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Tessa blinks her eyes open, and her body goes stiff. The light squeeze she had on my hand seconds ago turns into her nails digging into my skin. She starts to shake as she continues to look over my shoulder.

“Oh my God,” she whispers before she’s pushing me out of the way, making me fall to my ass as she tries to scramble from the couch.

Tessa

Three hours is all it took for me to come face to face with my past. Those blue eyes are the same ones that haunt my dreams at night. He stood there and watched as those men took from me. His jaw might have been clenched along with the fists he kept at his sides, but he still stood there, silent as his friends raped me.

No, I will never forget those eyes.

And by the whitening of his face, he hasn’t forgotten me either.

I scramble, trying to find my footing so I can get the hell out of this house. This was a bad idea. I shouldn’t have called Bianca. I should have taken Croy’s advice and stayed in LA while I fought whatever this is that I need to fight.

“Tessa?” Hawk wraps his arms around my waist, stopping me from going anywhere.

“No…No. Let me go. Please,” I beg as I try to pull his arms from my body. I kick the air as he lifts me from the ground. When his body starts to turn, a wail breaks from my chest. I can’t face him. I can’t see the man who did nothing.

“Sweetheart calm down. Please. Tell me what’s going on.”

As soon as my feet hit the floor, I turn my body into his and hold on to him for dear life. “What the fuck man?” he asks, but I don’t hear an answer.

“It’s him,” I whisper.

“Tessa, you’ve got to tell me what’s going on, so I can help you.”

“Um, I’m just gonna head to the back.”

My body stiffens in Hawk’s arm as soon as I hear his voice.

“Tessa?”

“Please make him go away.”

“Wha–” Realization must hit him because I can instantly feel his body go rigid. “Cruise, hold up.” The retreating footsteps stop.

I whimper. I can’t believe Hawk is keeping him here.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea, Hawk.”

“I don’t give a fuck what you think, man.”

I hear the familiar sound of the back door opening and closing then boots making their way to the living room. “What’s this?” Sin asks.

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Tessa completely freaked out when Cruise came into the room. Now I’m trying to figure out why.” I dig my nose into the crook of his neck. I need to lose myself in him. I need to disappear, so I don’t have to face this.

“Tessa?” Sin’s voice is steady. “Can you look at me?”

I shake my head.

“Tessa, we need to know what’s going on.”

“She ain’t gonna tell you,” Cruise says.

“H–he was there.”

“What are you talking about, Tessa?” Sin asks. “Who was there? You need to tell us what’s going on.”

“Oh for fuck's sake.”