Chapter 1

***Dylanne

Fuck no.

“Kimberley Anne Reed, I am not going to let you give some random guy, that we just met at Target, who probably looks like he has AIDS, a fucking blowjob.”

“But I'm just having fun. Why don't you try to have some fun, Dylly?” Her words slurred.

Yup, she was definitely drunk.

“My job is to take you home safely before your arrogant big brother,” I said with air quotes, “finds us. You know how he often tracks your phone.”

She smiled, tucking her blonde hair behind her ears, sizing the guy up. I swear, she was really drunk, and she would always do this thing where she shook her waist as a form of seduction.

Kimberley slid out of my hold, catwalking straight to the rando. I rushed behind her, breaking my heels midway. Fuck. Who even said wearing heels at 12 a.m. was sexy?

Kim had a lot to drink, and the distance from here to our apartment was far. Uber would take a while to arrive, and to top it off? No fucking signal.

Before she could reach him, I pulled her back, dragging her to the corner of the road. I pulled out my water and splashed it on her face. It wouldn't do much because that girl had drunk a big glass of beer and seven shots of whiskey.

“We need to get you home,” I murmured, holding my phone in the air, looking for a signal. It felt like a dead end. I'd been trying this for over an hour, and still… nothing.

No taxis, and I definitely didn't trust the AIDS guy.

“Dylly, I think he kinda likes me. Oh my god, he's calling me right now.”

“No, he isn't.”

“Dylly… why does your name start with D? Why not L like Lily or Y like Yilly?”

See what I mean?

I continued trying on the phone, unaware of the three men walking toward us.

“Hey, beautiful. You need some help?” one said to me, the other two licking their lips as they ogled me.

“No, thank you. We already have a ride coming.”

He moved closer, cheap cologne hitting me instantly. I pulled back, taking Kim with me in a protective hug.

“I said back off!” I yelled at him, ready to hit him with my beer bottle.

He just smiled with the other two hippies. “Ouuuuh, you feisty. You know I love some feisty bitches. And bitches like you get what you deserve.”

The other one pulled at Kim's hair, and for a minute, I could see she was scared. That did it. I dropped the beer bottle and our bags, pushing Kim to the side as I stood in front of her.

They laughed, each rubbing their arms together as they flexed their muscles. These guys were big; I'm not gonna lie. But this was a good time to flex my three years of taekwondo lessons.

One came at me out of nowhere and kicked me hard in the stomach — I doubled back for a second. Then he grabbed my boobs out of nowhere, and I screamed. I tried to push him off while the other held my hair, pulling from behind, his other hand over Kim's mouth. I thrashed my arms and legs, but it all seemed futile.

I tried to call for help, but their leader put a hand over my mouth. Everyone looked but didn't even try to help, and for the first time in a long time, my confidence dropped. I was scared.

I should protect Kim because she's in a vulnerable state right now, but I stood there, scared shitless, while one of them pulled her away.

“I thought you were feisty?” he said, his breath smelling like cheap beer. With his other hand, he held my arms, making them immobile.

“You're so beautiful to have a dirty little mouth,” he dragged a finger over my face.

“Easy girls don't do that, y'know.”

I closed my eyes, tears already slipping down my face. Exhaustion washed over me, but this wasn't just normal exhaustion. This was mixed with fear. He held my chin, making it difficult to shout, and I tried, but it seemed impossible.

I still moved, shaking him off. Before he could say a word, I spat at him. He smiled, his gold tooth glinting under the New York night lights. His hand swiped over it, and he stuck it into his mouth and licked it.

“Hmm, tasty. I bet every part of you is.” His hand slipped under my short skirt, ripping my buttoned shirt apart.

I tried to scream again until large hands pulled him back suddenly, followed by a blow. It was swift; I could barely see anything but black Derby shoes. I pulled back, this time able to take Kim into my arms and straighten myself.

My best friend's brother, Kai, beat them to a pulp. One by one, they scurried out of there, each holding their broken neck or jaw.

“Kai! You're back!” Kim ran into her brother's arms while he looked at me as if I were his worst enemy.

“You had one job: keep Kim safe. And here you are in the middle of nowhere, dressed like a slut.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? You just saw that I was being harassed!”

“And if I wasn't here to save you, they would've taken advantage of both of you.”

“I was trying to protect Kim!”

He didn't wait. He dragged Kim away, his other hand tugging at his necktie. I followed them but before I could walk to the car, Kai stopped me.

“You're not getting in.”

I scoffed, pushing my way through.

“You can't be serious. We are in the middle of nowhere. You can't possibly let me walk home like this,” I said, surprised. I blinked a few times, trying to see if this was happening right now or not some voodoo type shit.

“Yes I can, and yes you will.”

“What the fuck?!”

His eyes looked darker than how gray they were with a certain kind of anger I had never seen.

“You took her out tonight and you know she's a light drinker. Yet you let her drink this much and now here we are! I decided to leave for five fucking years and then I come back to meet this!” He screamed. “What the fuck, Dyl?!”

“If you could let me explain?”

He didn't. He put an already drowsy Kimberley into the car and drove off.