Normal With You

Chapter 42

"I need to get him off me."

She didn't know how it was that they reached their flat but as soon as she walked in, she began to shake all over, scratching incessantly at invisible itches over her arms.

"I need to get him off me." She couldn't breathe and her legs felt like jelly beneath her. She couldn't stand or think or feel. She was still surrounded by him and she needed him off her. "I can still feel him and taste him." She ran her fingers over her covered waist, shrinking into herself at the thought of him wiping her own arousal onto her skin. "Please, please I need him off me." She was barely even aware of Riaz standing right beside her, watching her as she broke down.

Get him off me.

Get him off me.

Get him off me.

She felt his hand curl around her own, leading her gently into the bathroom.

She couldn't breathe.

Her breaths were short and laboured but it wasn't enough.

She was suffocating and her body began to shake and tingle all over. She placed her hand on her chest, hunching over as if it would force air into her lungs but it wouldn't work.

"I can't breathe." She clutched his hand desperately, causing him to sink to the floor beside her. She gasped, her breaths rasping as she tried to get her body to work but her chest only kept tightening within her, burning so badly that it forced her tears to trickle down her cheeks.

Riaz gathered her to him, placing her in front of him as he lifted his knees as if to enclose her into his protection. His chest was to her back and he could feel the sweat seep through her thin shirt as she still grasped onto what little breath she had within her. He locked her arms to her chest, encircling her in his hold. "You can breathe." He whispered in her ear, his voice causing goosebumps to erupt along her shoulders. "Breathe with me."

She was curled up within his hold, feeling every beat of his heart against her back as she felt his chest expand and contract slowly.

"Breathe with me, Little Bee." His voice settled into the innermost pit f her heart, causing ripples to wash throughout her body, soothing and calming her. "Just breathe." His words were punctuated with light kisses along the top of her head. He felt her body twitch and shiver against his, as she tried to match his breaths, responding to his gentle heat surrounding her. "You're okay." He tightened his hold, "I've got you. You're okay."

He closed his eyes, silently apologising to her for not being there on time. He could still see her on the ground, her shirt askew and her jeans unzipped. "I've got you." Her breaths grew deeper and more even as she sought to get closer to him. He hadn't realised she was crying till he felt her bury her head in his arm, dampening his skin with her tears. He crossed his legs before her, surrounding her entirely.

Her tears were silent. There were no sobs or wails or light sniffles. Her body simply didn't know what else to do except cry- only her mind hadn't realised what was happening.

"I told him I hated him." Tasneem's voice was muffled but he could still hear her as clear as day. " I told him I hated him." She sat up, turning only that she could see him. "I hate him so, so much."

Riaz nodded, winding his arms around her back, pulling her closer till there was barely a space for even the tip of a petal to pass between them. He could feel her chest pressed up against his own and her stomach against his as she looked at him, tears still clinging precariously to her eyelashes.

"He raped me, Riaz." She said, the words unbinding the heavy restraints around her heart. "My brother raped me."

My brother raped me.