt…better than it did, but maybe she just needed to keep going.

"A-Adrien," she murmured trying to fill his name with the pleasure she knew she should be feeling, tipping her head back a little, and his mouth pulled free slowly, and hot breath touched the side of her neck, layering heavy kisses on her skin and the scarf secured there. And…and…

Her entire body froze as the images flashed through her mind. Luka's mouth on her throat, his hands on her hips while she rode his body, and her eyes flew wide in panic, heart hammering painfully as she reeled backwards.

Adrien caught her before she fell off his lap, but he rotated, shifting her to her own seat just as smoothly, jerking his face away.

"I'm s-sorry! It…it's my fault," she sobbed, pressing the heels of her palms against her bluebell orbs as the tears danced freely down her face. "I'm tainted," she whimpered as she felt her body itching everywhere Luka had touched her.

"It's not your fault," he said firmly. "Also, I'm sorry, I should have just stuck to it. Not today, Mari, not again," he said definitively, his voice distant.

She sobbed harder, and his arm looped her shoulder from the side, but when she went to look at him, he kept his gaze adamantly pointed in the opposite direction.

"I-I'm really sorry, Adrien," she whimpered.

"Don't be sorry, please. I don't blame you, and I'm not upset with you," he said flatly, and she was thankful he wasn't looking now because she flinched. She certainly felt like it was her fault.

They rode in silence the rest of the way to the hospital, and when they did, he pulled her towards the front desk. Marinette quirked a brow, staring at him as he spoke rapidly in Italian, gesturing at her several times during the conversation. She immediately felt shame and guilt plaguing her body, trying her best not squirm under the receptionist's judging stare.

The woman looked almost sad as she nodded and offered a long reply which he listened to carefully, then smiled and thanked her as she handed over some forms and a clipboard. He eyed them and pulled Mari gently down the hall towards the elevators.

"Care to fill us…single lingual people in?" She tried not to sound bitter about it, but he chuckled, kissing her forehead. "Was making sure we didn't have to go to the emergency entrance to get a toxicology lab done," he commented easily. "You need to be tested so we know what was in your system…or is in your system," he frowned.

She stiffened. He hadn't asked her permission to do anything of the sort, but at the same time, she was relieved he'd thought of it. However…"You could have told me before we left."

"Would you have argued?"

She opened her mouth to say no, but then closed it, pursing his lips, which pulled a few genuine snickers from the model. "Yeah, yeah," she huffed, crossing her arms.

"We'll get Chloe first, so I have you both with me, and then we'll head to the toxicology lab."

"Why does it sound like this isn't…your first time?"

He looked away this time, dropping his gaze. "The modeling world can be nasty," he replied brusquely.

Oh. She sighed. She hadn't really stopped to think of the things Adrien might have seen or experienced in all his years travelling and modeling…but the look on his face made it seem like it wasn't currently open for discussion, so she rode with him in silence, with nothing but her shame to claw up her insides.

***Back at the Mansion***

She watched Adrien snarl angrily into his phone, shaking his head. "Where is Nathalie? I want to speak to my father, I don't care how busy his schedule is," he snapped at whoever was on the other side.

The man practically shoved them through the door into his room, and slammed it closed behind him. He managed to keep a steadying hand on Chloe, but Marinette blinked, scooting further away from both of them.

Mari sat on the edge of his bed, hugging her arms around herself as she stared at her lap, wondering why he was so agitated. Was he more upset with her than he wanted to admit? Yes, that was it. He was disappointed she'd stopped, and she'd left him frustrated. Guilt curled up in her stomach, and she felt a little nauseous and light headed.

"Useless," he muttered to himself more than anything as he hung up, drawing her attention back to the forefront.

Chloe dropped her suitcase on the floor, frowning. "Do I really have to shack up with you two for the rest of this trip?"

"If we end up staying, yeah, you do," he replied just as quickly, eyes narrowing. "You're not getting hurt again if I can help it." His eyes skimmed to the bluenette's face, and she tried to offer a smile, but it felt forced. "You're going to sit down with us, and you're going to explain exactly what has been going on with you, Chloe."

She opened her mouth, and then her blue orbs slid to Mari, narrowing. "You told him?"

Marinette didn't even get the chance to panic, because Adrien growled low in his chest. "She told me nothing which is probably how you both ended up hurt!"

Chloe's resolve crumbled, and her eyes widened. "Y-You're hurt?"

"I'm fine," she half lied, touching the scarf they'd wrapped around her neck to hide the bite wound.

"Yeah, she's fine." He snorted, but it was devoid of humor as he rolled his eyes. "Start explaining Chloe, don't make me ask again."

"This is you asking?" The blonde tried to put some conviction and attitude behind the question, but Mari saw her falter under the weight of Adrien's heated glare. "I c-can't," she whimpered, covering her face. "I d-don't want you two to hate me!"

That took her by surprise, and she frowned. "I w-would never hate you," she whispered.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Her sobs filled the room, and Adrien pulled her into his embrace, but she struggled, shoving so violently away from him that she winced, gripping her torso. "It w-wasn't supposed to happen like this," she said urgently.

"Happen like what? With you almost ending up dead?" Adrien's tone was scathing, and the bluenette flinched under the terseness of it.

The blonde shook her head rigorously, sitting down next to Marinette, but Mari scooted a little further away, not wanting to be touched. She didn't deserve any type of human contact. She was filthy, and she'd let herself get attacked. She'd been vulnerable, so even if she'd been drugged, she should have been able to prevent the entire situation. She was worthless. She didn't deserve compassion or affection.

"I…I wasn't supposed to care," she whispered hoarsely. "Especially not about Mari," she admitted.

Adrien's entire body went rigid. "What do you mean Chlo'?"

"I've b-been," she sobbed, covering her face as if she could shield herself from them. "I've been dating Luka for almost a year now," she said brokenly, and Marinette was glad the blonde had covered her eyes, because her face contorted with disgust before she could help it.

"You're with…Luka," Adrien said the words slowly, as if they didn't belong together in the sentence. "Okay," he tried to sound level, but the bluenette saw the anger and confusion crossing his features. "So, what does that have to do with what is happening now?"

She inhaled sharply. "I d-don't think he ever really stopped caring bout Marinette, because he'd keep going on about her, no matter how long we were together. He told me that he was over her, but I c-could tell. I thought…if enough time p-passed, that I'd be good enough…good enough for him," she cried. "He told me he cared about me, b-but then…Lila," she spat.

"Lila?" Adrien bit out.

"Lila pulled that stupid prank, shoving Mari out on the runway, hoping she'd make an idiot of herself," she laughed, but it was abrupt and harsh. "But of course, she pulled it off, like she always seems to, and it just made you notice her more. You weren't supposed to like her, Lila says you were supposed to be with her…like it was…already a-arranged or something," she sniffled.

Adrien growled low in his chest, and Mari turned, facing away from both of them, swallowing. "I never had plans to be with Lila."

"That's not how she made it sound, but the problem was, Mari liked you too, which seemed…to r-really upset Luka, so he…asked me…told me if I really loved him that I'd help keep you two apart," she admitted feebly. "I w-wasn't…supposed to be friends with you guys," she sobbed violently. "I d-didn't expect to actually like the woman my boyfriend is in love with," she laughed again, and it was weak. "But, then, you're so genuinely kind and compassionate, it was hard not to. I started to really like Mari, and it was making it difficult to sabotage anything, so naturally…"

"Luka and Lila were becoming angry." Adrien said it as a fact.

"At first, he said he was only going to flirt with her to help Lila out, but then…he told me what happened in the dressing room."

Mari physically jumped, flinching at the mention, but Adrien sighed. "What next?"

"I knew it was more than just a favor to Lila after that, but…I loved him…and I couldn't bring myself to leave. Some odd part of me also thought, if I tried to help enough, he'd see me…really see me and maybe care, but I also didn't want to hurt Mari. It was tense, but we were fine." She drew in a loud shuddering breath. "Then, the night at the club…I was s-s-s-supposed to drug her, and I told him I couldn't. I wouldn't do it, so he convinced Victoria to do it instead, I guess."

She sniffled again, and Marinette felt the nausea increasing. "She was supposed to end up with Luka that night, but then that stupid fight happened, and y-you ended up possessive of her. P-Please don't hate me," she pleaded, whimpering. "I j-just…there's no excuse…for…I j-just…please!"

"I…don't hate you Chlo'," Adrien breathed, but Marinette shifted further away, swallowing. "Did Luka attack you last night?"

"N-No, it was a woman, I think…"

"Lila?"

"I d-don't know…" She squeaked in her throat. "I'm s-serious, I don't remember much, but i-it was definitely a woman."

"Well, as plans go, it isn't the most brilliant," he muttered. "Lila hasn't been totally overt in trying to seduce me, and I love Mari, I'm not leaving her now that we're together, so why is she still trying?"

Chloe made a noise. "I don't know, but she said by the time it's over, nobody will want to be with her, not even you. I think she's working on something, because she disappears a lot, but I wasn't clued in on her portion of the plan."

Mari didn't deserve Adrien anyway. She closed her eyes, realizing her eyes stung, and her chest hurt. "I-It's fine," she finally whispered through clenched teeth. "Excuse me," she said more hoarsely, brushing by her boy…by Adrien, disappearing into the bathroom before he could stop her.

Her best friend was a lie. Her boyfriend felt like a lie. After all, if Lila hadn't been trying to mess with her, would Adrien even be with her right now? It didn't matter anyway, as she knelt beside the toilet, the world spinning. She was broken. She couldn't bring herself to stop thinking about all her guilt and shame, which made her hug herself. The waves of warmth inside her stomach and chest became more insistent and she hunched over the bowl, puking. God, what a mess everything had become so swiftly.

She vomited until her throat and nose burned, cradling her own body more tightly. She could barely even stand her own touch as she curled up on the floor. The only sound that she could discern were more heart wrenching sobs, presumably Chloe's, as she closed her eyes, willing the world to fall away.

Author Notes:

Welp, I feel bad for Chloe, but guess what? I have a feeling..we're still…not getting the whole picture here o.o''

YAY, reviews showed up, and I want to thank everyone who reviewed the last few chapters where I couldn't reply, you guys are amazing as always! I love you guys, but I'm just going to continue onward, and reply to last chapters reviews! SORRY !

Trying414, well, we at least got half of the story…kind of :S unless there's A LOT more going on…o.o'''

Kazza2182, we have some of the story, but we're still trying to recover details, because not everything can be accounted for…hopefully you enjoyed.

Emjrabbitwolf, well, you wrote an entire story yourself! :P Adrien is handling himself like a champion, yes, but as far as things getting resolved? They've still got some obstacles to get through, and apparently father is a slippery prick who can't be gotten ahold off. Asshole. We aren't finished getting through plot devices, and HOPEFULLY it'll still be an exciting reveal/ride! Who knows…maybe Luka can be redeemed…or has a good reason for doing what he did…? O.o''

Nymphadora, yes, I will allow it! Just…have them back for the next chapter so I can write it ;)

Sweetestofpeas, you will be able to commence lighting in about…3 chapters or so (5 at most)! However, I promise there is a beatdown *ahem* coming to Lila before that! (possibly..next chapter)

Faefolk11, maybe there is a way to make it all a bad dream? :S ;) I've got more stuff in the works, so keep your seat! I'm glad you enjoyed the fight, because there shall be more! I'm glad you picked up on the hissing/snake like abilities, wasn't sure if they were TOO subtle. ^_^

NazaKaos, hm IS the mystery woman Lila? Why is everyone quick to think it's Lila? :P Chodrinette? I LIKE IT! …we shall use CHLODRINETTE! What do you think?