Chapter 20: Chapter Twenty
Camila's POV
As my body lay still, darkness wrapped around me, my mind wandered home. To the bright sky that blanketed that beautiful evening and all of a sudden; I'm eight again, running through the field of dandelions my mother and I had planted at our vacation house’ open field.
The sound of our harmonious laughter filled the sky and warmth coursed through my body as my mother caught me.
“Wake up Camila, wake up!” Her sharp love-filled voice jolted me out of my reverie and I awoke with a loud gasp, lying on the roadside curb.
Pain tore through my stomach as I tried to get up, I staggered, trying to walk. The streets were busy and no one seemed to care. Barefooted and in agonizing pain, I walked aimlessly around hoping to bump into someone kind enough to lend me their phone.
“Camila!” I heard someone call out my name and my head snapped back, looking towards the direction and a tear of relief slid down my face.
“Marco!” I breathed softly. “That Flynn, he tried to harm me but I got away.”
“Get in the car.” He ordered but I was too relieved to see him that I mistook the fury in his tone for softness.
Diego acted quickly and swept me off my feet, carrying me like a fragile package and situated me in the car. Marco got in after me and so did Diego. I shut my eyes, my breath was barely steady and something in me slightly eased.
When we got back home, Diego carried me out of the car, bridal style and I was too exhausted and hurt to protest
“Where to?” Diego paused and asked Marco.
“Her room.” Marco dismissively answered.
Diego took long strides but didn't even look me in the eyes, it was as if he was built to ignore other's existence. “Get off.” He flatly pointed out as we arrived at my room.
“Thank you for-” I began to say as I planted my feet on the ground but he just turned around and walked away like his unpleasant job was done.
My fingers curled and I briefly paused before moving, the pain from my feet seared through my body so I moved a little slower than usual, almost too carefully. My footprint left blood trails, I was so busy running for my life that I didn't notice my feet bleeding.
I was afraid to shut my eyes or breathe properly, the mental stench from Flynn's alcohol filled my nostrils but no one was coming to take care of me, I rummaged through the medicine cabinet for some soothing balm, trying hard to hold back tears.
‘I'm sorry this is the kind of life your daughter is living after your death mom, I promised you I'd never cry but I am breaking that promise.’
The door swung open with such force that my body instinctively recoiled, panic spiked up in me but seeing who it was, my defenses lowered.
“Marco.” I softly intoned, setting aside the kitchen in front of me. I limped towards him, though he isn't the nicest demon on earth, he still saved me at the bleak point of my life though he championed a traumatic experience when he forcefully kissed me yet my body disagreed and somehow indulged in it as a guilty pleasure.
“I never thought a day will come when I say this but, thank you for saving me.”
His stoic expression didn't falter. “What happened?”
“He tried to force himself on me an-”
“You pretentious little whore, I underestimate you.” He interjected and my eyes widened in shock.
“What?” I gasped.
He ran his fingers through his hair and chuckled darkly. “I left you with him for just a minute and you were all over him, what really happened? Did you attempt to blackmail him but he refused so you hit him and ran?”
I blinked slowly and lost my focus for a second. “What did you just say?”
“Don't give me that crap of him forcing himself on you.” He spat, accentuating every hurt word.
I scoffed quietly. “You think all this is my fault?”
“Don't pretend to be a saint, you were seductively looking at him the whole night, subtly giving hints that only a prostitute would dare attempt.” He added, quite convinced.
My blood boiled at the accusations. “Please don't arrive at conclusions based on the statistics of the women you sleep with!”
“You really are bold. That's the same low trick you used on Anthony, why would I believe you?”
I huffed heavily. “Because it's the truth! Anthony traumatized me for days! I would scrub my skin until it bled, I was scared of looking at my own reflection in the mirror, every sleeping hour is filled with the horrors of what he attempted, replaying on a loop, you think I want to experience that again?” I yelled at the top of my voice, letting all the pain out though my throat hurts like hell and my voice came off shaky.
“Flynn tried to molest me and I hit him, I ran for my life, I kept running not sure where I'm headed or if I'm going to make it and I got hit by a car but all that didn't matter because I was panicking and needed to get away which you wouldn't understand because you're the predator aren't you?” I continued, my whole body trembling as I pointed an accusatory finger at him, yelling and cursing.
“Is that why you seduced him? For security?”
I tut and threw my hand in the air, frustrated. “I have and will never seduce a man or even coerce one to have sex with me!”
He looked at me blankly then burst into a dry short laughter and somehow, it made a feeling of dread wash over me. He stepped forward, closing the distance between us and my heart sank.
“What are you…..arghhhh.”
I screamed as a sharp pain tore through my head because Marco had grabbed a handful and pulled it downwards, causing me to forcefully look up to him. Before I could protest, he ripped off what's left of the fabric on my body and pressed his hand against my neck, nearly choking me.
“Let…..go…..of…me!” I choked but instead, he slammed me on the bed.
“Since you want to be a slut, how about I let you.”
“Wh-what!”
“Don't be shy, I'll do it better than the men you please.”