ELEVEN YEARS AGO

It had been a weeksince Nick and I went our separate ways. Love didn't win in this situation. He's marrying another woman. Running away with him is out of the question. I'm going to fulfill my dream of becoming a doctor.

My phone vibrates across my desk. That's probably Shaylee. I stare at my reflection in the mirror. The tiny black dress clings to my body. I twist and turn to make sure it won't ride up my ass tonight.

Grabbing my phone off the desk, I peek at the screen.

Shaylee: Are you ready?

Me: Yes.

Shaylee: Bet the dress looks good on you.

Me: Why did you have to lend me the shortest dress you own?

Shaylee: lol. Meet you downstairs in five minutes.

Me: Yup.

Fifteen minutes later, Shaylee and I bounce across campus to the science building.

Faye struts out the door. "Let's party bitches."

I rarely attend parties, but I promised Nick I'd look up from my books and live a little. The party will also help keep my mind off him.

As we enter the frat house, we sway our hips to the beat. The sharp scent of pine and lemon hit my nose, mixed with a faint hint of dampness. I could tell someone had recently sprayed air freshener to mask the lingering odor of sweaty socks.

"This is a good song," I yell, smiling. The beat makes my heart slam against my ribcage.

My eyes move across the happy faces on the dance floor. I feel at ease for the first time all week.

"Someone's doing good, considering they just walked away from their first love," Faye pushes.

My heart aches at her words. Pondering on what we had would help me how? It wouldn't. Only cause more pain.

"Like I told you girls, he's engaged to another woman. Come on, let's grab a beer." I wave a hand over my head to the beat as we weave through the sea of people dancing throughout the first floor.

I don"t mention to my friends that I purposely went searching for her. I needed to put a face to the name.

For the first time, I decided to skip a few classes. I waited anxiously to see if she would show up after Nick"s class or during lunch. And there she was, slipping into a seat next to him in the cafeteria by the windows. She casually drapes her arm over his shoulders and kisses his cheek.

Nick"s green eyes fill with anger. But she pays no attention to him and instead scans the room. A few girls glance over at Nick, but Norah shakes her head at them, and they quickly turn away.

That fucking bitch is intimidating many of the female students.

There"s clearly something not right about her.

Hood up, sitting at a table in the center of the cafeteria, I try to blend in with everyone else as I bury my nose in a book.

This time, I don"t stand out like a sore thumb. I"m just another face in the crowd.

Norah extends her hand with a flick of her fingers, showing off a huge diamond ring that glistens under the lights. My heart clenches painfully in my chest. The man I love is now engaged to another woman.

Seeing them together confirms that Nick and I are completely over. It doesn"t matter if he looks like he could keel over at any second.

"Smile, Kinsley," Faye bumps my arm, bringing me back from the memory.

Standing between my two best friends, I smile up at the phone Shaylee's holding. She snaps the pic.

After we get our beers, we hang out in the kitchen, talking to a few of Faye's friends.

"Kinsley, you made it." Josh halts in front of me.

He's in my physics class.

"Yeah, thanks for the invite," I say.

He flashes a sexy grin. "You're always welcome." He points at me and my friends.

"You all are welcome anytime. Have fun."

Josh winks at me, then he and a few other guys dart out of the kitchen.

"You didn't mention that Josh is fine." Shaylee whistles.

I laugh.

"He likes him some Kinsley," Faye says.

I change the subject. "How about more drinks and we hit the dance floor?"

"Let's do it," Shaylee shouts.

After twenty minutes of dancing, I decide to take a break. I let my friends know that I"m heading to the restroom. They offer to join me, but I assure them it"s not necessary. I just need a moment alone. They understand I'm still nursing a broken heart.

The two bathrooms on the first floor are occupied. I hurry up the stairs. A woman steps out of the bathroom, and I slip in, closing the door behind me. After I pee for what feels like forever, I freshen up and peer at my reflection in the mirror.

One day, Kinsley, maybe you'll settle down. Nope, not interested in love anymore. I'll continue focusing on school so I can graduate at the top of my class. Yup, you got this girl.

Smoothing my hands over the pretty, black frilly dress, I open the door.

Josh is standing outside. My heart plummets to my feet. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry. Just waiting for the restroom." He smiles, pointing at the door.

"Yes, of course." I step aside so he can enter.

The hallway is quiet and dimly lit, but I can feel the bass of the music from the party downstairs vibrating through my body.

Suddenly, a rough hand covers my mouth, muffling my scream, and a muscular arm wraps around my waist.

I struggle against him, kicking and thrashing as he carries me down the hallway towards one of the rooms.

"We"re going to have some fun," he taunts, his grip only tightening with each passing second. "And no one will hear you scream, gorgeous."

Confusion and terror flood my mind. Why is Josh doing this? I had always thought he liked me, but this? This feels like a nightmare I can't wake up from. He throws me onto the bed with ease, overpowering my every attempt to fight back. The door slams shut behind us.

My foot connects with a sickening thud against his crotch, and he doubles over in agony. But before I can celebrate my momentary victory, he pulls out a gun from the back of his jeans.

My body trembles uncontrollably as tears stream down my face and I feel the cold metal barrel pressed against my forehead.

"You shouldn"t have done that," he sneers, his finger hovering dangerously close to the trigger.

"Now you"re gonna do exactly what I say."

My mind races with fear and panic as I nod numbly, unable to form any words or thoughts.

Suddenly, the door bursts open and five more men enter the room, their faces hidden behind twisted Halloween masks. They each rip off their shirts, revealing chiseled, muscular bodies that send shivers of disgust and terror through me.

"We"re going to fuck you," Josh snarls, "and come in every hole."

Desperate sobs escape my throat. "Please no," I plead.

Their laughter only grows louder.

"Strip her," Josh commands one of his hulking cronies. All hope drains from me.

I realize this is just another twisted game for these sadistic monsters. And now I am their helpless prey.

The massive man tears my clothes from my body with animalistic strength, the fabric ripping and tearing like scraps in his hands.

Another man grabs my legs and viciously flips me over onto my stomach.

In a panic, I lash out and kick one of them in the groin.

"Fucking bitch," the guy cries out.

Josh roughly grabs a handful of my hair and presses the gun against my temple. "What did I tell you?" he barks.

"To... to do what you say," I stutter out.

He forcefully pushes my face into the mattress, and I struggle to breathe. One by one, they each take their turn violating me, stealing what doesn't belong to them.

Finally, Josh releases my head and moves behind me, thrusting inside me. I retreat to a place I shouldn"t go - a memory of being on a boat with Nick, basking in the sun while he steers.

"Don"t worry, baby. I"ve got you. I"ll never let anything happen to you."

The truth is, Nick isn't here to save me.

Tears stream down my face as I feel numb from being violated in both places. A switch flips in my brain as I transform from nice and reserved Kinsley to angry and vengeful Kinsley.

One day I'll kill them all. A twisted grin forms on my lips as my eyes close and it feels like my body is shutting down.

***P***

As I slowly regain consciousness, the sound of waves and creaking wood fill my ears. My body feels sticky and uncomfortable, and as I try to move, I notice dry patches of semen covering my exposed skin. The realization hits me like a ton of bricks, bringing back horrific memories that make me want to curl up and hide. But then a gust of wind sweeps through the room, sending shivers down my spine. My naked body is racked with tremors as I struggle to sit up and get my bearings. A woman"s voice echoes in the darkness, sneering at me.

"The little whore is all used up," she taunts, her stilettoes clicking on the wooden floor as she paces around me. "I bet this is a weekly occurrence."

Despite the pain and humiliation, anger boils within me as I glare at her. "You got what you wanted," I bite out fiercely, "now go fuck off."

She pauses, then kicks me in the shin with her sharp-toed shoe. "Ouch," I scream as I reach out and grab her ankle, yanking her to the ground with me.

Her head hits the hardwood floor of the yacht with a loud thud, silencing her mocking laughter.

That"s exactly what that cruel bitch deserves. She probably has never been in a fight before, but she is about to experience one now. Despite the pain pulsing through my naked body, I feel a surge of adrenaline giving me newfound strength. I flip over and repeatedly punch her face with all my might. "What the fuck do you want from me?" I scream at the top of my lungs.

Her fist smashes into my jaw with a sickening crack, sending me careening backwards.

"You fucked what belongs to me. So I made sure you were had by a group of frat boys."

Ugly laughter rumbles in her chest.

"I saw you sitting in the cafeteria trying to blend in. I wanted you to see my engagement ring, so I held out my hand so you could see how big the diamond is," twisted laughter leaves her.

"I'm his fiancée. Not you. The little good girl thought she could steal my man. Like I"d ever let that happen. You all just want to get a piece of Nick"s dick, don"t you? Well, I warned him." With each word, her voice grew more venomous and her body language more threatening.

She lunges at me, her stiletto heels sharp and deadly. In a split-second decision, I rip them off her feet and hurl them overboard one by one. Her ass hits the floor. Panic set in as I realize the yacht is moving, and we are alone in the middle of the ocean.

What she says about Nick sits in the back of my mind.

She jumps to her bare feet, in a fighting stance baring her teeth. Her manicured nails remind me of Wolverine claws.

As she reaches out to strike my face again with her claws, my lightning reflexes kick in and I move to the side and dodge her attack.

"He's in love with me. Not you. You're a miserable bitch who preys on innocent women," I hiss through gritted teeth.

"I"ll be sitting by his side on the Pitucco throne, not you," she spits back.

"You"re right. I never wanted that stupid throne anyway. You can have your mafia life. Nick and I went our separate ways because I didn"t want anything to do with your criminal world. So enjoy spending the rest of your life with a man who loves me," I shout back in anger.

Her eyes narrow in response, wild with rage. She charges toward me. We collide on the floor, fighting for dominance. My sole objective is to throw this bitch overboard - to rid myself of her once and for all.

But as much as I fight back, pain shoots through my body, causing me to tense up. She has the upper hand - she hadn"t been raped or abused like I had, and she still had full mobility.

Desperate to get away from her, I drag my injured body across the floor.

With a menacing grin, Norah grabs a gold oblong bowl off the table and swings it toward my head. I roll just in time, narrowly avoiding the impact as it crashes against the floor.

Her next move sends shivers down my spine.

She stands tall, triumphant. "Screw this shit," she declares, pulling out a switchblade from her jeans pocket.

My eyes widen in terror as I frantically inch backwards towards the edge of the yacht, determined to throw myself into the freezing water below.

Norah"s maniacal laughter explodes around me.

"You"re just another one of his little playthings. But you should know, Nick has given me strict orders not to lay a finger on any woman he"s fucking. That puts you at the top of my list of untouchables. Don"t worry, he"ll never find out about you. Poor Kinsley will die right here, and after all the chaos settles, I might even send him the video of you getting gang banged. He"ll finally see that his precious little Kinsley was nothing but a whore," Norah sneers with a sadistic glint in her eyes.

She leans in closer, the sharp edge of her knife tracing down my abdomen as I scream out in agony. Blood gushes from the wound and I feel myself growing weaker.

I"m dying.

As I try to apply pressure to the wound, my vision begins to fade and black spots cloud my view.

But suddenly, a woman"s voice breaks through the haze, panicked and desperate. "Wake up! Don"t you dare die on me!" she cries.

My eyes flutter open, but everything is blurry.

She wraps something warm around my body and barks orders for me to hold it against my wound.

"May Day, May Day." Those are the last words I remember before everything goes black.

***P***

My eyes snap open, and I struggle to make sense of my surroundings. The room is a sterile, cold cream color that sends chills down my spine. With each movement, pain lances through my body, causing me to cry out in agony.

A doctor bursts into the room, his face a mask of concern. "My name is Doctor Brevin," he announces. "You were brought in as a Jane Doe. You"re lucky to be alive."

I grit my teeth and force myself to sit up despite the searing pain. "Give it to me straight, Dr. Brevin. I'm studying to be a doctor. I can handle it."

His brows furrow in disbelief. "Very well then." He takes a deep breath before delivering his diagnosis.

"You have multiple contusions, anal tearing, and a knife wound on your abdomen that required emergency surgery and resulted in significant blood loss," he says grimly.

I try to process the information, but before I can say anything, he drops the bombshell. "Unfortunately, we couldn"t save the baby."

My heart shatters into a million pieces at his words. I fight back tears and force myself to maintain a composed expression.

"Due to the excessive blood loss," he adds with a sympathetic frown.

A hollow ache settles in my chest as I try to process his words. "I understand," I say hoarsely, forcing a fake smile onto my trembling lips.

Physically, I may appear calm and collected. However, on the inside, my mind is racing. I had planned to obtain the morning-after pill but failed to follow through due to being consumed by my studies. If I had taken a pregnancy test and found out I was pregnant, I would've chosen to keep my child.

A fire burns inside of me, fueled by anger and pain.

That crazy bitch killed my baby. After Dr. Brevin tells me about the morphine pain drip, he leaves the room.

I'm left alone with my thoughts, feeling a deep sense of emptiness and despair.

Deep down, I am consumed with grief and anger at the loss of my child.

My throat feels raw and scratchy as I reach for the pink container of water on the bedside table. But then my eyes fall upon a letter hidden underneath it. With trembling hands, I open it and read the words over and over again.

Dear Kinsley,

It"s time to start anew at Yale. Your tuition has been paid for.

Pursue your dream of becoming a doctor and leave this all behind you.

Signed,

A fresh start.