Chapter 5 : No Way Out

Rory’s POV

It was nice to relax after being so tense recently. When Needy had suggested the pool party I’d been nervous, but it was nice to sit back and enjoy the free time.

Now, the party was raging around me as I laid back in a poolside lounge. The sun warmed my skin and I smiled into it, enjoying the sensation.

I’d been so caught up in thoughts of Scott and avoiding him that I hadn’t been able to even take a full breath. Even now it was a struggle not to think of him.

“Rory, come here!” Needy called from across the pool, interrupting my moment of peace.

I sighed, cracking an eye open and looking in her direction. She was waving me over to the beer pong table. I considered whether I wanted to play beer pong or not.

Needy had been trying her best to integrate me into the festivities, which I appreciated. I just wasn’t the partying type, so it wasn’t exactly my scene.

“Rory!” she yelled in a sing-song voice. “It’s gonna be so fun!”

I knew there wasn’t a way out of this. Needy was used to getting what she wanted, and this wouldn’t be an exception. I weaved through the crowds of people, stepping around abandoned beer bottles and plastic cups.

“Yay! There you are!” Needy was putting on a show of being excited that I was joining in, and I was trying to figure out why as she caught me by the arm and tugged me to the table. “You can be on our team.”

“Our team?” I glanced around her to see who was on our side of the table. There was a young guy, about our age, with dark hair and tanned skin. He was already looking at me, and he smiled when he caught my eye. I reflexively smiled back.

“Rory, this is Mike. He’s in my bio class.” Needy stepped back so Mike could reach his arm across and shake my hand.

“Nice to meet you.” I nodded to him, quickly pulling my hand back. I had a feeling I knew where this was going, and I wasn’t a huge fan of it.

“Nice to meet you too,” he said with a smile and wink.

Great…

“You know, Needy, I’m not really sure I’m feeling up to playing.” In fact, I regretted ever leaving my precious lounge. “I think I’m gonna grab a drink.”

“Mike can get you one,” Needy suggested with a meaningful look at the guy.

“Yeah, of course!” He straightened, heading over to the outdoor bar in Needy’s decked-out back patio. It was swarming with people, with alcohol bottles being raised and passed over people’s heads so everyone could get the drink they wanted.

I waited until he was far enough away not to hear before turning to my best friend. “I appreciate you introducing him to me, but I don’t think I’m looking for new friends of any kind right now.”

“Come on, Rory! This is the best way to get over what happened with Justin. I noticed you’ve been distant lately and that’s what’s been bothering you, right?”

I was tense. The reason I’d been distant and distracted lately was because I’d been thinking about none other than Scott, her dad. That one hot night together had infiltrated every inch of my mind.

I could still practically feel him on my body, his strong hand wrapped around my throat while he pounded into me. I couldn’t stop the goosebumps that rose along my skin.

I wrapped my arms around my chest, feigning cold. I wasn’t ready for dating. I barely knew how I was going to handle the Scott situation.

“Like I said, I appreciate what you’re doing, but I’m not ready to get back into things.” I smiled, trying to back her down gently.

“You’ll appreciate it later.” She rolled her eyes. “Trust me.”

“I don't like him.”

Needy insisted, "You should give him a chance. He's actually really nice. I believe you two will have a great time together.”

“For you.” Mike came up behind me and handed me a drink, turning toward Needy to hand her one of the other cups. “And one for you.”

I thanked him, discreetly setting the cup to the side with no intention of drinking it–he’d taken it to another room away from the others–especially if I was about to play beer pong.

I reluctantly joined in on the game, which was only made less enjoyable by Mike’s constant flirting and touches–a brush against my elbow, at my lower back, brushing hair away from my face. It would’ve been nice if I wanted it in the first place, which I didn’t.

He only got more and more aggressive until he was practically grabbing at me every few seconds. It was borderline disrespectful, and I had already rebuffed him a few times.

“Final cups!” someone yelled as both sides of the team ended up down to one cup.

“It’s your turn, Rory.” Mike touched my back again, his hand sliding down to rest on the curve of my ass.

“Thanks.” I stepped to the side, half-attempting to line up a shot I didn’t care about. I watched with surprise as the ball landed with a plink.

Everyone started cheering, and I was suddenly grabbed and spun around. Shocked, I saw Mike coming in for a kiss. I barely had time to react, turning my face to the side.

“I don’t know what made you think I wanted that, but I don’t. Please stay away from me,” I snapped, finally having enough.

“Oh come on. I know you just went through a breakup. Let me comfort you.” He laughed, grabbing me again and pulling me against his chest.

He pushed me against the wall and blocked me firmly with his body. I tried to break free, but his hand pressed mine against the wall. His other hand touched my thigh, and I had a bad feeling in my heart.

He blew in my ear and touched my butt with his hand. I felt very disgusted.

“Just bear with it. It will be better in a while.”

Thinking fast, l brought my knee up and clocked him between his legs.

“You fucking bitch!" he roared as his hand came up, slapping me across the face. He’d actually hit me, and my desperation to get away became even more real.

“Let me go!" l yelled, hoping anyone would come to intervene. l didn't want to be the woman who was sexually assaulted at the party. “Stop, stop."

He laughed as I struggled against him. “Stop fighting me, mi amor. Let me show you how to love again.”

I kneed him again, and he let go because it hurt.

In the chaos, I pushed him away and ran toward the door, but he grabbed my hair, causing me to fall and hit the corner of the table.

My knee was bleeding, and I pleaded with him, “Please let me go. Just leave me alone!”

'Get the fuck off me!" I screamed as his hand came over my mouth.

“Oh, baby come on," he panted.“I know you want this."

“Rory.”

Another voice joined in, one that made my blood run hot despite the pain in my leg. I winced and closed my eyes, wishing I could avoid the situation entirely.

Before I could react, Scott grabbed Mike by the collar and punched him in the face.

“You dare act up in my house?” Scott's voice was calm, but he was the kind of person who gets quieter when he's angry. He punched Mike to the ground, hitting him again and again, while Mike's agonized cries echoed throughout the room.

Trepidation spiraled through me as I watched the scene unfold.

As Mike lay on the ground, groaning and begging for mercy, I still felt uneasy. I couldn't bear to think about what might have happened if Scott hadn't shown up.

Security arrived, and Scott had him thrown from the house.

“Are you okay?” his voice asked a moment later, much closer and quieter this time.

I blinked my eyes open only to be looking directly into his concerned ones.

We were so close. The last time we’d been this close he’d been inside me. I shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts from my mind.

He interpreted it as my response and the concern in his eyes deepened. “Let me help you up and I’ll take care of you.”

I stared at the hand he extended and felt my heart flutter as I contemplated taking it. When I wrapped my fingers around his large palm, I felt the heat from his touch all the way to my core. He closed his fingers over mine and moved his other hand to my elbow, gently helping me avoid the spilled drink and get to my feet again.

“Let’s go to my study.” He nodded toward the house.

I wordlessly went with him. I was too aware of his touch, too aware of him next to me to breathe deeply.

We entered the clean, organized room that served as his study and he helped me carefully sit in his desk chair. I felt the throbbing in my leg and looked down to see blood dripping onto the carpet.

“I know it hurts. I’m sorry. It’ll go away soon.” His hand gently caressed my calf and ankle. His words and touch brought me back to that night. He’d said something similar the first time he’d thrust into me, and he’d been right. It hadn’t hurt this bad though, and the pleasure that had followed had erased the pain.

Sensing my tension, he looked up from where he was carefully placing a bandage on my leg. Our eyes met and he must’ve caught a glimpse of the heat in my eyes. His touch slowed on my leg, shifting to a soft, sensual caress. My breath caught in my throat.

A knowing smile slid over his lips and he gently squeezed my ankle before straightening. “How are you feeling now?”

“Better. Fine. It is just a scratch.” I looked down at my leg to hide my blush. “I think so,” I sighed. “I’m so sorry about that, Mr. McFarland—”

“How many times do I have to tell you to call me Scott?”

I nodded but got up to leave.

"Wait." His voice stopped me in my tracks, and as l turned around, l watched him close in on me. His fists were clenched, and his jaw was sitting in a tense way that made me uneasy.

“What's wrong?”

“I can't let you go knowing that you could be hurt, Are you sure you're okay?” His words weren't the ones I was expecting, but my heart swelled knowing that he was concerned.

“I'm fine, but thank you for making sure. You don't have to."

Furrowed brows stared back at me with confusion. “Why wouldn't l have to?”

Opening and closing my mouth, l tried to find the words that refused to escape me. I was suddenly afraid to say the wrong thing in front of him. “I know that your concern is only because I'm your daughter's friend. As I do appreciate you saving me from that guy... l don't want you to feel obligated to make sure I'm okay–”

“It’s because of you and who you are.” His fingers gently caressed mine again. “You’re special. Different.”

I huffed out in frustration. I wasn’t sure what I’d expected, but it wasn’t that. Butterflies erupted in my stomach and I bit my lip, carefully catching his eyes for a moment. They were darkened as he searched my face, looking for something. A small frown creased the skin between his eyebrows and a hint of hurt flashed across his face.

“You deserve this,” he said. “You deserve to be cherished. And it's not just because you're my daughter's friend that I say this.”

He touched my cheek.

I had never been called a treasure before. This feeling warmed me.

His words stunned me, and before I could say anything, he quickly turned, clenching and unclenching his fists, and walked down the hallway toward the outside. I wasn't sure what had just happened, but I was sure of one thing.

He had saved my life in a way.