Chapter Thirty

Amelia's POV

Ray walked out, leaving me all alone.

I took out my phone and sent a quick text to Julian, telling him I was unwell and needed to be picked up earlier. I hoped he would listen. I had agreed to call, not text, but I really didn't think I could talk right now.

I put the phone away and pressed the towel tighter to my forehead, squeezing my eyes shut as I waited for Ray to come back. She probably went to get the aspirin. But I waited and waited, and she didn't come back. My shivering was getting worse, and I dropped the towel to wrap my arms around my body.

I was starting to sweat, and my clothes were scratching uncomfortably against my skin. I was itching all over, despite the air conditioning being turned on to full blast.

At least the floor was cold, so I took off my dress before I could think about how weird that was, and curled up on the floor wearing only my swimsuit.

The cold floor helped a bit, but it still wasn't enough. My mouth was strangely dry and I tried to push myself up to go and find some water, but I was feeling too dizzy.

Even worse, my swimsuit was also starting to irritate me. The straps were biting into my skin, and the fabric scratched my thighs every time I moved. Maybe I needed to take it off, too.

"It hurts…" I whimpered.

"Don't worry, sweetie," a cruel voice spoke, "it's going to stop hurting very soon."

It was similar to what Ray had said, but that wasn't all that shocked me.

Where did this person come from? I thought everyone else was out there in the garden. I would have seen him walking in through the front door, so he had surely been in the house before I entered. And who was he, anyway? I didn't recognize the voice.

Before I could raise my head to look, I felt him wrap his arm around my waist from behind, tugging me flush against his body.

A hard bulge poked into me from behind, and a sudden tingling started between my legs.

I fought to keep my heavy eyelids from falling shut. My senses were dulled, my mind working way too slowly. But every fiber of my being was screaming "danger!"

I tried to bat him away, but my movements were too clumsy.

"I… I need to go," I stuttered.

I needed to get out of here. Quickly.

“No, you don’t," he replied as he began to grind himself slowly against me. "We're just getting started."

“No!” I shouted, jerking out of his grasp.

"I… I'm leaving."

I tried to get to the door, but my legs had turned to jelly, and I fell before I could reach it.

"Looks like you're not leaving," he laughed, walking over to me.

I tried to crawl away, but couldn't summon any strength in my limbs. My heart was beating loud and fast in my ears, and I could feel tears burning my eyes.

It was a struggle not to pass out.

Next I knew, his hands were on me, and his touch came with a shock like lightning.

I gasped as he turned me around so that I had to look up into his delighted face.

"Be a good girl, Isabella," he murmured. "You want this anyway, don't you?"

He cupped my face, and I hated how good it felt. What was wrong with me?

Then his hands were on my chest, fondling me roughly, and I couldn't stop the moan that slipped past my lips.

"See?" he said, grinning and looking pleased with himself. "No need to pretend, slut."

'Stop!' I screamed in my head. 'Stop this!'

But I couldn't get my lips to move. I tried to squirm away, but he pushed me down and forced a knee between my legs to keep them open. I struggled, only for his hand to close around my throat, pinning me down.

"Just close your eyes and enjoy it, you stupid bitch," he snarled.

With his other hand, he began trying to pull off my swimsuit.

"No!" I bursted out, fighting with everything in me.

I managed to kick him in the face. He shrank away, cursing. I rolled to my hands and knees, and practically threw myself at the door. I seized the doorknob and started struggling to get it open. If I could just get back to the garden, I could get help from Angela or Mandy or—

I froze, my eyes widening in horror.

The door was locked. Ray had locked the door when she left. Ray… had set me up?

Before I could process this, the man grabbed me and threw me on a sofa. Then he was on me, cutting off my breathing as he pulled at my swimsuit. I curled in on myself, making it difficult for him to undress me. He cursed in frustration, hitting and scratching at me, but I refused to give in.

Suddenly, there was a thud on the door, like someone was hitting it. The man swore, getting up to go and check. I got up immediately and began to scream.

"Help!" I shouted at the top of my voice. "Please, help me!"

"Shut up, bitch!" he snapped, charging towards me.

But that was when the door slammed open, and Julian stormed in. He looked at my dress, abandoned on a nearby chair, then at me. I curled in further, burning with shame to be seen like this by him: half undressed and with what little I was wearing scattered.

The man looked pale. I guess everyone is intimidated by Julian Lake. He stumbled back as Julian advanced on him, raising his hands like a wimp.

"It's not what it looks like," he said. "I was just giving the slut what she wanted—"

Neither of us saw Julian's fist move. All I heard was a loud crack, and the man went flying into a wall.