CHAPTER SEVEENTEN

Rosetta's pov

As I suited up for today's training, which was swimming, I winced at the pain from my injuries when I tried to get out of that locked door. They hurt like hell but I was damn good at masking pain.

Blood lay on the surface of the wounds. I had squeezed myself into that little hole. It felt like I was going to strangle myself. It was hard and I wouldn't forgive anyone that tried that with me.

"I don't think you should partake in this training, you can sit this one out," the coach said and I sighed. Doom was here today there was no way I was sitting this training out, I couldn't afford to appear weak just because of some bruises.

"I am fine," I said to him but he shook his head pointing towards the direction of where the Doom and some other men sat, fuck.

"I can't sit this training out, I am fine, I covered up the bruises well so it wouldn't make you uncomfortable if that's what you are worried about" I replied and continued what I was doing. He was talking but I zoned him out, I paid no attention to him as I thought of who locked me inside the bathroom.

My mind went straight to Asher but I didn't want to believe he'd stoop to such a level of pettiness, sighing I put on my swimming cap and sat on the bench and watched other people take their training, sitting down was a bit uncomfortable due to the injury on my thighs, it was just a surface scratch and nothing serious but it hurt like hell.

"I can't believe she showed up here with bruises and demands to swim still, that shit is going to hurt like hell" I heard someone say, there weren't standing close to me so hearing their voice made it clear that they wanted me to hear what they were saying. It surprised me how men bitched around like women, the caliber of men I had seen here was on the female level, they gossiped, a lot! I knew men talked but hell I didn't think they talked this much.

The urge to turn around and see who it was was overwhelming but I had to focus all my energy on the task I was about to do, there was no time to pay attention to anything outside of the task at hand.

"She thinks she's some badass" I heard another and I chuckled pussies, that's what they were, how did they even become made men, because made men don't do what they were doing and it was ridiculous to me, I tried not to think about how they acted outside this place as my number was called, as I walk towards the plank where I was to dive from my eyes met Asher's, I had been looking for him, who knew he'd stand directly Infront of the pool, he smirked at me and I flipped him the bird before I took my stance at the edge of the plank, my arms in the air, I looked at him one more time mouthing the words 'fuck you' before I push myself up and forward and dived straight into the water.

I felt the sting of the water on my injuries and I winced, the pain was already so much the water made it worse, I tried not to wince out of pain so much so I wouldn't run out of air, I moved my body underneath the water avoiding the barriers I came across, I had expected it to be just plain swimming but I should have known better that this was the mafia and nothing was as it seemed.

Taking a sharp turn I closed my eyes and paused, I didn't move I tried to let my body get used to the water properly before I began moving again when I saw the finish mark up ahead I added more speed and I got out of the water, I took in a long drag of air into my lungs before opening my eyes, I stared directly into Asher's, there was a glint of something there that I didn't understand or have time to process, I looked away and got out of the pool to dry myself, now that I was wet the swimming suit I wore clung to my body and I felt all eyes staring at me, I walked hurriedly to where my towel was not because I was bothered about them staring but because I was beginning to feel the Material of the cloth stick to my injuries.

As I walked past the men that almost raped me that night I gave them a stink eye and they looked down, hmmm, I wonder why they acted like they didn't know me, it wasn't like I cared or whatever, I grabbed my towel and wrapped it around myself.

"You did good" I heard Doom's voice as I looked up to him standing in front of me, my heart began beating louder in my chest as I smiled.

"Thank you," I said wondering why he was talking to me.

"I have been hearing about your recent mishap with the men around and I also know you've been taking care of yourself which is surprising because some women in your state would have withdrawn themselves from the competition, I highly commend you," he said and I grinned even wider, I can't believe he was commending me, it made me feel good and for the fact that he wasn't being quiet about it made it even feel better that everybody could hear what he was saying about me.

"Most men wouldn't have done what you did today with these injuries, you're more of a made man than most of the made men here today," he said and with that, he turned and left, I looked around me making sure everyone heard that, the need to flip all of them the bird and say in their face was clawing at the back of my chest but I didn't, I just smiled picked up my bag and walked out after the Doom, I had other things to think of and take care of, there was no time to be slacking, now that I had Doom's attention I needed

to keep it on me at all times.