[Xaden x Y/n] Love on the Parapet

Chapter 37

Trigger warning: non-consensual touch (inexplicit)

Y/n's pov

You run down the steps, wiping your face with your palm. The hallway is dark, all the light and life focused in the hall where the celebration party is still only in the beginning stage. The music was still faintly playing in the background, but the only sound you can focus on is how you sniffle pathetically while running away from Xaden and Violet upstairs. You turn the corner to the next set of stairs, except you stop, stepping backward as you find a set of wide pale eyes staring up at you from the bottom stairs. 

'Well hello, Cherry.' You shudder as Ritas moves up the stairs toward you, the darkness casting even deeper shadows on his face. 'You're finally alone.' You look away at where you came from, turning on your heels and reaching for the railing of the stairs. Your lungs squeeze as you feel the cold fingers grip around your arm, shoving you into the wall. Looking up, you see Ritas towering over you. 

'Don't you dare call me that. Go and kill yourself.' You breathe, pushing him off, head spinning as your spine hits the cold stone wall again. 

'You see this? And you thought you could just get away with this?' Ritas growls savagely, shoving his neckline down to reveal a large scar from the knife wound you gave him during sparring. You wipe your eyes again, wanting nothing more than to curl up against Hwad and cry in peace. 

'I don't have time for this.' You yell, your patience running thin at the sequence of tonight. You try to get as much space between you and Ritas as his breathing turns rougher, nostrils flaring while his cheeks turn red from anger. His clammy hands grip your arms, stepping closer to you and pushing himself over you despite you struggling against his grip. 

'You had me waiting long enough.' You barely register his words as his damp hands roughly rub over your arms up your neck, his face savagely flying into you. You try to push him off of you, your skin chilling in disgust as his slimy lips force themselves onto yours. But before you can punch his face off, his fingers grip your face in place, pressing his entire weight against you to trap you between him and the wall. 

'Stop.' You shout again, your voice betraying you and coming out shaky. Ritas growls, nowhere human to your ears as he forces you in place despite your arms still struggling against him. You grip his throat in your hands, trying to take him off of you, but he carries on even as he chokes. 

 'Stop.' You aim a kick on his leg, your voice breaking as Ritas' fingers grab your hair, forcing your head back even as you claw at every part of his skin in your vision. You feel the blood caking under your nails, his hands still touching your arms and back. The flames dance around your fingers, the searing heat burning Ritas' skin. You squeeze his neck, but you feel your throat close as he grips yours back, forcing you off of him. Before you drive the flames into his eyes as you hear him undo his trousers, he screams wildly as he hits the wall on the other side. Your tears blur your vision, although you see a hint of a person beating up Ritas still yelling like an animal on the floor. 

'Xaden?' You whisper as your legs give out, your back against the wall as you slide down, staring at the person kicking Ritas in the ribs. Your sight clears, and you force yourself to shift backward on the floor as you find Dain Aetos turning around to face you. 

'Come on.' He says quietly, placing his blazer around you as he pulls you up. Your heart somehow deflates a little despite the situation at seeing Aetos of all people instead of Xaden, but you feel yourself being shaken up too much to care or register Aetos helping you up. 

'What are you doing.' You demand as he supports the small of your back, walking down the stairs and letting you into a random room. Before you can protest, getting your senses back, he closes the door. 

'You seemed like...you needed help.' He says, turning to glance at you from the door, letting go of its handle. You watch him make his way around the table towards you, in which you move yourself, placing enough distance between you. Aetos smiles airly, gesturing at you stepping away from him, arching his brows in understanding. 

'Just tell me what you want. I dealt enough.' You say, leaning against the bookshelf far away from him. 

'Nothing. I just thought...my apology last time didn't get through well enough.' He replies, slowly making his way around the table toward where you are standing. 'Look. This may not be the best time-'

'It really isn't. You can go find your Sorrengail. Everyone's fucking obsessed with her.' Your tongue burns at her name, but you force yourself to walk away from him and reach for the door. Aetos' hand grips around your wrist, making you jump. 

'Sorry.' Aetos says quickly, turning you around. He lets go of your hand, and you wipe it on your dress as his brown eyes watch you. 'Why do you think I like Violet? Why not you?' He asks, and you frown in disgust. Aetos steps closer, and you retract once again. 

'Why can't you just leave me alone.' You glare at him as he blocks the door with his body, his steps making you retract back into the room toward the table. 'You're delusional if you want me to believe anything you say.' You say as you grip the chair beside the table, ready to hurl it at him if he tries anything. 

'Maybe I hated you at the start, but if I really wanted you dead, I would have let Ritas have his way with you earlier. Seeing him or Riorson touch you makes my blood boil.' He says, his voice is soft as he steps closer, and you frown at the bullshit he is spewing out. You know he is lying, but you cannot figure out what he really wants from you. You stare at his eyes, trying to read what he is hiding although he does not give anything away with the practiced mask just like Xaden's when looking at the enemy. 

'You're always around him.' Aetos reaches his hand toward you, one palm cupping your cheek. 

Your gut drops as he moves his other palm in your direction. 

He wants your memories. 

The information for the revolution. Your history. 

Xaden's.

Every marked ones'. 

'You son of a bitch.' You breathe as you grab his arm, twisting it as hard as you can manage given your state. He cries out as the bones break, all cover dropping from his face as pure rage and malice fill his eyes. Just as he staggers back, holding his arm, you run for the door, yelling as Aetos' hand grips around your neck, yanking you back. Your lungs scream as you hit the floor, Aetos trying to get on top of you while you try to roll over and find your footing again. Aetos grabs at your ankle just as you grip the table, forcing yourself up. Your gut clenches as he pulls you back, throwing you to the other side. 

You yelp as you feel your wrist twist back in an unnatural angle from hitting the corner of the table, the searing pain being subsided by the adrenaline. Aetos forces himself up, his jaw set as he marches toward you. Grabbing the chair with your other hand, you throw it at him, which he blocks without batting an eye. 

'I'm your squad leader. Show me your memories. It's an order.' He says both of you knew the consequences of disobeying direct orders. 

'Squad leaders do not do this shit. So get lost before I burn you alive.' You say as he doesn't even respond, shoving the pieces of table with his foot making his way over to you. You drag yourself toward the door, Aetos only stepping in front of you, clicking the door locked. He grabs your arm, roughly pulling you up before shoving his hands on your face. 

Before you feel his energy find you, you call the flames, driving your palms into his shoulders. He screams as his flesh sizzles, smoke wafting in the air as you grip his skin as hard as you can. 

'Bitch.' He swears, but you push him backward and unlock the door. You hear him groan in pain, the sound of skin burning still ringing in your ears as you clutch your broken wrist and run out the door. 

Author's note: everyone leave Cherry alone