black Dahlia|| Craig Cody

7

dahlias pov
party is in full swing and im completely out of it as i want to be. "Lia" a voice says and i see its smurf. i smile wide "hiya mama smurf!" pulling her into a dance and she chuckles "we good i take it?" i boop her nose "nope" dancing. i say "cmon mama! let loose!" she raises an eyebrow and says "i want to talk about it" i take a shot from a tray "here's to the abusive parents who left me to be an orphan with no choice" motioning her to take one. i down the alcohol and grin "that's better" taking another one and i say "here's to you...took me in when i didn't have a pot to piss in and your broken promises of not being like them." downing it. i take another one "here's to scotty who would hate what this family's made me" downing another. i go to take another and she stops me "stop" i say "cmon smurf you didn't even take your shots! we did a dedication and a cheers and everything! you have to drink them! think it's disrespectful to the dead or somethin" she says "i'm not like them"

"yeah...you are. abuse from you isn't every day but it's still there smurf. only difference is they were weak" i say taking her shots from her drinking. she says "we need you" "funny" i say. and add "if you'll excuse me...i'm not fucked up enough for this conversation, or for this day in general" and i head inside to craig's room and find the coke he has and do a few lines and take a few pills too. my vision blurs and soon im in bed with someone.

next morning.

i wake in pain in a bed. i sit up recognizing what room im in. baz's. what the fuck?! i look over and he's here asleep naked. i catch sight of me in the mirror and a tear falls. bruises and scrapes everywhere. my lip split. pain between my thighs ignite as i stand. careful to not wake him. i put on my clothes and creep out of the room. panic and nausea rises in me. baz always liked it a bit rough...but not like this...never like this. i knock on craig's door sniffling. "i'm comin im comin" i hear him. he opens the door "Lia?" i hug him tightly and sob. he pulls me into his room closing the door "dahlia you're scaring me...what happened?" i sniffle "baz" he strokes my tears off my face after pulling back slightly "he did this to you?" i sniffle "i...i don't remember anything...from last night...i just woke up in his bed like this naked beside him and..." i cry more.

he kisses my temple "im gonna kill him" i chuckle "until he outlives his usefulness...he's untouchable craig" referring to smurf. he strokes my face gently "i won't let him get away with this...this...he took it too far now" i ask "do you remember anything about or with me last night?" as he urges me to sit and he gets the first aid kit and cleans me up gently. "i know you got trashed and told smurf she's just like your parents. did some shots with her about em and scott. i know that baz only had a few beers...he was almost sober by the time he seemingly disappeared...i lost sight of you at the same time. assumed you came in here for a line or bump. i got too fucked up as well...uhh i ended up in here and you weren't here but i passed out before i can tell pope you were seemingly gone. we can go to the hospital...get tests done" i shake my head "he'd get arrested and-" he cuts me off "good. he fucking deserves worse" anger in his eyes. "baz would probably flip to get a lighter sentence for it." i tell him softly. he says "you want nothing done for what he's done to you?" "he's smurfs favorite guy and right hand. she won't let anything happen to him as long as she can manipulate him. i want to see his head on a platter. and be the one to do it. i'm out the business. and with everything that just happened with the business and the cop. can't afford to be turning on one another" i say. he says "he raped you. you were incoherent and could barely stand when you disappeared. fucks sake look at what he did to you"

he asks "could you be...pregnant now? i can run to the store and get a pill" i shake my head "i um...have a very low chance at being a mother" he curses "holy shit does anyone know? did baz know?" i shake my head "just pope and now you" he asks "you sick?" "endometriosis and pcos. never told him because i was afraid he'd just replace me. jokes on me he got another bitch pregnant anyways" i say. twice. but no one knows about j being baz's but me and pope. he gives my hand a squeeze "im sorry...i know you used to talk of wanting to be a mother" i chuckle "id just fuck a kid up anyways" he sends me a smile and strokes my hair "nah i think you'd be good at it...you pretty much raised J" i send him a smile "thanks" he asks "you want to shower? change outta them clothes?" stopping my hands from clawing at myself. i nod and take a towel and clothes i have in here and shower.

craig's pov
rage. it's all i feel right now. i go out and find pope "gotta do something about baz and his shit with Lia man...he's taken it too far" he stops chopping at the bricks out here "what do you mean he's taken it too far?" "SPEAK" he snaps when i hesitate. i say "when you see her...just know baz did it." he says "did what craig?" as i try to say it. it's for her own good something gets done. she'd never forgive me for it if she knew.

but somebody needs to do something. "he raped her pope" i say lowly. "what?! craig you can't just say shit like that" he says not wanting to believe it because if he does he'd go in the house and kill him. "pope i'm telling the truth. she came to me after having woke up naked in his bed bruises and cuts everywhere. she was in a bad state man....he disappeared last night and so did she. he only had a few beers man so i know he wasn't off his ass. but she was. she could hardly stand when i saw her last. look she asked that nothing be done about it but i couldn't not tell you and have something be done about it. it ain't right. she didn't want to go to the hospital either but i think she should. she's terrified man. she came to me for help upset but...she needs you man" i tell him. before he can say anything the back door opens and she comes out pope sees her and asks her looking her over "the hell happened to you?" i drink a beer knowing i did the right thing in the long run. she says "must've fallen down the stairs or something last night. memory's hazy so im not sure." he says "looks like you got into a fight and lost" "maybe i did? i said i don't remember much" she says giving me a look and the door opens again and she moves to my side clutching at me as baz comes out. he has his own bruises and cuts...she was trying to fight him off and he still...i feel sick. rage.

pope asks him "then hell happened to you?" baz looks at her and she moves behind me and clutches my hand that reached for her. "got with someone...she really liked it rough" that sick fuck. "what about cath" pope asks. "what about her? hey Lia" i glare at him and say "don't fucking speak to her" "what's the hostility for man" baz asks. as she hides into my back and squeezes my hand. i caress the back of hers with my thumb and i say "everything" letting him in on the fact that i know. he says "just saying hi" "yeah well she don't wanna talk to you baz" i snap. "well she really did yesterday" he says and i move to beat his ass but deran pulls me back "what the hell is going on man?" i snap "stay the fuck away from lia!" grabbing her hand "cmon"