Shattered (Koa #5)

14. Lila

Chapter 14

Lila

I think I feel the pain before I’m fully awake.

And before I fully wake, I decide I don’t hate it.

Sunlight is pouring in from the window, creating an orange glow on my bedspread. I sit up slowly, feeling the pain beneath me. When I slip my hand between my legs, I find my pajama shorts are gone, and I feel some cum dribble out of me.

How is this happening?

I head to the bathroom like a zombie, finding a mess inside. It looks like he used my fucking shower and left his sopping wet towel on the floor. After kicking the towel to the side, something catches my eye. Or rather, doesn’t .

My toothbrush, which usually sits in a cup on the counter, is gone.

“Why?” I growl to myself. “Just… why?”

Before I can shower, I head for the toilet and fall straight in, submerging my ass in cold water.

“That MOTHERFUCKER!”

After the longest shower of my life, I charge next door, clenching my teeth. Asher and Bane are sitting at the table in their kitchen.

“How fucking juvenile can you be? My toothbrush !?” I snap, rushing to the table and slamming to a stop beside Asher.

They both chuckle, and Bane gawks at me. “That's what you're gonna be mad at him for?”

“I didn’t steal it,” Asher says. “Besides, you seemed to enjoy yourself based on how wet you were getting.”

My jaw falls open, and Asher only gives me that cocky smirk that makes me see red. That’s when he makes a motion to Bane, who gets up. Before I realize what’s happening, Bane loops behind me and locks my arms behind my back. I let out a piercing scream as he immobilizes me and shoves me towards Asher, still sitting at the table.

“I promised Bane a piece of you; I didn’t think you’d mind,” Asher says coldly.

I thrash, but it’s no use. With my arms locked behind my back, I have zero control or leverage, and the men are so easily able to overpower me. Asher turns his chair sideways, and suddenly, I’m spun around to face Bane, and Asher’s arm replaces his, immobilizing my arms. He perches me on his good knee, keeping his bad one off to the side. When I try to smash my head back against his, he dodges it and grabs my hair with his free hand, immobilizing my head against his chest as he breathes hot air into my ear.

“Nice try, Sunshine.”

“Let me the fuck GO!” I snap, trying to wiggle out of his grip, but it’s impossible, and with the way I’m perched with his knee between my legs, it only stimulates my clit and makes me let out a shaky breath.

“If you wanna hump my leg, go right ahead, Sunshine.”

He twists my hair harder until my back is arched, and the top of my head is pressed against his chest as my entire world goes quiet.

“Fuck you!” I snap.

“Thanks for the offer, Sunshine. You’re gonna let Bane play with you now. Unless you want to admit you’re a dirty little slut, and I’ll let you go.”

I fight harder. “Like fuck I am!”

When I don’t cave, Asher hums with approval. “You can touch her, Bane, it’s okay.”

Suddenly my shorts and thong are ripped out from beneath my ass. When Bane grabs my legs and forces them open, I let out a squeal that makes Asher let go of my hair and slap his palm over my mouth, holding my head tight against his chest.

“Shh, don’t scream. Just take it, little cunt,” Asher says.

If Asher was ever gentle with me, Bane is not. He aggressively slams all his fingers inside me at once, stretching my opening easily due to how wet I am, and I fucking hate it.

I think .

I won’t stop screaming, but Asher’s hand keeps me muffled as Bane continues to force me open, his knuckles slamming against me with bruising force. Despite the pain, I can feel my orgasm approaching, and my screams turn into frantic wails.

“The slut’s gonna come,” Bane says.

And I do.

The sound of my squirting fills the room with the collision of Bane’s fist with my cunt, and my screams blur into high-pitched moans.

“You act like you hate this, but you can’t hate it too much, cunt,” Asher says.

When Bane releases his hand from me with a rush of fluid, I take the opportunity to throw myself forward, knocking Asher off balance. He steadies himself before hoisting me to my feet.

And that’s when we fall.

Asher lets out a wail above me as we fall forward. I’m slammed from behind as I hit the ground hard, with Asher on top of my back, crushing me. I shriek, letting out the last bit of air from my lungs and having no room for my chest to inflate.

The men yell above me as Asher’s weight leaves me all at once. Bane pulled him off. I scramble to my knees, catching my breath as Asher wails in pain.

“Out, get the fuck out!” Asher screams. Like a wounded animal, he’s curled into a ball against the wall while Bane stands near, ready to help him to his feet.

“You stubborn moth-”

“OUT!” he roars .

And just like that, Bane throws up his hands and backs up. He looks down at me on the ground, his expression filled with rage.

“If you know what’s good for you, leave him alone,” he says to me before grabbing his shoes and heading out the back door, slamming the door behind him.

Asher breathes heavily, grabbing at his thigh. Bane’s right, I should run. Asher’s not going to let anyone help him, ever. He’s too stubborn, and that stubbornness will be precisely what kills him.

“Just let me help you up,” I ask.

"Fuck off."

“What’re you trying to prove!?” I snap. The glare he shoots me with might as well have been from a gun. “You have a bad leg, you asshole, and you’re gonna make it worse if you wanna flex those man muscles and try to hide it!”

Asher freezes, his gaze pinned on mine. “My leg is none of your concern, little bitch. If you recall, it didn’t stop me from fucking you last night. You watch your fucking tongue. Don’t forget I still have your sex tape.”

When my eyes sink into his, I see anger but something else. It’s a small crack, but it’s there, and I can’t describe it.

“You seem very insecure about your leg. Do you wanna talk?” It’s not a genuine offer; I’m mocking him if only to get a rise out of him, and there’s no mistaking it.

He only shakes his head, dropping his voice to a vicious snarl. “Leave me alone, you stupid bitch.”

“No.” I know he’s lashing out, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less.

“ASHER!”

Bane’s thunderous voice from outside has both our eyes popping out of our skulls. In a panic, I rush to help Asher. When I offer him a hand, he shoves it away and throws himself to his feet. He glances out the kitchen window into the driveway, and whatever he sees makes all the blood drain from his face.

When I try to stand up beside him, he shoves me back to the ground by my face. While I’m disorientated, he opens a drawer and pulls out an enormous knife, and when I open my mouth to scream, he slaps his free palm over it to shut me up as he crouches over me.

“Shut your fucking mouth!” he hisses, his mouth only inches from mine. His eyes pierce mine, holding me prisoner as my heart beats a thousand miles a minute. He hands me the knife, which I take with question.

“Stay away from the windows and hide in the upstairs bathroom. If you hear someone break in, call the police. This isn’t a game, I’m not fucking around, you will listen.”

His panic makes mine burn hotter. “Y-yes.”

When Asher rushes for the back door in a stride that should definitely hurt his leg, I snatch my shorts and thong off the floor, gripping the handle of the knife tightly in my hand, and practically fly up the stairs, tripping over my own feet. I launch myself into the bathroom, slamming the door shut, and punch in the click lock before putting my clothes back on.

There’s a small window that’s cracked open, and I open it more, realizing I can see right into the driveway, but they aren’t paying attention to me.

Asher joins Bane in the driveway, and the frightened expressions on their faces steal my breath as I see their source of fear. Two more men are in the driveway, sitting on motorcycles, their helmets in their laps. One is shorter, with neat hair and a cocky smirk that makes my skin crawl. The other is larger, with a full face of hair and piercings and long dark hair in a low ponytail. Even from up here, their eyes feel cold and dark. The casual way they linger there makes me nervous, as I notice that Asher and Bane are tense, waiting for them to make a move.

“What are you doing here?” Asher asks, his voice tight.

“We just thought we’d swing by and check out your new place. Interesting design choice.”

“We checked out your shop, too,” the other says. “How’s that leg doing, Asher? Still seems to be giving you some trouble.”

Asher’s face blanches, and something in his fearful, angry expression breaks me.

Bane squeezes Asher’s arm before he takes a hesitant step forward, putting himself between them and him. “Well, thanks for stopping by.”

To my great relief, they begin to leave, but that relief is short-lived when one speaks again.

“That’s a cute girl you guys got there. Nice set of pipes on her, too.”

My heart practically drops, and Asher’s face turns bright red as he springs forward to go after them, but Bane stops him, holding him back with every bit of muscle he has. Once the motorcycles are long gone, Bane slaps Asher in the chest.

“Are you fucking stupid!?” he snaps.

“They know about Lila,” Asher says, his voice strained .

That might be the first time I’ve heard Asher use my real name since that first night, and I wouldn’t say I like it. When I’m Sunshine, it’s all good fun. Being Lila to Asher is something else entirely.

“They were probably watching us through the windows. Lord knows she’s loud. Maybe they didn’t get a good look at her.”

“How do they know where we live, Bane? It’s not like we posted it on the internet! They must be watching us…”

Asher turns his head slightly before looking up at me, and I duck.

I wait in the bathroom for a few minutes, unsure what to do or think. Finally, footsteps climb the stairs, and a hard knock on the bathroom door makes me jump.

“Come on out.”

I open the door, and Bane holds out a hand, so I pass him the knife.

“Asher’s going to walk you home. Go.”

I nod, still flustered. When I try to slip past him, he grabs my arm in a bruising hold, making me stop. He turns his head, and I can’t help but feel like a mouse, shrinking beneath his harsh eyes.

“You okay?” he asks, a little gentler.

I have no clue what he’s asking, but I still nod.

Asher’s waiting downstairs by the back door, a grim expression on his ordinarily smug face.

“What happened?” I ask.

He nudges my shoes toward me with his feet as I approach.

“You should know since you watched.” He lifts a hand to stop me when I stumble over my words. “Just put your shoes on.”

I do as he says, allowing him to walk me to my house. I keep my pace slow so I’m not rushing him, and I don’t miss how he watches the road as we cross over the driveway. Once we get to the door, he pulls out his keys before I can grab my own and lets us into my house. I want to make a snarky comment about it, but I don’t.

Once shut inside, he locks the door before turning to me. “Lock every door and window in this place, now.”

I don’t hesitate, following his instructions while he rummages in my kitchen like he owns the place. Once I’m finished with the upper level, I rush downstairs. He’s pulled my two largest knives and set them on the counter. He grabs the largest one and hands it to me, holding the blade while offering the handle. I take it gently, careful not to cut him, and his hand falls away.

“Put that by your bed,” he says.

He heads for the den with the other knife while I run upstairs. When I return, he’s placing the other knife on the coffee table beside my sofa. He moves to the other side before sitting down. He can’t hide his limp, likely from the fall, and I notice how he won’t look me in the eye while I approach. I slowly sit down and turn to face him, folding my legs and placing my hands in my lap.

“Are you okay?” I ask, my voice shaky.

He nods quickly, easing my worry, but only stares into space.

“Who were those guys?”

Once the words are out of my mouth, I feel stupid. Why does it matter if he’s okay or who those men were? Asher has been nothing but evil towards me. I fully expect a backhanded response. What I don’t expect is the deep breath he takes before he gives me their names.

“Rocco and Rooney… ”

I want to ask him why he was so scared of them, but I know that’s not a good idea. Instead, I go around him. “Why was Bane so afraid of them?”

He pauses, considering whether or not to share with me. Eventually, he begins to unfold.

“They’re the ones who fucked up my leg.”

I never put much thought into Asher’s leg and how it happened. But to be attacked? That thought didn’t occur to me until Rocco and Rooney mentioned it so cryptically outside.

“Tell me what happened.”

And just like that, the moment’s gone. His brows pinch together, and his attitude is back. “None of your business.”

“Jesus christ, Asher, just fucking tell me. After what you did last night, you owe me.”

He considers it, and somehow, my line works.

“Bane and I used to work at their tattoo shop; until I fucked Rocco’s wife. They found us together and took a baseball bat to my leg. My femur was completely shattered.”

The word makes my chest seize up. Shattered . The amount of force and brutality it would take to completely shatter a femur is nothing short of horrifying.

“They did this to you?”

He nods, still avoiding my gaze. His eyes clearly show he’s trying not to break in front of me. “I fucked Rocco’s wife. Kind of asked for it.”

“You slept with his wife; you didn’t permanently injure him!” I blurt, immediately realizing the error of my words when he looks at me with black eyes .

“It’s not permanent,” he says, biting back an eruption.

“I know, I’m sorry.” It’s a lie, but fighting him on it is clearly not the answer. “Why did you sleep with her?”

“I was in a bad place. My knee was messed up from a motorcycle accident, and I was dealing with a limp - probably a temporary one, ironically. I was angry and probably a little self-destructive. Raven was there and into me, and I just said fuck it.”

My chest tightens as he mentions the girl’s name. Raven. Suddenly, I’m a bundle of anxiety. Why? I don’t get it. I don’t give a fuck about Asher. “What happened to Raven?”

He shrugs. “No idea. I imagine Rocco probably slapped her around, and he’s probably got her on a short leash.”

“You haven’t spoken to her?”

“Not once, not since. She’s a bitch, she was only good for one thing.”

I hate that that makes me feel better.

“If you ever see those guys, do not fuck around. Run.”

I nod nervously. “Do you think they’ll come back?”

“I really don’t know, but I fucking hope not. Keep this place locked down. No more leaving doors unlocked. These are guys you should be afraid of.”

“Guys like you?” I challenge.

He pauses. “There are worse things than me, and you’re handling me just fine, no matter how much it’s pissing me off.”

Finally, I crack a smile. “I can handle a lot more than you.”

He nods, ending the conversation. “I should go.”

Part of me wants to tell him to stay. I know his leg is sore after his fall, whether he’ll admit it or not, and he should rest for a bit .

“Did you hurt yourself when you fell?” His eyes turn on me again, and I roll mine. “Never mind. I know you did.”

“Just a little stiff.”

“Bullshit. Just tell me, what’s going to happen when you tell me your leg bothers you? Is the world gonna explode? Are you going to die? No. Stop being so fucking stubborn. Your femur was shattered with a baseball bat; of course it fucking hurts.”

“Little bitch… I’m not in the mood,” he says, pinching the bridge of his nose.

He’s sore. If I cared about him, I’d offer for him to stay. I know next door isn’t far, but he’s hurt. I have no idea why he doesn’t have something to help him, like a walker or a cane. It’d be so much safer for him. But I don’t know if my vagina can handle bringing that forward.

So, instead, I’ll try some good old reverse psychology.

“Well, get the fuck out of my house,” I say, my tone light and playful. I’m too tired to commit.

Asher takes the bait and leans back against my couch.

“This couch is pretty comfy. I think I’ll hang here for a while. Besides, I don’t want to leave you alone while they sniff around.”

I make a show out of rolling my eyes, but I think we both know I played him.

“You’re ridiculous,” I state.

“I’ll take some breakfast, too, since you rudely interrupted mine.”

I head into the kitchen, rip a banana off the bundle, and toss one at him. It lands in front of him with a thump.

“I’m tired. I need to lie down for a while. Do not try anything today, okay? I’m too on edge. ”

I realize what I’ve said the moment it’s out of my mouth, and he sees it, too. The today means far more than just one word.

“I promise,” he says.

For some reason that has nothing to do with his leg, I believe him.