Chapter 35

Chapter 35
SHANNON.
TEN YEARS AGO.
Kenai wasn't home yet. It was twenty minutes past his closing time.
I was nervous to finish the last episode of the movie we were watching last night.
I was curled up on my bed last night, while he sat behind me, his arm around my waist as he fed me popcorn one piece at a time. The same flavor we always got from Charlie’s Place.
I always felt protected whenever I was around Kenai. The other day, when my teacher asked me a difficult question in class and made the students laugh at me when I couldn't answer, Kenai promised to talk to the teacher.
And he did. Because the next day, she came to class and made the whole class apologize for mocking me. And she never did it again.
I was happy.
The front door clicked open.
I jumped up, relief flooding my chest.
“Ken—”
The name died in my throat.
Luca stood in the doorway.
My stepfather’s mouth curved into a slow, knowing smile that made my stomach twist violently. He looked pleased.
Something cold slid down my spine.
I knew immediately why he was home.
My heart began to race, hard and fast, like it was trying to escape my chest. It felt unhealthy.
For the past two months, Luca had become someone else. Or maybe this was who he’d always been, and I’d just started seeing it.
Over time, I’d learned how to avoid him. I began avoiding the house when I knew no one was home. I only returned home when I was certain Kenai would be home with me.
But today, for whatever reason, Kenai was still not back yet.
Luca had threatened to kill my Mum if I ever let her know what he was doing to me.
"Someone is home alone, heh?" Luca said with that disgusting smile of his, and my stomach knotted immediately. "I didn't think I'd be this lucky today."
I took a step back, my small palms balling into fists at my sides.
"Stay back!" I said, shaking like a withered leaf in summer.
"Or what? Hm?" His tiny bean-like eyes lit with amusement, and when he grinned, the rough beards on his chin made him look more like the monster he was. "Come here!"
His hand shot out and locked around my elbow, fingers digging in hard as he yanked me into him. I gasped, my eyes never leaving his.
I used to imagine the day I’d finally find enough courage to fight him off.
Some days, that hope was the only thing that kept me breathing.
“You’re beginning to let little boys touch you now, huh?” he said, his voice thick with something vile.
His other hand came up shamelessly, greedily cupping my breast through the thin fabric of my school uniform. He squeezed hard enough to make me flinch. “They’re growing fast, Princess,” he murmured, amused. “You let other men touch them yet?”
“Get your hands off me!” I yelled, disgust surging so violently it burned my stomach. I glared at him like a fifteen-year-old would, but he only smiled and squeezed harder.
His hand slid to my other breast, kneading it like he owned it, while a low, satisfied sound slipped from his throat. "I'm dreaming of the day you turn eighteen, Princess. So I can tear that little cunt of yours open the way I’ve been wanting to.”
He yanked me closer, crushing me against him. His clothes smelled sour and stale — like puke and sweat — and it made my stomach roll.
His fingers hooked under the hem of my school shirt, dragging slowly upward, until his rough palm met the bare skin of my breast.
Tears flowed unchecked from my eyes.
"I might as well fuck you already. You're grown enough. Big tits, big ass, a mouth big enough to swallow my cock the way your mother never could..." He pinched my nipple brutally, and I cried out, "And I bet your cunt already knows how to weep for a man's cock."
A sick laugh left his mouth as his hand began to travel down my stomach to the band of my skirt.
"And don't forget. If anyone ever gets to hear about this," He dipped his hand past the band of both my skirt and my underwear and touched the bare skin of my privates. "I'll kill your mother, get full custody of you, and fuck you every single day of your life until you regret ever defying me." He said through gritted teeth as he pushed his hand lower until he cupped the bare flesh of my privates.
I was disgusted, terrified, and ashamed... But all I could do was sob and whimper. Thankfully, before his finger could touch my center, the sound of a motorbike blared outside the house.
Kenai was home.
My stepfather muttered a "fuck" before letting go of my elbow and pulling his hand out of my skirt.
“Run upstairs,” he snapped. “Wash off those stupid tears. And if he ever finds out—”
He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t need to.
I nodded frantically, my neck stiff with fear, and bolted up the stairs just as the front door creaked open downstairs.
By the time I reached my room, I was already falling apart — sobbing and gasping, my body shaking so badly I could barely stand. I tore off my clothes with trembling hands, desperate to get my stepfather's touch off me, like it had soaked into my skin.
The bathtub filled quickly. I climbed in and curled into myself, hugging my knees tight to my chest as the tears finally came.
I couldn’t run.
Even if I wanted to.
If I tried, Mum would be dead.
If I spoke, she’d still be dead.
I couldn’t tell anyone.
I was trapped.
Why was he such a monster?
Time slipped away from me in the tub, until a knock at the bathroom door made my heart slam violently against my ribs.
“Shan…”
The voice soothed me. I suddenly felt protected.
My shoulders sagged, relief rushing through me so fast it made me dizzy.
It was Kenai.
“What’s taking you so long, sweetheart?” he asked gently. “Are you alright?”
His voice was calm, warm, and careful.
He reserved such tone only for me.
Kenai would never speak this way to anyone else out there. Not even to Mum. It made me feel special.
I tried to steady my voice, "I... I'm fine."
But I knew even as I said it that he wouldn’t believe me. Kenai always knew. I sounded too wrecked to fool him.
The door eased open. I splashed water on my face, scrubbing at my cheeks, and praying he wouldn’t notice the redness and the swelling, and the way my chest hitched when I breathed.
Kenai always did that... Invade my privacy. He said we were siblings and that it was okay for us to see each other naked.
The first few times he saw me naked, it felt really awkward. But after some time, I got used to it. He was my big brother, after all.
He also got naked in front of me, took his bath while he made us argue about stupid topics like dropping out of school and traveling around the world.
"Were you crying? Who made you cry?" He asked in that familiar tone that always promised someone was about to be in danger.
"No... No one. I just..." I swallowed hard. "I just thought about one memorable day with my late father, and I couldn't help but miss him."
He watched me for a long moment, his eyes searching my face like he was piecing together a puzzle. Then he stepped closer, closing the distance until I could feel his presence like a wall around me.
“Hey,” he murmured, reaching out to pat my head gently. “You have to stop doing that. Thinking about things you can’t change.” His thumb brushed my hair back with tenderness. “I’m here now. Whenever those thoughts come back, you call me. I’ll make them go away.”
He helped me bathe, toweled me, and carefully led me into the room.
And when he was done, he looked at me and smiled faintly. “Still up for our movie?”
I shook my head. "Maybe tomorrow."
He nodded and cupped my cheeks. "Okay, sweetheart. Let me hold you to sleep."