{114}✔️

A/N: broooo. I'm so overwhelmed with how nice/funny y'all are and how much you seem to be enjoying the book. I'm always getting messages and comments and shit about how much you like it and I'm always shook asf.

Last chapter y'all really went off in the comments 💀💀 it feels good to know you guys are actually invested in the story.

I'm just bullshittin and trying to make this book not suck and you guys really seem to be enjoying it so thank you. Thanks so much for reading 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

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Dahlia's POV

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"Hold still." Billie whispered before placing the bag of ice on my cheek. I winced and bit my lip which was a horrible idea because it only brought more pain.

She rubbed some of my hair back gently and let out a small sigh, shaking her head. "I can't believe he did this to you."

I tried to get down from the kitchen counter, but she gave me a stern look and pushed me right back up there. "It's fine. This will heal in no time. Will you turn the light on?" I questioned as I looked around the dark room. The only light on was the stove light.

To be honest, I'm glad the light isn't on. I bet I look terrible and I don't want her to have a great view of my face like this. Plus, I keep blushing because she keeps giving me attention. I just need an excuse to get her away from me for two seconds so I can take a breather.

She's been obsessing over taking care of me since she brought me to my house, and it's really sweet, but it's so weird. I don't know, I'm just bad at receiving attention like this. She's pretty intense, and totally okay with being intimate any and all the time, and she keeps making me fucking blush.

"No, the light will make your head hurt worse." She murmured. We stayed silent for a few minutes, and neither of us moved much.

The only time I did move was when I was jumping and peering around her head, trying to see if my dad or one of my siblings was pulling into the driveway.

"We should go to my room, Billie. I have to try to cover this up before they—"

"You need to stop that, Dahlia." She huffed. "You need to stop trying to hide what you're going through from everybody. Especially me and especially your family. Don't you think they should know about this?"

"No!" I yelled before letting out a small yelp. I'd accidentally hit my head on the cabinet behind me. She shook her head at me before bringing a hand up to rub my head and then kissing my forehead.

"No, I don't." I continued weakly. "If I tell them about this they'll try to do something about it. Denny will be ready to fight the guy, my dad will call the police, Cora will probably get her nunchucks out of her closet. They'll all be emotional, they'll all be worried about me. We don't need any of that."

"What happens when the guy decides he wants to try this shit again, Dahlia? What happens then? If you don't tell them then how are they gonna help you make sure this doesn't happen again? What happens if he decides he wants to get revenge on you?"

"That's not gonna happen." I shook my head. "I handled him."

"Okay, so, you handled him. What about all his fucking friends? What happens when they decide they wanna come after you because you hurt their precious little friend? You know how those boys are. They're clinging to their masculinity as tightly as they can, and what you did today was a major threat to it. They're not just gonna let this slide. They've got something to prove now, and they're gonna try to prove it. They're gonna try to get back at you and you won't be able to fight them all off." She spat.

"Shut up." I mumbled weakly, trying to get away from her. It didn't work since I was trapped between her body and the counter.

"No, I'm not gonna shut up. I know this whole thing sucks, I know it's scary to think about, and I hate that we have to think about it, but facts are facts. It'd be stupid of you to think that what happened today was the end of it. You don't think that. You know this is only just the beginning." She sighed.

"I don't remember you being this eager to go to the police every other time something like this happened." I grumbled.

"Nothing like this has happened before." She shook her head. "You got jumped by Kai's little friends and I let that go because I knew those bitches were weak and I could handle them all if I was put in a room with them. The situation with Valerie was different too. I knew I could handle that. What I can't handle is a bunch of jocks with big egos and rapist mentalities coming after you. You know I wanna protect you from everything. More than anything. And I wish I could, but I can't. I keep trying to, but I can't."

"This isn't something that just me and you can handle. I wish it was, but it's not. You were almost raped today, Dahlia. And I don't care how badly you beat that asshole's ass, he isn't gonna just let bygones be bygones. You need to talk to the police, get a restraining order or something—"

"What the hell is a piece of paper supposed to do to protect me!?" I spat. "What, am I gonna wave it in his face and tell him that he can't be near me and expect him to just back off?"

"Yeah, that's exactly what you do, and if he doesn't then his ass is going straight to jail!"

I let out a bitter laugh before leaning my head against the cabinet.

"Look, you've got a lot on your plate as it is. Your fucking clubs, finals, trying to get ready to move, trying to get ready for your niece or nephew...I know that this is the last thing you wanna deal with. I know you don't think the police are gonna help you, but you have to trust me. You need to talk to your family and then you need to talk to the police." She told me softly.

"Not tonight," I mumbled weakly.

"Not tonight." She agreed. "Tomorrow. You can't go to school tomorrow anyway, feeling the way you must feel. Just stay home tomorrow and talk to your dad about everything and then you guys can go down to the police station."

"I think this is all gonna be a waste of time."

"It won't be. I'm gonna get my dad to help you out and I promise you, he'll ruin that fucking asshole's life for trying to hurt you." She told me.

I narrowed my eyes and pushed the ice she was still holding against my face away before sitting up. "What? Your dad? What's your dad got to do with this? How's he gonna help?"

"My dad is a lot of things. A businessman. A doctor. A lawyer. A former police officer. Above all else, he's a badass. He's got a lot of connections, long story short. He'll help." She smirked.

I thought about it for a bit. She'd never mentioned what her parents did to me. I knew they owned a lot of businesses, but I didn't think they did anything else. I knew they were filthy rich, but I never really questioned how they got to be filthy rich.

"Dude...Tell me all about your dad!" I told her quickly.

"Maybe another time," She smiled as she put the ice down in the sink and then carefully picked me up. "You need to go to bed now, though. It's 10:00. Your family is probably gonna be here soon and you need to be asleep by the time they're here if you don't wanna have to tell them about what happened tonight. Plus, it's been a long and awful day. You need your rest."

She carried me up to my room and pushed the covers back before helping me into my bed. I tried not to show that I was in too much pain, but I couldn't help wincing every time she accidentally touched one of my bruises.

She tucked me in and then found Prince Styles for me, putting the now seven months old cat down on the pillow beside me. He happily curled up and went to sleep next to my head and I smiled sleepily, my eyes already fluttering closed.

"Please don't leave me, Billie." I mumbled.

"You're crazy if you think I was going to." She chuckled.

I heard her shuffling around, probably changing into some night clothes before she turned off my lamp and then slid in bed next to me. She wrapped her arms around my waist and kissed my ear and then my neck.

"Goodnight, mama." She whispered.

I wanted to respond, but I was too tired. I was knocked out before I knew it.

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A/N: short chapter. I'm not sure if the next one will be long bc I haven't written it yet but I have written the chapter after the next and that one is 5000 words!

Ppl have been asking for my insta recently so let me plug it again: