When good meets really, really, really bad.
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Daniel Harper is down on his luck as he struggles to pay for his sophomore year at NYU. After a failed attempt at selling drugs, he gets offered a deal too good to be true: Date the heir to the Vitt...
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DANIEL HARPER
Lucien held me in his arms in our bed. My aunt and uncle were in their room, Elena and Sylvester were out doing business, and I was watching TV with Lucien.
"Danny?" Lucien asked. I looked up and saw him staring at me.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"I'm fine." I replied.
"Are you sure?" He asked.
"Yes, I am. Why?" I asked. Lucien placed his hand on my head and rubbed his fingers into my scalp.
"Please don't hate me for this, but I know that they did things to you when they took you. I just need to know if you're okay or not. Please be truthful so I can help you." Lucien said.
I was still for a minute. Then it all came back to me. The harsh touches, the horrible words I was called, the things those men did to me. I began to feel myself pull away from Lucien mentally. My mind wandered into a dark abyss as the haunting memories began to paint into my head.
I wanted to forget what happened. Live in ignorant bliss and pretend that what happened to me wasn't reality but merely a dream. A horrible dream that was created by my fucked up brain. But it wasn't. It was very much real and sadly, I very much remember it.
Lucien tried to speak to me but I hugged my knees to my chest and sobbed lightly into them. I sat away from Lucien, facing the wall not wanting him to look at me. I felt disgusted and tainted. Even though it wasn't my fault, I still feel guilty.
Maybe if I had put up a stronger fight. Or maybe if I never got in the wrong car, then I wouldn't be here today, on the verge of breaking apart and knowing if I could have the strength to pull myself together again.
Lucien spoke to me but I shut myself out. I spent a few minutes sobbing while Lucien let me get my feelings out. After my cries began to slow, Lucien sat back in bed, with some distance between us.
"Danny, if you're guilting yourself, it's not your fault." Lucien said.
"Are you disgusted with me?" I tearfully asked.
"Never! You could never disgust me! No matter what, I will still love you Danny! I just can't let you live ignoring that problem." Lucien said. I grabbed Lucien's hand and held it tightly.
"Promise you won't leave me." I said.
"I promise, Danny." He replied.
"Are the men who hurt me being dealt with?" I asked.
"Yes, my love. They are. Trust me, they won't ever see the light of day." Lucien said.
"I feel so dirty." I muttered.
"But you aren't. You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen before. If anything, I'm disgusted with myself because I didn't protect you like I said I would." Lucien said. He hung his head low in shame.
