Chapter 30

Z A R A

Alejandro violently forces me down onto the floor, my hands splayed flat against the floor to catch myself from falling. "Be a good girl for me—be a good girl for Daddy."

My mind is in utter chaos, all different emotions bursting forth, anger, sadness, betrayal, foolishness. I stare at my dark engagement ring, the dragon wrapped around the dark ruby red stone. It's so ethereal, the way the stone looks as if it glows red, as if it has a source of light powering it, it's so beautiful...

I almost forgot what it signified, distracted by its glamour until Alejandro pushes my legs apart, lining himself up. The short-lived peace was broken by the reality of his dick against my spread-out folds.

I'm not sure if I'm here, at the moment, I don't know if I'm screaming or begging him to stop as the weight of his hands on my back feels more apparent. Maybe I'm just helplessly drowning in my despair with only silent tears running down my face. Nothing matters because even my mind could not wander off and protect me for long enough to silently surrender to a horrific situation. All my attention is brought back to reality when I let out a loud yelp as he pushes in. The small amount of wetness lingering in between my legs and the remaining saliva from the blowjob was not nearly enough to provide lubrication to make it easy or less painful when he pushed himself all the way into me. The first time he fingered me before our dinner, I thought that was painful but it comes nowhere near the pain I feel now.

"You lied to me... You lied to me! You said you wouldn't do this if I..." The words slip away as I sob and cry out in pain.

"Hm..." Alejandro lets out a breathless chuckle, "I did?"

One of his hands leaves my hip, reaching down to wrap around my throat, forcing my back into an arch so I'm faced with the reflection of myself in the mirror. It is so I can watch the deranged, lustful look in his eyes as he roughly thrusts himself in and out of me while choking me against his hand at my throat.

This is cruel. This is disgusting. This is shameful. This is evil. But it makes Alejandro smile in pleasure, in pride, that he's able to break me and bend me into his will.

"I believe I said that I was fine if you wanted to wait," he admits. "However, I never said how long."

The reflection of myself in the mirror is someone unrecognizable; she's broken, tired and angry. I can see my eyes darken in misery, in hatred. The mirror also provides me with Alejandro's expression, filled with contentment and satisfaction.

"I hate you," I spit out with every inch of dignity that I may have left. The statement left no mark on Alejandro, instead, he thrusts into me harder, making me cry out but I didn't care, not anymore. The tears didn't stop, but neither did I, "I hate you!"

"Isn't that wonderful? I'm glad," Alejandro's tone only holds bliss, as he quickens his pace. He didn't give me any time to adjust to the speed, losing himself in the madness and lust that drives him. His thrusts only getting more and more vigorous, his hand around my neck keeping me up, facing the mirror so I can watch myself be destroyed by him, so I can watch myself whither into ruins.

I don't care! I don't care how painful this is! I've had it!

"I hate you! I hate you! I fucking hate you!" I repeat over and over again, as loudly as my wrecked voice allows me.

"I like that," he groans, my words only exciting him further. "Tell me more, tell me how much more you hate me." He's become rough, not caring any longer. But I'm sure he stopped caring a while back. He's shoving my hands and knees against the floor, pounding against me swiftly and rapidly. Only the sound of my cries and our skins slapping against each other filled the room.

I feel one of his hands make its way underneath my body, finding my clit right above where he was roughly fucking me, his fingers rubbing against it strikingly.

I don't want it, not when it comes to the way he's treating me. I don't care if his fingers make all this much more bearable, less painful, I don't care!

But my body did care as it became sensitized, making the pain feel arousing. Mixing the emotions of pleasure and pain into one body. Despite everything he has done to me, my body knows how to find pleasure in his touch, as if it learned to adjust by itself. If he continues like this, I'll unravel into pieces.

"S-Stop...Aleja...ah... Please," I cry out weakly, begging him to stop.

"If you're going to beg, my love," he pauses in between thrusts, "I'm sure you remember how to ask accordingly."

With everything going on, I thought maybe I forgot how to ask in a way that would please him, but how could I? How could I forget something that he etched into my mind in the most traumatic way? I feel disgusted as the words try to reach the tip of my tongue but God knows how desperate I am to want to get out of this Hell.

"Please... Daddy, st–ah!" I manage to only get two words out before Alejandro only rubs faster, in a concentrated manner.

His thrusts aren't as painful anymore, in fact, I can barely feel like it's hurting, just a little sore. Somehow, his violence has sent my body in some kind of euphoric submission, it's taking pleasure in the defilement.

I want to die, I want to scream at him to just kill me, but instead, the noise that comes out of my mouth is a breathy moan.

"That's it...you're such a good girl," he says with a low grunt.

Unexpectedly, he releases my neck, pushing me to the floor so I couldn't see the mirror, my cheek roughly pressed into the floor while he forcefully tries to get me off, stroking me until I burst into flames of pleasure.

Everything that I can feel was happening too quickly, the orgasm was too overwhelming for me to truly find the sensation delightful. The emotions whirling within me, the disgust, the suffering, the pain, the madness, all of it flowing through as Alejandro's fingers and his dick find favor using my body.

"Say it... say it again, my love," he says in a raspy, forceful tone. He's demanding that I say what makes me feel sick.

"Daddy," I gasp, hatred filling my veins. "Daddy, plea—"

I didn't get to finish my words yet again as Alejandro slams himself into me in a series of violently unbearable thrusts, driving deeper and hard with each one, with both hands on my hips to keep me in place. The sound he is making is a mixture of desperate moaning and low grunting, something that he usually doesn't let slip out.

When he finally finishes, Alejandro didn't show me any affection or sympathy, letting me collapse onto my side. The room is filled with silence, except for the heavy breathing coming from both of us and my quiet cries that I'm so desperately trying to stifle. Everything is hurting, my body, my heart, everything. As my breathing adjusts, trying to calm every screaming nerve in my body, I blankly stare at the corner of the room, bathing in my pain, waiting for it to subside. I can float in this sense of misery forever, there's an eery calm about it, waiting in my own despair.

I must own up to this suffering because, in reality, I was complicit in it, wasn't I? How can I play the victim when I craved it and allowed my body to be coated with ecstasy while it was being violated? The only thing I can really think of right now is how I could've changed the entirety of my life if I chose a different day for my interview, or if I didn't go to the coffee shop and just waited inside the office building, or even if I just died in a car crash to the interview. In fact, everything would have been different if I just never approached Alejandro in high school in the first place. Why did I not listen to people when they said he looked intimidating? Why did I never give up on him? Why did I fall for him? Why is this happening to me?

"Oh, my love, you really are a mess," his words were a little drawn out from being burned out.

I didn't answer, I didn't fully capture his words either. My mind is still blankly floating around the possibility of what could have been if I had just done one thing differently.

"Zara?" He asks, there's a hint of concern in his voice but I'm too exhausted to distinguish whether it's true or fake. He tilts his head to come into the line of my vision, a small frown drawn on his lips. He uses his hand to tuck away my sweaty, tangled hair but I didn't flinch. His touch can barely spark any emotion in me right now. There's really no escape from him, just as he said when he first met.

Alejandro does something that I didn't expect, he pulls me up into his arms, holding me no matter how much of a distraught mess I am. He holds me in an embrace that one could identify as tender, maybe even affectionate. As he holds me, any last hope I had that I can be free, disappears, along with my dignity and will to fight. I'm already miserable, already pathetic, and already empty, there can't be any more harm done if I let him hold me as I cry like an inconsolable child, and I do just that. I curl up closer to him, clutching my legs closer to myself as our bare bodies grasp each other's warmth. He leans against the top of my head, resting his chin as his hand caresses my back. My sobs are quiet but with no intention of stopping; cruelly, kindly, and wickedly, Alejandro allows it.

• • •

Y A S M E E N

"Zara!" I scream as she slips out of my grasp and is swept away into the crowd.

Just as I was about to run in her direction, another loud pop goes off, deafening me, and rendering me motionless.

"Watch out!" I hear someone yell as I get tackled to the ground. "Why the hell are you just standing there?" Marcus, it's Marcus. Relief washes over me as I stand up.

"I-I don't understand what's going on," my mind is in shambles, just as everything around me is right now.

"What are you doing still standing here?" He scolds me, then grabs my hand so we can run through the crowd.

"What's happening?" I raise my voice so he can hear me through the chaos.

"Do I look like I have time to explain?" He replies, not looking back.

Just as we reach, what looks to be the back entrance, a black vehicle pulls up. The passenger side window rolls down, with a man–a handsome man, if I should say so myself—in the driver's side grinning at us.

"Need a ride, Marcus?"

"Yes, that would be appreciated," Marcus replies blandly but I can tell there's a sense of relief in his tone.

He opens the back passenger door of the SUV and gestures for me to get in. I know I said I have a major crush on this man, but I did just meet him 30 minutes ago and now I'm getting in a shady vehicle with him after almost being killed. He gets in right behind me and shuts the door close as the man drives off at immense speed.

"Thank you for saving me back there," I say gratefully.

"I didn't choose to save you. Alejandro requested that I don't leave you behind," he answers.

"I request that you learn how to take gratitude," I smile. "Alejandro asked you to protect me, I assume. But you chose to save me, even when you could've easily left and saved yourself the extra trouble since I'm no one to you."

Marcus is taken back by my words because his eyes grow wide just for a split second before his stoic expression takes over again and he just scoffs.

"Damn, Marcus. Somehow, she managed to politely put you in your place," the man in the driver's seat chuckles. "The name's Elijah, by the way."

"Oh! Elijah! Nice to meet you, I'm Yasmeen, Zara's best friend!" I say excitedly. "She has told me about you."

He pauses for a second, then speaks, "Good things, I assume?"

I giggle, "Yes, of course. Zara is too sweet to talk shit about anyone unless she despises them to their core."

"That's good, that's good." He looks back while stopped at a red light and looks at Marcus playfully, "Marcus, I didn't think she was your type at all."

Marcus only rolls his eyes, "She's not. I don't know her, I'm just following orders."

"I'm just messing with him! I hope you take no offense, m'lady," Elijah apologizes.

"No, no, it's alright. I actually already told him I have a crush on him but he rejected me faster than I could blink," I laugh.

"Oh, my, that's unfortunate," I can tell Elijah is shocked by how open I am. I'm sure Zara is quieter and keeps to herself

compared to me. "But a word of advice, stay away from him. Marcus is no fun, literally zero fun. His whole personality is the fact that he's handsome."

"Very funny, Elijah," Marcus is clearly irritated.

"That one was not a joke, Marcus," Elijah states. "I'm just letting the beautiful lady know that you are not worth her time or attention."

"It doesn't matter to me either way. I don't want her time or attention," Marcus says bluntly.

His comment makes me pout slightly, but I try not to show it. I'm used to boys not liking me back because they find me too... eccentric.

"Please ignore his rude behaviour, Ms. Yasmeen. He's almost always bitter, especially, if he gets no attention from Alejandro," Elijah says.

"Whatever, just drop us off at Murray Street," Marcus answers impassively.

"Murray Street? She's going to live in Alejandro's building?" There's clear shock in Elijah's tone.

"No, of course not. She's been given the penthouse suite in the complex beside his," Marcus explains.

Elijah whips his head back to look at me, making me jump a little, "How the hell did you manage to convince him to give you that penthouse suite?"

"I... uh... I didn't," I answer honestly. "He offered it to me and I accepted."

"He offered it to you? There's no way." He's definitely shocked. "I've been asking him to give me that suite for years,"

"Clearly, he likes me better than you," I laugh.

"This is absolutely ridiculous. I'm heartbroken," he mutters.

I start feeling really guilty, "I'm so sorry! I didn't know about this! I really don't need the apartment, I have a place of my own in SoHo. I can ride a taxi or something to visit Zara. I'm sorry!"

Then, suddenly, Elijah starts laughing, "Oh my, you're too nice to be associated with Alejandro. But don't worry, I live in the same apartment complex as Alejandro, and am in no need of the penthouse."

"I insist, you seem like you really want it," I plead. He clearly wants it from the way he just had this outburst.

"No, it's really okay! What's the point if I'm never at home anyways. It's good that it'll be preoccupied by someone now," I can see that his lips have turned up into a smile.

"I won't be in New York for long. I'll try my best to convince Alejandro to hand it over to you once I'm gone," I smile.

"You're unbelievable," Marcus scoffs.

"And why is that?" I question him.

"Marcus doesn't understand kindness. He thinks your being stupid by being so naive," Elijah answers for him. "But I would take caution in being so kind to the people around Alejandro. We're all ruthless when we need to be."

"He's been ruthless since we met," I complain about Marcus.

"He's always like this, just ignore him," Elijah says.

After a couple of minutes of silence, I decided to break it. "Uh... I don't mean to pry but I have a question."

"Ask away, m'lady," Elijah says in a playful tone.

"What happened back there?" I finally ask the question that's been burning at the back of my throat.

There's silence from both ends for a couple of long seconds. Marcus doesn't bother to look at me and Elijah focuses on the road in front of him.

"I think it would be better if you're left in the dark about it. Let's say there was a security breach and people who weren't supposed to be inside, made it in somehow." I can tell Elijah's words came out with carefulness, making sure not to give away anything.

"Oh, okay," that's my cue to not ask any more questions about what happened... for now. "Is Zara okay?"

"I wouldn't know for sure, sorry," Elijah answers. "But I'm sure Alejandro wouldn't let anything happen to her."

"She's fine," Marcus says without turning to look at me or explaining further.

"That's good to know," I sigh with relief.

I can assume that Alejandro will do everything he can to keep her safe.

• • •

"This is the keycard that you use for the elevator and your apartment door. You will also get a wristband that you can use to unlock the door and use for the elevator," Elijah explains. "You'll get the official keys and the wristband tomorrow morning. Do not lose either accessories because you won't be able to use the elevator. I'm sure you don't want to take the stairs to the 63rd floor," he laughs.

"If you have any questions, contact me or Marcus, okay?"

I nod.

After we arrived at the apartment building, the front desk already had my keycard ready for me even though I was supposed to arrive tomorrow.

"I actually have to go, the security breach at today's event will end in my murder because everyone's temper is through the roof right now," he sighs. "Marcus can settle the rest, he actually lives in the same building so he'll be helpful," Elijah winks at Marcus.

"Oh my God, you live here? Can I come by to visit?" I flutter my eyes at Marcus.

"No," he answers bluntly.

I sigh, "I tried."

"I'll leave you to explain anything else," Elijah says to Marcus. "And I'll see around more often, then, m'lady?"

"Yes, of course," I grin. "Bye!" Elijah takes the elevator back down

Before I can say anything to Marcys, he turns around to leave but I stop him, "Wait! I still need to get my stuff from my apartment."

"I'll send someone to pick it up for you tomorrow," he says, without turning around to look at me.

"You should at least escort a lady into her apartment," I pout as I grab his sleeve to pull on it slightly, but he winces a little. When I look closer at it, I notice that his black suit sleeve is wet from the top half of his arm. I touch it lightly, only to have red liquid come off my finger. "Oh my God! Marcus, you're bleeding!" He must've gotten hurt when he tackled me to the ground.

He shakes off my touch, "None of your concern."

"Please get inside," I plead. "That needs to be treated. You're bleeding a lot."

"I said it's none of yo--"

"Get inside before I drag you by the ear, you idiot," I demand, my tone holding a deadpan seriousness. "You're in no state to be stubborn."

I'm sure my switch in tones surprises him because he stands still for a couple of seconds, before letting out a defeated sigh, and walking into the apartment.

- - -

I might lose some readers after this but I did say it was going to get dark with this story and it'll only get darker. I literally wasn't kidding, I'm testing all limits at this point. ಥ‿ಥ

I also thought I'd sprinkle in some *calm* with Yasmeen, Marcus, and Elijah after three whole chapters of Zara and Alejandro's extreme toxicity. ^_^