Nikolas

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Jonas is staring at me. He doesn't even spare Nikolas a glance, his glare pinned directly on me. He doesn't even try to hide the anger in his eyes. I can see the way he's slightly shaking, clearly annoyed at the fact that I'm not making any moves towards him.

His eyes are warning me silently of what would come if I didn't obey. I didn't know if it was the soreness between my legs or the pounding organ in my chest, but I ripped my eyes away from him and scooted closer to Nikolas.

"I'm sorry, my step-daughter, must've gotten lost, it's her first time here," Jonas turns his attention to Nikolas, who's been silent this entire time, his voice surprisingly calm.

Nikolas doesn't respond. He doesn't do anything and continues to just stare at Jonas. It's like he can sense that he's a threat. Nikolas is still crouched down in front of me, I can barely see Jonas over his broad shoulders.

"June, come on, we have to get back home," Jonas tries again. I suck in a deep breath, my vision slightly blurring with the evidence of my pain. I shouldn't be crying, I shouldn't be on the verge of a panic attack. But I couldn't think straight when the boy I love kneeled down in front of me, finally looking the monster that stripped me from my innocence in the eyes.

Hundreds of scenarios run through my head, each one depicting how Nikolas would react to what had been happening. The truth of why I broke both of our hearts. Each one tears a new hole into my heart as I picture him looking at me with the same pitiful expression I've received anytime I reached out for help. What would he say to me? Would he be disgusted? Would he judge me for just silently being the victim?

Would he understand why I've endured this for this long?

I can feel my nails biting into my skin, once again distracting me from the ache inside my heart. The pulsing pain that continues to remind that I was tainted. That my soul was so corrupt, it was incapable of being clean. Jonas' sharp claws dug too deep, it wasn't just a scar, it was just a continuously bleeding wound that would only bleed me dry and leave me as an empty shell.

Though the day of freedom was right around the corner, it didn't take away the burning need to rip my souls out of my body and purge it. Scrub it clean. But even that wouldn't be enough. The rashes between my legs, the bruises on my hips, the crescent-shaped marks on my palm would be a constant reminder of what he had done to me. What he had dissolved me into.

"June," he continues to call out for me. But I stay frozen, rooted to the bench. I can't even look up and look him in the eyes. The hatred that I held for him running deep into my soul. Anger burned within me, directed at him for ruining me.

"No," my answer is quiet. I can barely hear myself above the sounds of nature surrounding us, but its clear Nikolas heard me as turns to look at me in the eyes, almost as if he was shielding me from Jonas by being the only thing in my vision.

"What did you just say?" I finally look up to see Jonas' fists clenched. The tips of his ears had a slight red tint to them, signaling that he was incredibly irritated. But that didn't matter to me as I took a deep breath.

"No," I repeat, a little bit louder this time, standing up. Nikolas stands with me, but doesn't make a move to do anything. I begin walking towards Jonas, my heart pounding behind my ears.

"Be careful, little girl, don't do anything you'll regret," Jonas says through gritted teeth. His cheeks are red and the vein along his forehead is bulging out of his head.

"Fuck off, Jonas, I don't want to see you right now," I whisper, venom coating my words. Despite my crumbling insides, I make sure that I don't sound as weak as I feel. I keep my voice stable, and my eyes pinned on him. So he could see my pain. So that he could see the damage he inflicted.