Blade

Chapter 41: First time

Sienna

"Three years ago, back when I was in college," Camilla begins with a soft sniffle, pulling her head away from my shoulder. She brushes the damp strands of hair clinging to her tear-streaked cheeks, her fingers trembling slightly.

"I was invited to a club by someone I barely knew, and my friends insisted I come along. I wasn't really keen on going, but you know how it is when everyone else is excited. We were the popular girls, always sneaking out to parties, laughing through the night, flirting with whoever caught our attention. The club wasn't far from campus, so we decided to walk, dressed in the sexiest dresses we could find and high heels."

Camilla lets out a small, wistful snicker at the memory. Her hand grips the duvet, fingers tightening around the fabric, and a faint smile brushes the corner of her lips.

"So far, everything went well since we got there, until I met this guy. I told him my name, but he didn't tell me his, which felt strange. Conversation flowed easily, but I refused to hook up with him. After a few minutes, he offered to get us drinks, and I should never have agreed." Cam's eyes darkened.

I sit cross-legged on the bed and take her hands in mine. She flashes a small smile and continues with her story.

"He came back with a glass of beer for me but didn't take one for himself. I wanted to ask why but decided against it. I took the drink from his hands and drank it all, even though I'm not really a fan of beer. Before long, dizziness hit me. Everything blurred, and I could barely see where I was going. My head pounded relentlessly, as if it might fall right off my neck." She lets out a heavy breath and continues.

"Then I felt unfamiliar hands wrap around my waist and guide me toward the restroom, where three other men waited impatiently. It didn't really sink in what was happening until someone pushed me to the floor, and my head slammed against the sink. My eyes were too blurry to make out their faces. I tried to stand, but my body wouldn't respond. I couldn't move. That's when it finally hit me-I had been drugged, and they began to take off my clothes."

Fresh tears spill from Cam's eyes as she struggles to continue the story, but a heavy lump in her throat chokes her words. My heart tightens at the sight of the pain and sorrow swirling in her deep brown eyes.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," I whisper, pulling her closer and wrapping my arms around her as her body shakes with silent sobs.

Camilla shakes her head, more tears streaming down her red, puffy cheeks. "No. I want to," she admits, her voice trembling, before she lifts a trembling hand to wipe away the tears that refuse to stop falling.

"The rest is a blur, but I remember losing consciousness and waking up in my dorm. I'm not exactly sure how my mom and brothers found out about the incident, but they were both sad and furious. Blade was the angriest of them all. He wanted me to leave New York and fly back to Italy to continue my schooling, but I refused. I had one more year to go, and transferring schools would have been far too stressful." Cam nibbles her lip and twists the hem of her sweatshirt between her fingers.

"I tried to reason with Blade, telling him I was fine finishing my schooling in New York, but he wouldn't listen. He was ready to come over and drag me all the way to Italy whether I wanted it or not. The whole incident almost sparked a war between the Italian Mafia and the American Mafia." I rub Cam's back soothingly as she lets out a long sigh.