Leo

That next night I along with the rest of the groomsmen were sitting in your cliché hole in the wall strip club in downtown Collinsville. Honestly, I wasn't interested in any of these women in barely there outfits shaking their behinds and boobs in some random man's face. I had nothing against strippers beause they were indeed getting their money, who was I to judge?

"Leo! Come on man, get in there!" Eli, one of the groomsmen said, clapping his hand on my shoulder

I believe Josh and him met each other in college. One of his many wild frat brothers.

"Nah, I'm okay with watching man."

"Ah, I see. Got a special lady at home and don't want to ruin it right?"

"Exactly."

"Well at least have a drink or something."

"I'm good man, thanks."

He shrugged and left to go back with the other men who was hooting and hollering at the edge of the stage while a bare chested, big breasted girl with stickies on her nipples danced in front of them. They were throwing singles at her and stuffing them into her g-string having a good time. Josh was laughing as the men tried getting one of the strippers to come down and give him a lap dance. The sash he wore, with the words 'Groom to be' was draped around his chest but that didn't deter two girls with dollar signs in their eyes to walk over towards him seductively.

"Give this man the best lap dance money can buy!" Eli yelled

"No problem. What's your name handsome?" The blonde one asked

"Josh." He said cooly

"Hm, Josh, ready for some fun?"

"Eh, just do your thing ladies."

I swear, Josh was the coolest looking dude I knew having two women in your face, shaking their assets in your face and not even cracking a smirk. After that dance was done, Eli gave the two some money and they were on their way. I was bored, and I was very eager to go home. I honestly just wasn't feeling it anymore. I hadn't been to a strip club in years, mostly I frequented them after Ellie left, but even that got tiring after awhile. But it was Josh's night and I owed it to him to be here. But I did want to check on Ellie to see how she was doing.

Of course, I texted her.

"Hey beautiful, how's the bachelorette party?"

She took a few minutes to answer.

"It's okay. The male strippers just got here ;) How's the strip club handsome?"

"Eh, I'm not really feeling it. Only a few more hours until I get home. I miss you."

She stopped answering and didn't answer again until about two hours later.

"I miss you too. I'm leaving now so I'll see you soon."

I put my phone away and decided to cut the night short. Since the night began, I just wasn't feeling right. I don't know why I felt uneasy, but I felt in my stomach a sinking feeling, and something was telling me that I really needed to get home. So I figured that It would be best if I listened to it.

"You alright?" Josh asked me

"Yeah, just not feeling all that great."

"It won't be the same without you Leo, you sure you can't stay?"

"Yeah. I know it's your night and I'm really sorry, but I just got a bad feeling."

"About what?"

"I don't know. But I feel like I'm needed at home. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow for the wedding."

"Alright bro, let me know if you need me." He said, clapping his hand on my back

"I will."

I left the club and got into my car soon after that. I turned on the rock station and then started driving towards home. The feeling in my stomach hadn't lessened yet. I decided to call Ellie to see what she was up to.

"Hey, are you home?" I asked her

"Just got here. It's real quiet on your end, did you leave?"

"Yeah, I'm coming back now."

"Good cause there's uh...something I wanted to talk to you about." She said timidly

"What? You're not pregnant are you?" I joked

"Jeez, no! No, it's something serious but not that serious."

"Alright. We can talk about it in about a few minutes. I'll see you then."

I hung up and continue driving down the street. After a few minutes I pulled into the driveway and I rushed towards my house to try opening the door, but before I could get my keys out, I felt a sharp, blunt pain in the back of my head and I fell to the ground. Before I was knocked out cold, I heard a unsettling chuckle as they grabbed my fallen keys and unlocked my front door. I was then dragged in by my feet and set into the kitchen. I groaned, trying to get up off of the floor, but then I felt a huge kick to the side of my head and then I finally lost consciousness.

Ellie

I was in the middle of changing my clothing when I heard the front door open. Finally, Leo had finally come home and my nerves shot sky high at the news I had to tell him. What if he said no? No, I couldn't put this off any longer, I had to tell him everything. 

I rushed out of my room to hug him, happy that he was finally there. But the sight that met me forced my very stomach to the bottom of my shoes. There was Leo, tied up in the middle of the living room in a kitchen chair with his eyes closed. Horrified, I rushed over and cradled his face.

"Leo? Leo wake up." I said desperately

He groaned but didn't open his eyes. I went behind him and tried to undo his restraints. But before I could truly get him free, I felt a cold, hard object press to the back of my head.

"Amour, I don't think that is a very good idea. Be a good girl and step away from him."

Dred traveled down my spine and my hair stood up on end.

"Chris?" I whispered

"The one and only sweetheart. Miss me?"

"Y-you're supposed to be in jail."

"And now I'm not. What? You aren't happy to see me?"

I slowly turned my face towards him and saw just how disheveled and bloodshot he looked.

"You shouldn't be here." I said tearfully

Leo groaned at that moment trying to wake up and Chris quickly pistol whipped him across the head.

"Stop! Why are you doing that?" I asked alarmed. My heart was racing at how eerily quiet Leo was.

"Leo?" I murmured, slowly reaching my hands to stroke his face.

"He took you away from me." Chris suddenly said.

I stopped stroking Leo's cheek and looked back at him. I was scared, but also furious.

"You were the one who pushed me away."

He pressed the gun into my head and I winced.

"All I ever wanted from you was your love and acceptance. I never truly had you!" He yelled

"Then hate me Chris. Be upset with me. I'm the one you want, let him go!"

"You never loved me did you? You played me this whole time and made me look like a fool."

He started pacing back and forth in front of me, shaking like a junkie who hadn't gotten their fix. It was fucking terrifying made even more unsettling by his orange jumpsuit.

"You were horrible to me Chris. You beat on me and you took advantage of me. That wasn't love. What happened to you? You used to be such a sweet and caring man."

"People change Amour. I loved you so much, I still do. But every time I think about what happened, I just get so enraged. So now, I'm taking back what is mine." He said grimly

"What do you mean by that?" I asked

"Get into the kitchen, now." He ordered

I didn't move and I stared him down. He cocked the gun and pointed it directly in my face.

"Girl, you better do what I ask. Before you end up splattered all over this room."

"I'll take my chances." I muttered harshly, standing my ground

If Leo was dead....what was the point of me even being here? Especially if it was my fault.

"Okay, I tried being nice."

He gripped me harshly by the arm.

"Stop, let go of me!" I yelled, smacking him hard across the face.

I had held back doing that for so long. I didn't care if my life was in danger and my psycho ex boyfriend had a gun pointed at my face, that slap felt good.

He dragged me towards the kitchen Island and pushed me down upon it. I looked over at Leo and noticed that he was awake, looking towards us with an angry yet dazed look in his eyes.

"Let her go Chris!" He yelled

"I see you're forgetting who's in charge here. No, you're gonna watch and feel what I had to watch and feel. Tell me Leo, how would it feel to know someone you love be ripped away from you?"

"If you touch her I swear when I get out of this chair, I will kill you myself."

"Then watch closely." He said grimly

I felt the gun press into the back of my head again as he reached in front of me to start pulling up my dress.

"Chris, please don't do this to him. He's been through enough." I whimpered

*****TRIGGER WARNING! You have been warned, I apologize in advance :/*****

He yanked my underwear down and smacked me on the ass.

"Don't worry, you'll enjoy it. It'll be just like old times."

I felt sick

"Leo, look away." I said faintly

"No, I want him to watch." Chris said harshly

I heard a pants zipper and heard the jingling of a belt buckle as his pants fell to the floor.

"Don't look." I sniffed, a tear going down my face

"I'm so sorry." Leo whispered, a look of utter disgust crossing his face

"Oh shut it both of you!"

I felt something flop against my butt and immediately I knew what it was. I tried in vain to pull away from him but he yanked me back by my hair and slammed my head onto the surface.

"Hold still!"

A little disoriented and seeing stars, I peeked up at Leo who could only stare on in horror. I heard the cock of the gun and felt it once again pressed to my head. This reminded me of the night that I had gotten mugged...and all that flooded back was the utter fear and humiliation and embarrassment of not being able to protect myself. I tried some of the moves Leo showed me, but the minute my foot connected with Chris' shin making him groan, he raised the gun and pointed it at Leo after my stupid attempt at getting away.

"Do something else like that and I'll shoot him. Then It would've been two lives you have ruined!" Chris taunted

"Shoot me then!" Leo yelled

"Don't tempt me." He laughed

"Leo, it'll be okay. Just stay calm."

"Yeah Leo, stay calm while I fuck the brains out of your girl." He said grimly, pulling my head up by my hair and making me look at Leo

"I'll fucking kill you!"

I felt his head probe my entrance and then he sunk himself into me. I gasped at the pain and screwed my eyes shut.

"Please, stop. Take me instead, shoot me, beat me I don't care! Just don't do this to her PLEASE!" Leo pleaded desperately.

But it wasn't enough for Chris' hardened heart and black soul. He was sick and angry and someone had to pay for it in his eyes. That someone was always me.

I didn't want this, I didn't want him. Chris had reached an all time low and nothing but the bile rising in my throat told me that this was real and not a dream. I heard a groan of satisfaction and felt him pull out of me, then he roughly slammed into me again.

"I don't know about you amour, but I'm having some fun, aren't you?" He grunted.

I just wanted this all to be over, but I didn't dare cry. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

 I couldn't bear to look at Leo to see his expression. I was purely disgusted at the sounds I was hearing and I couldn't deal with this. I just remembered everything blacking out and then a calming sense of numbness washed over me. I was no longer in that kitchen but I was in a field with pretty flowers and a soothing breeze. Leo laid beside me and we were smiling at each other. I loved Leo, I had always loved him. And for so long I was so angry at him that I pushed him away from me when he desperately tried to reconnect with me, get close again and protect me above all costs. He practically put his life on the line, begging Chris to just do bad things to him and leave me alone. It made it hurt all the more knowing that I was hurting yet someone else in my life.

I heard a loud yell and it snapped me back to reality. I felt a hot sensation deep inside of me and concluded that he shot his load into me. I shuttered in disgust as he pulled out of me and the left over cum dripped to the floor.

"That was great sweetheart, real nice."

He smacked my ass again and the sickening sound reverbed off of the kitchens walls. I was angry and I was so pissed off that I didn't care what happened to me. While he wasn't looking, I took Chris' gun away from him and pointed it at him.

"You won't shoot me bitch." He snarled

BAM!

I didn't even think twice about shooting him.

The first bullet ripped through his left shoulder and hit the wall behind him. And before he could react, I shot both of his knees in as well. His cries of agony filled the house and he heavily fell to the floor, his orange jump suit soon quickly filling with blood. I numbly walked over to Leo and untied him from the chair. Once he was free he tried to lunge to where Chris was lying but I held him back.

"Ellie let me go." He said gruffly

I placed both of my hands on his face and made him look at me.

"It'll only make it worse. I already shot him, he's down. Just go call the cops so they can get here." I said, deadly calm

I was scaring myself. I mean, I was surprised I wasn't more hysterical....I was just raped. But weirdly....I was calm.

What was wrong with me?

"I'm not leaving you. God Ellie I am so sorry."

I don't know why I wasn't freaking out more, but I could only come up with the fact that my adrenaline was pumping and that my brain was protecting me from a trauma it knew I couldn't survive. I wasn't hurt or horrified at the moment. All I cared about was Leo being okay.

"Leo, just go get the phone okay?" I said in a level voice

He stood there a few more seconds and then left the room, re-appearing quickly.

"Yes, I would like to report a break in, assault, and rape. The assailant is down by three gunshot wounds."

He paused.

"135 Sycamore Lane. Please hurry, it was committed by an escaped inmate."

"Thank you officer."

He hung up the phone and simply dropped it to the floor, no doubt he himself quite disturbed. We waited silently as siren's filled the nights air a few minutes later. I was still bottomless as I sat down on the living room couch and simply stared at the wall as I barely felt Leo stroking my arm trying to get me to respond and to also comfort me. The Paramedics came in first and carted Chris out with him handcuffed to the gurney. During this Leo somehow got my pants back on and led me outside. It was as if I was watching this out of my body. It was like I was a simple bystander to the horror that was going on, although overall, it still packed a whopping proverbial punch.

Leo and I sat back on the ambulance as we were treated for our wounds and Leo was checked out to see if he had a concussion. The cops came next and questioned us about what had happened. We both were honest and they took down notes, telling us that if they needed anything else that we would be getting a call from them. The house was deemed a crime scene and we both had to leave for a few days. But as far as I was concerned, I was never going back into that house after tonight. It was like I was on autopilot as I packed me some clothes and Leo did as well. We decided that night to stay at a hotel.

Not one word was said between us as we checked in and got to our room. I showered first to get rid of all of the dirt and shame that was caked onto my body. Leo tried coming in there with me, but I simply just wanted to be alone to drown my demons. How would I react to this in the morning? I wasn't sure, but the very thought terrified me. I was barely hanging on as It was and I was so afraid this would just push me over the edge.

Leo decided not to listen to me after all and he joined me in the shower fully clothed, I guess to not provoke me or try to disrespect me in anyway. I barely looked up at him as he sat next to me in the shower wordlessly as the water pelted us from above.

When he wrapped his arms around me and held me close to him, stroked my wet hair and tenderly kissed my forehead is when I finally let myself truly cry. We both did. Clutching each other in an emotionally charged atmosphere as we could no longer keep it in. I buried my head in his neck and took deep breaths and released body racking sobs as he held me so tightly I felt like he'd never let go.

"I'm sorry." He whispered

He seemed to always be apologizing, especially for things that weren't even his fault.

"Not your fault." I managed to say

"I should've taken care of you better, I should've tried harder to get out and fight."

"Don't you do that. This is not your fault." I said sternly

He looked towards me warily and stroked wet hair from my face, hugging me tighter. 

"Let's get out of this shower, you need to sleep."

"I don't want to get up....don't want to sleep." I said numbly

He got up instead and shut the now warm water off and scooped me up out of the shower and I started crying again as he set me on my two feet and wrapped a towel around me.

"It's okay now, you're safe with me." He cooed as he picked me up into his arms and walked me into the bedroom. He gingerly sat me down and turned on the television.

"You hungry?" He asked me softly, rubbing my back

I nodded wordlessly and he got off of the bed. I don't know what came over me but I reached out quickly and grabbed his arm and he looked back at me.

"Please don't leave. I can't be alone."

"I'm not Els, I'm calling for room service. I'd never leave you okay?"

He kissed my forehead and stroked my cheek a little as he reached for the phone and went to go get the menu on the other side of the room.

"Get whatever and how much of what you want." He said, passing me the menu

We was in a very nice hotel with some really expensive room service. The dishes looked fancy, but they did have one side of the menu full of kids items like mac and cheese and pizza, ice cream, chicken wings. So many comfort foods I'd barely had in the last few years since losing weight. But at this moment, I didn't care.

"Kids menu huh? Anything look good?" He asked

"Everything." I admitted

"Then get it love. You want ice cream too? Whatever you want you can have."

I peeked over at him and he seemed sincere.

"What are you going to eat?"

"You mind if we share?"

I shook my head no and he started dialing. After placing the order we were told the food would be there in about an hour.

"I hope I don't get fat again." I said in a dry attempt of a joke.

"You'll still be awesome no matter what you look like."

He smiled a little at me and turned his attention back to the tv. We sat there and watched 2 Broke Girls until the room service came. Leo got the door and then he brought the food into the room. He brought the ice cream to me first since that would be the one to melt first. It was cookie dough ice cream smothered in chocolate sauce and sprinkles.

"Looks good." I said quietly

I was about to take my first bite when my phone rang. Leo picked it up from the night stand and looked at the caller ID.

"It's Brandi. You want me to answer?"

"Yeah." I said quietly

Leo

"Hello?" I asked her

"Leo I just heard what happened are you guys okay!?" She asked frantically

"Yeah. We're shaken up but we're at a hotel out of town, we're fine."

"Can I please talk to Ellie?"

I looked towards her and put my hand on the mouthpiece.

"Brandi wants to talk. If you're not up to it I could tell her to call back later."

"It's okay." She said, reaching out for the phone. She took it and got off of the bed, walking to the picturesque window which showed downtown Shellville, a town an hour away from Collinsville but nearer to the state line of North Carolina. I watched her talk to Brandi and tell her just what had happened to her.... she even included the rape.

"Yeah... I couldn't believe he'd do this to me."

She paused for about two minutes listening to Brandi.

"You crazy? I'm coming tomorrow. You better not cancel anything." She sniffed

"I know, but I'm a maid of honor, I have to be there."

"Brandi I'm coming! I'm fine and I'm so ready to see you get married. Now I'll see you tomorrow, we can talk more then."

She hung up and turned her phone off.

"Ellie, you can't be seriously considering going to the wedding tomorrow. You need to take it easy."

"Leo, it wouldn't be fair to Brandi for me not to come. And it wouldn't be fair to me to let Chris yet again dictate my life. Now I'm going to this wedding, I'm going to have fun and see my best friend be with the one she loves and that's it."

"You're in shock Ellie, you need to take it slow."

"I'm fine. I'm strong, I can get through this. I'm tired of letting everyone in my life down because of my stupid mistakes."

"This is not your fault." I said incredulously

"I should've never entertained the idea of being with Chris, but it's too late to change that now. I can make it through, I just want to be normal and get on with my life. I promise you, I am okay."

I knew as well as anyone that she was not okay. Maybe it would take her awhile to actually have it hit her, and when it did, I was more than ready to be there for her.

"You know you still have me right? You always will." I said to her

"I know. I just need to take it slow for now. I'll visit a therapist so that I can talk about this. But I don't want to be treated like some dainty flower. We're going to go to work as usual and go home as usual. I will not be a victim." She said strongly

She may have spoke strongly but I saw the fear and tears in her eyes, felt the pain she spoke, and saw her body shaking. She could say whatever she thought I wanted to hear, but I knew as well as anyone that this would be a long road ahead for her.

"I believe you love. Come on, let's eat this food before it gets cold." I said quietly

She nodded and walked over towards the bed, but I stood and slowly reached out to her, my arms wide open. She walked into my embrace and hugged her tightly, gripping onto me like I'd disappear.

"He didn't hurt you too bad did he?"

I wouldn't lie, the bastard beat the shit out of me. I was sore and my head throbbed. But my pain couldn't compare to hers.

"I'm fine."

She peeked up at me and then buried her head in my chest again.

"We'll get through this together." I murmured, kissing her on the head.