Thirty-Three

Ryan tries to move me upstairs to his room. I was proud of myself and wasn't going to hide like I was embarrassed and afraid to deal with the repercussions.

"What the hell was that? You're an outsider. You wouldn't last a month of our initiation. I was an outsider and earned my place." A girl swung me around and out of Ryan's grip. I look her in the eyes and stare her down. I know I was only feeling brave because of the alcohol and if I got my ass beat yeah, I'll be embarrassed. That wasn't something I can worry about now.

"A month?" I ask scoffing in her face. She must really not know what the hell Ryan did to me. "What exactly during that month do you have to face?"

"I had to do drug runs, be a maid, get beat on, deal with a kidnapping." She says as I scoff.

I laughed in her face at the kidnapping part. "That's funny cause Ryan here chloroformed me. I was then beat in the field across the road. That was just the first hour and a half. Which he cracked a few ribs because he kicked me. I didn't get any first aid for a month. I was then handcuffed then tied with a rope down in the cellar. All I could do was lay down which at first was on the floor. Then I got a dirty mattress which that and the blanket and pillow I was given would be taken away from me randomly and a couple times no reason at all. I was beat if I didn't answer. I pissed and shit in a bucket and was forcefully washed the first month. Then I was almost raped and was moved upstairs. I was so used to getting beat that every time Ryan even said a word to me I flinched for the first month out of the cellar. I even ran off and figured he was going to kill me. In fact I didn't see a way of surviving him but guess what bitch I survived two months of torture. If I say so myself I've been a part of this family for almost nine months now. You have a problem then go fuck yourself." Ryan hauls me up the stairs after that. No one else stopped us.

"You are an angry drunk tonight." He looks at me in shock and I could see the hint of a smirk threatening to appear.

"I'm tired of people looking down on me. I meant every word that I said too. I am more part of this family than any other outsider for how much I dealt with."

Ryan was laughing at me. "Athea. It was sexy seeing you stand up for yourself not once but twice tonight. Also, Uncle Chris is going to announce tonight that you are a part of this family. That was the whole point for the party. To announce you as family. However I was already kind of with you and everyone knows that so."

I started grinning. "Wait really?"

"Yeah. And am I really your boy friend?" He winks at me playfully. I laughed a little harder at that being that I was drunk.

"Oh...yeah. We decided on S.O. so I decided to call you my boyfriend." I was sitting on the bed and Ray flings the door open.

"Athea, holy shit bitch! You are a savage. The whole party is talking about you. They're all saying you have a point considering the initiates don't get treatment from Ryan here. They are calling you a legend." Ray continued babbling while I listened to him as best as I could in my drunken state.

"Ray. Buddy hey." I throw my arms around him. I may know what's going on but that doesn't mean that I'm not drunk. "I do have a question guys." I say my face twisting with concentration. "Um... isn't it kind of ironic that I'm part of the mafia family but my father puts high profile killers away?"

Ryan and Ray are both silent then bust out laughing. "Yeah. It is ironic." I grab Ryan's hand and he bites back a smirk. Ray takes that as cue to leave and find his girl leaving Ryan and I alone. I didn't care whether Ray left or not I wanted to push Ryan against a wall and kiss him until he had to come up for air.

"What'd you and Uncle Chris talk about anyways?" We walked out the room and paused at the top of the stairs. Ryan asks curiously. I know it's been bothering him since his Uncle took me into the study to talk privately.

"About you and how I've been and stuff."

"Okay." Ryan shrugs. The rest of the party went by without incident and I was even congratulated for standing up for myself and for snagging Ryan. However Ryan's face seemed clouded between people. When I would look at him he always smiled but it seemed like he was hiding something. I wasn't happy with him being closed off and even though I was having a good time I had a pit in my stomach.

The next morning was regretful but I was back home. Wait, I was in my bed. I bolt out of bed and into the kitchen. There was a note on the counter. Of course he would bring me home after everything I went through in that house he would bring me home. I look at the note with a smile.

Athea,

I had to do some things again today so I hope you feel okay when you read this. You were fast asleep when I left around nine this morning. See ya later.

I huff and walk back into my room to check the time. It was one in the afternoon. No wonder my head wasn't pounding. I slept so long on six shots of whiskey or so. I didn't drink anymore after that. I turned on my television after a shower and a sandwich. I was halfway through an episode of Victorious when my doorbell rang.

I look through my peep hole and see a couple of cops.

"Hello? May I help you?" I ask stepping out on the steps.

"Is there a Ryan Marshall here?"

"Umm... no." I shook my head in confusion.

"We were told he would probably be here. Have you seen or heard from him?"

"No. Who told you he would be here?" I say and I see someone stop and watch. It was Ryan. He was standing across the street waiting to come in but couldn't.

"Um.. a woman by the name of Meghan Blanch. She said that you two were dating."

"No sir. Ryan Marshall doesn't ring a bell."

"Okay. Well let us know if a Ryan Marshall gets in contact with you." The officer nods his head at me and stops cold when they spot him across the street.

I watch as Ryan walks over calmly and holds his wrists out. I felt frozen to the spot and felt my whole body heat up but I know I paled when I saw him walk calmly across the street.

"Wait... no." I run to him and hug him. He wraps his arms around me and holds me tightly. I didn't want to let go of him. If I did then he was gone and this would all have been a dream.

"Ma'am I thought you said you didn't know him. Your father said that he was going to press charges even if you didn't when he was caught." I ignore the officer and start crying.

"No. Don't. Ryan please don't." He pulls me away from his body and holds my face.

"Athea it's okay. I'll be okay. You are so strong. You can do this. You know what to do. Go see Uncle Chris he'll help you." I felt his hands leaving my face and the other officer grabs my arm and walks me back inside.

"Ma'am. How well do you know Ryan?"

"We were dating. I went with him willingly, but let me go. He saved me." I didn't know if this was on the record or not. I didn't want to take the chance though. I'll lie and act like I was lying.

"Saved you how?"

"He kept me from getting raped. He didn't kill me. That's how he saved me. Listen you can't take him to jail. His Uncle was innocent. We're just waiting for his trial to start now."

"You're judge Carson's daughter right?"

"Yes."

"Does he know? About Ryan?"

"No. Because this is what I didn't want to happen."

"How long have ya'll been seeing each other?"

"About a month now. We just made it official last night. But he's been coming around for a month now."

"Do you know a Meghan Blanch?"

"Yes. I punched her at a party last night for trying to spread lies. I also, confronted all of the people so maybe I wouldn't have to deal with so many of them treating me like trash."

"Okay. Listen this is off the record. On the record though do you want to press charges for assault and battery and kidnapping?"

"No. He's innocent. I went with him willingly." I said. That was my official statement.

"is that the statement you wish to make?"

"Yes."