Shook

It all happened so suddenly.

One minute I'm in my bed trying to get some sleep and the next I'm being pried out by attackers with manicured nails. Next, I'm assaulted by dresses, tops and bottoms and make-up. I tried struggling, kicking, clawing and mauling at them to stop their actions but it was futile. There were two of them and one of me and they were vicious, malicious.

After all that horrific assault I was thrown into the back of a small car and whisked away to places unknown. The conversation below is what is transpiring between my kidnappers and I while I fight the urge to strangle them with my bare hands.

"Did you guys have to do that?" I asked in annoyance as I sit up in the backseat with a murderous look on my face.

"Yes," Chev answers casually. She's the mastermind of this kidnapping and the getaway car driver. Chev is a wiz with a car, her father was a mechanic/race car driver and he taught her a few things. "Would you have been willing to come with us?"

She looks at me through the rear-view mirror and I glare. "No, I wouldn't."

"See it was necessary," Shan adds as she applies a tube of red lipstick to her lips.

She is the muscles of the operation. Not literally though, she couldn't lift weights to save her life but she has a black belt in whoop your ass so it isn't wise to underestimate her. A guy had once tried to grab her ass and ended up with a fork in his shoulder and black eye. Let's just say from that day guys kept their distance.

"I told you I didn't want to go with you guys!" I exclaim. And I? Well, I am the victim.

Chev waves my outburst off dismissively while Shan replies. "Come on Izzy, a girl only turns 21 once and the fact that we're your best friends means you're going to celebrate it in style."

"There's no way of getting out of this is there?" I ask knowing the answer before they even reply.

"Nope," they say popping the 'p'.

I shake my head and fold my arms. "I hate you guys," I say caving in.

Shan and Chev laugh before answering simultaneously. "We love you too Izzy."

I roll my eyes and relax in the backseat. Shan hands me a tube of lipstick and I glare. "Come on you need to look pretty. We barely got the chance to put on much make-up with the struggle you were putting up."

"Strangely the mention of makeup in that sentence doesn't make either you guys sound less of a kidnapper," I state as I take the tube.

"It was for a good cause," Chev pipes up as she takes a left turn. "I would want you guys to do it to me if I were in your shoes."

"Noted," I say with a smirk. "Shan next time let's wake her up with a bucket of ice water. It would be one hell of an ice bucket challenge."

Chev glares at me through the rear-view mirror with challenging eyes. "You wouldn't dare."

A devious smirk graces my lip. "Try me."

The rest of the driver consists of bickering among the three of us and Shan trying to turn my face into a mask of makeup. Who knew she could stretch from the front seat of the car to the back and apply makeup with such precision?

When I asked how she does it she waves it off saying it's from years of practice.

We reach a small building out of town within half an hour. Chev pulls up into the crowded driveway and parks her car stepping out. We follow her lead evacuating the car and group together on the left side facing the concrete structure with 'Carnal Desires' at the top.

"This is it?" I ask looking at the structure it is way too small for a club.

"Nope," Shan pipes up with a knowing smile.

She's in a black off the shoulder romper which she matches with black, leather ankle boots and a gold jewellery set. Her black hair is in a wavy ponytail and a few strands are framing her face.

"Look beyond what you see."

I look at Shanice with a raised brow. "Really this isn't the time to be quoting Lion King."

Chev chuckles before joining our hands and pulling us forward. "Let's get going."

Chev is in a pair of black leather pants with a turtleneck top that stops above her navel which displays a silver navel ring – matching the necklace and earrings she wears. She wears black wedges with this and her hair is freed and looks like a lion's mane around her face.

"Go where?" I ask as we stumble up to the small door on the structure. A single fluorescent light is mounted above the wooden door highlighting the faded red and black paint on the structure.

"Just wait and see."

Shan knocks on the door and a minute later a thick and intimidating man steps out. He's about 6ft 7inches and he's ripped with an unfriendly look on his face and piercing green eyes.

I gulp and Shan smiles at him with familiarity.

"Joey, how's it going?" She asks and the bald man smiles down at her.

"Hey Shan, been a while... Everything's great. How about you?" He asks in a sexy Italian accent.

"Good, we're actually here to celebrate my friend's birthday," she replies gesturing to me.

He looks over to me with a nod before stepping aside and pushing open the door. "Well come on in, I'm sure Dimitri must be awaiting your arrival."

"Yep," she says walking past him. "Rung him up before we came. Come on girls."

Chev pulls me along as we pass Joey who stares at us as if accessing our bodies. My kidnappers had placed me in a black sleeveless romper that ends mid-thigh, knee-high boots and silver hoops and necklace. My hair is free with luscious blonde curls framing my face and my lips look plump with red lipstick on them.

Guess our dress code tonight is Women in Black.

He closes the door after flicking on a dim blue light and walking pass us. He gestures for us to follow him towards the back of the room. Shan follows him and Chev pulls me along with her. He stops at an elevator with red doors adorned with gold strips and I look in confusion.

"Why is there an elevator in here?" I ask the people around me. "This place is on one level. It doesn't have a higher level so why does it have one?"

Shan and Chev laugh while Joey looks at me amused. Shan walks over to the elevator and presses a button. "You're right it doesn't have a higher floor... But it does however have lower floors."

"It's an underground club," Chev replies as the elevator doors open showing a golden interior.

I gape at them in shock. "We're going underground?"

"Yep," Shan replies while stepping into the elevator. "Come it's gonna be fun."

"Nope, I'd rather go home," I reply stepping back.

I don't think I'll do well underground what if we get caved in down there?

"Oh no you don't," Chev says as she grabs my wrist tugging me forward. "You are not chickening out on us."

"Chev I don't like th–"

She pushes me into the elevator before stepping in and Shan presses another button. "Bye Joey."

He chuckles a little as the doors close after noticing my horrified face and my heart clenches as the elevator drops. I clutch onto the girls who soothe me with smiles and rub my arms in comfort.

"It's okay Izzy I was just as frightened on my first visit here," Shan coos. "It's not that bad. You'll barely notice you're underground."

The elevator stops and doors open with a ping. Music blares out over the area as sweaty bodies move around the place. I swallow a lump at the back of my throat and woman up. Come on Tina this won't be too bad. You can do this, the ceiling won't cave in on you.

Wow, you just had to add the caving part in there, I mentally scold myself. What a pep talk that was.

The room is red with a black tiled ceiling and floor. In the centre is a large dancefloor while to the left are tables, chairs and a lounging area. The right carries a bar and the DJ area at either corner.

The girls pull me out the elevator and through the sweaty bodies dancing on the floor. We make our way to the bar in one piece and Shan greets the bartender before asking for this 'Dimitri' of hers.

The bartender points over to someone across the dancefloor to left and Shan nods thanking him. Shan takes our drinks requests before ordering them and makes her way over to the direction the bartender pointed to after excusing herself.

The bartender serves out drinks before sparking up a conversation with Chev who doesn't disappoint by flirting with him throughout their conversation. A few guys try to hit on me but I just drive them away by telling them one simple line 'I have HIV'.

That line's effective against a few guys and keeps the rest away from me. Yeah, it is tarnishing my image but it's better than swatting at them like they're flies. I didn't feel to be hit on by anyone. My heart and body – as foolish as it sounds want one person.

I know that most girls must at least have that one line other than 'I'm not interested' to ward off guys. I mean come on they can be so pessimistic sometimes.

"Izzy," Shanice calls for a distance away as she approaches me with a towering silhouette of a man beside her.

He has beautiful light brown eyes, sun-kissed skin, short brown hair and a low stubble. He's in a black and white dress shirt with white jeans and a pair of black converse.

"Isabelle, this is Dimitri," she says as they stand before me gesturing to the handsome man she's latched on to.

Right now I'm sitting on a stool around the bar while Chev is somewhere on the dancefloor flipping some guy's switch. He came over a few minutes after the bartender went back to his job and asked Chev to dance and she couldn't say no. Yeah, my two friends ended up ditching me at the bar on my birthday.

I look at Dimitri and give him a small smile. "Nice to meet you, Dimitri."

"The pleasure's mine," he's got an Italian accent! Good going Shan, he sounds so sexy. Just like my Johna–. "I hope you find my club to your liking."

"It's quite fun here," I reply sipping my Martini while thoughts of my love crowd my mind.

"Oh she hasn't seen the best part yet so she can't give a satisfying reply just yet," Shanice says to Dimitri with a flirtatious smile. "Once she sees that she'll fall in love with this place. Just like how I've fallen in love with you."

He smiles down at her his dimples showing and cradles her face gently. "Le tue parole mi toccano, principessa. Hai il mio cuore a tenere e amare. È vostra da fare come ti piace e sono così felice che nutrire è quello che scegli."

"I love it when you talk sexy," she says before kissing him chastely on the lips. "ti amo."

And I thought he was a friend.

I raise a brow at her and she turns crimson under my gaze. She pulls away from Dimitri whose hands had snaked around her waist and pull her towards him during that little speech.

"Okay so let's go explore the rest of the club," Shan says clapping her together. "Where's Chev?"

"On the dancefloor grinding some guy," I say dismissively.

"We'll pick her up while making our way through the crowd," she says with a shrug. "Come on Dimi, Izzy."

I follow them through the crowd and towards the elevator as said we pick up Chev while making our way through the crowd and she is already drunk. Shan piles us all into the elevator Dimitri pressed up against her like a second skin and presses a button that says 3.

A frown plays on my lips as I look at their closeness. The image of them together makes me miss Johnattan, he would always try to be close to me and his kisses left me breathless and needy. My body missed that feeling, the feeling of his hands around me, on me. The way he takes his time when pleasuring me and making my body just in anticipation. His kisses on my skin igniting throbs from my centre and his body. That body that'll spend every day exploring until ever bulge and curve is mapped in my brain...

Just the thought of him drives my hormones into a frenzy and I find myself becoming arose.

The elevator opens and my mouth drops to the floor.

The seductive music plays around the room a contrast to the loud blaring music above. Women dance upon a stage in costumes and masks as men throw their money at them.

Money rains down on the girls who grab them as they dance around the stage. The men lounge in chairs around the stages cheering and motioning for the women to approach them. A few women do and dance upon them arousing the sexual beast in the men.

"There's a strip club here too," I say in surprise.

"Yes but this isn't where we're stopping," Shan says as she pulls Dimitri forward. "Come on guys."

Chev and I move through the crowd of horny men and sweaty half-naked women. I grab her hand and pull her along after she had slumped a bit. Why had she intoxicated herself so quickly? We were only here for like half an hour.

Shan leads us through a door and a wave of perfume hit my nose. There in front of us is a replica of the other room but instead of women dancing on the stages there are men, in thongs and speedos! Oh Lord.

I stand frozen as the women in the room scream and cheer for the men to take it off. Shan screams out as well earning a glare from Dimitri who she kisses lightly before whispering something into his ear.

"So I'll leave you guys here. I'd rather not see all that," he starts. "Shan take care of Izzy and Chev stay out of trouble don't want a repeat of what happened last time."

Chev flips him off before making her way towards the half-naked men on the stage and Shan pulls him in for a long sloppy mouth to mouth kiss before shooing him away.

After he leaves Shan and Chev go into series of fan fazed screaming and cheering as the men dance for their enjoyment.

I sit on one of the lounge seats watching the performance with a frown on my face. Normally this would have been a great chance to get down and dirty with some sexy men but I can't. I look up at the girls with a ghost smile.

At least they're having fun.

My mind keeps on drifting towards Lexi and Johnattan. I wonder about how they are, what they're doing and if they miss me after all I've done to them. After I left them.

"Hey why the long face?" Shan shouts as she stumbles towards me. "Come on cheer up!"

She walks over to me with a mischievous look on her face and I look at her a little afraid of what is brewing in her fucked up head. "Shan, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Oh nothing," she says innocently before pinning me down by the shoulders with her hands. "Chocolate soldier get over here!"

"Shan what are you doing?!" I ask in fright as I try to fight her off.

"Chill out Izzy, this will be fun!"

A guy of dark complexion dressed in nothing but a red speedo walks towards us and my eyes widen in shock.

"What can I do for you , Shan?" He asks in a deep, baritone voice.

"Give this birthday girl a treat for us?"

"You got it."

He props his hands on my shoulders and Shan lets go cheering.

"Relax, Birthday girl. It'll be fine." Chocolate soldier says noticing my near to horrified expression.

He dances on my lap and my body tenses some more. Shan and Chev scream and make it rain as Chocolate soldier moves his moneymaker against my exposed thighs. He grabs my hand moving it to his ass and the crowd goes hysterical as he rotates his hip.

"Izzy! Izzy!" Shan cheers and the others follow suit. "Izzy, Izzy!"

Chocolate soldier goes into overdrive against my lap and I cringe slightly as my mind links this to something else.

"Izzy... Izzy!"

My brain gets jumbled as they call my name and the chants change in my head.

"Chrissie! Chrissie!" Lexi yells with the crowd as Matthew the guy from our English class gives me an amateur lap dance.

We are at a dorm party on campus. The theme of the party is Truth or Dare. I had ended up on the receiving end of a dare. Matthew a guy who had a crush on me from the start of the semester was dared to give me a lap dance.

I had argued saying Liam would throw a fit if he found out but Lexi said that I need to let go and stop worrying about Liam for a while.

I reluctantly followed her advice, her foolish advice and I had reaped the scarring results. Liam's wrath. Maybe I should have worried because that one night he made me regret that one decision a million times over and took everything from me.

He dominated me and I broke under his hands.

"Izzy! Izzy!" The ladies scream around me and my heart hammers in my chest.

This has to stop! I-I can't take it any l-longer. It's just like then.

With strength that surprise even me I push Chocolate soldier off me and look around franticly at the shocked faces around me.

I rise out of the chair and run through the room my heart hammering in my chest ignoring the people calling after me.

"Chrissie! Chrissie!"

I quickly make my way to the elevator and hammer the button waiting impatiently for the ping.

The doors open and I stumble in. Chev and Shan run towards me with frantic eyes, their mouths moving rapidly but every word sounds slurred to me. They pet my head as I breathe out ruggedly. I feel scared, horrified as I remember that night, the night he took away everything from me.

"I want to go," I stutter out and they look me over in fright.

A few minutes later I'm being carried out towards Chev's car by Dimitri while Shan continuously apologizes for doing that to me.

He places me in the passenger seat and I hug myself tears silently streaming down my eyes. "Mine!"

I shudder and my eyes drift to watch as Shan converses with Dimitri. He wears a sympathetic yet reluctant look on his face.

"Dimitri I have to drive them home. Chev's a bit wasted and Izzy you saw her she looks like she's seen a ghost," Shan argues as Dimitri cups her cheek. "And you have your club to run. I can't ask you to come."

"Fine, principessa but I am coming with you," he replies. "And no buts about it."

She smiles at him a bit pleased and pecks his lips. "I love you tigoritto."

"I love you too principessa. Now let's go," he smiles before pecking her forehead.

My heart clenches as I watch them. That love I once had is gone.

All because of my foolish decisions.

****

An hour later I'm curled up on my bed silently crying. Chev is in the guestroom sleeping she was reluctant to leave me here all alone. She had offered to sleep with me but I had denied. I need time by myself to release all this anguish.

So here I lie crying my eyes out clenching a bracelet to my chest. This bracelet consists of gold vines connecting red roses in a circular shape. It was given to me by him, Johnattan, as is everything I have thrown across my bed.

The picture of us at the ball, the mini top he bought me from Jamaica and other things I took before leaving him. Before breaking his heart.

My body shakes as I cry and the despair clutches my heart until I can barely breathe.

"Christina Isabelle Hase, I love you." His voice rings out in my head. "I know you don't want to hear it but I do. You're running laps on my mind. From your smiles to your laughs, the way you let go when we make love, the aura you give off, it makes it hard for me not to love you. You're strong, confident, headstrong and tough on the outside but on the inside you're scared..."

"Te amo, Christina. Te amo muchimas." My heart twists more and my lips tremble.

"You're a tease Christina. I want you to be my tease," he whispers in my ear as if he's here with me.

"Too bad Christi because I love you! I. Fucking. Love. You! You won't do this to me, you won't end this it's only beginning! Don't. You. Dare. Kill. Us. Before. We. Even. Start!" I'm so sorry!

His words play over in my head and I sob as my heart feels like it's being ripped apart.

Shaking.

The shaking, it snaps me from my crying. This isn't my body shaking from sorrow but the earth-shaking.

My senses kick in and I run from the bed towards the door frame as ornaments and books fall from the shelves. The breaking of glass and tumbling of furniture reaches my ears and my heart jumps. An earthquake!

Chev!

My eyes widen and my heart goes frantic as my mind wonders to Cheverlie. Is she awake? Is she safe? What if she's hurt?

"Chev!" I yell but I get no reply. No! Please answer me!

My body shakes in fear and I grip the open door's frame tightly. I look at the door to the guestroom highlighted by the city lights and my heart falls.

The floors are littered with glass and furniture. It looks like a death trap.

"Cheverlie!" She still doesn't reply. It's stay or flee Tina!

Marley squawks in fright and my heart clenches. Where the fuck is she?!

My feet move on instinct and I find myself running through the living room towards the guest bedroom.

The cutlery cracks as it falls to the floor and the books land with a thud on the carpeted floor. The ground shakes and I stumble to the left. I trip over a stack of books and I fall to the floor with a thud hitting my head.

"Izzy?!" I can hear someone calling me but my head is throbbing. Marley squawks louder in fear before the voice calls out again. "Izzy look out!"

My eyes open but everything is blurry, I look up and my breath ceases as the sight of the silhouette above me. Oh, fuck!

Crash!

I scream out in pain as the bookcase falls on my leg. The pain ripples throughout my body and I cry out my throat burning. Tears stream down my face as my body trembles and my head throbs in pain. My leg burns, it feels like electricity is cracking within it. Pain.... Pain...

Please make it stop! Please!

"Izzy... Izzy..." I hear someone call but my eyes close as my body submits to the darkness.

The pain finally stopping.