Sleep came surprisingly easy to me that night, although I can hardly say anything of that sort for my dreams. The horrors that occurred in Taco's lair will haunt me forever. Between R.J., the mourning women, and Taco's demeanor itself, I was in utter terror in my dreams.

I was trapped again, not only by R.J. and Taco this time, but by Luther, and Gomez as well. The smell of marijuana choked me as they began injecting me with long needles filled with heroine. Over and over. Each one of them, until my skin turned to blue.

Screaming in horror and choking up blood, they laid me down on a cold metal table as they stripped me of my clothes. I was chained to it, escape was nonexistent. Luther, wearing a pair of black, latex gloves, walked up to me and grinned manically. He pulled up a small, yet sharp, medical tool. My heart beat faster as he ticklishly brushed his fingers along my bare, quivering stomach. Releasing a small chuckle, he put a hand on my stomach and brought the tool beneath his hand. Just as I felt the cold, sharp tool break my thin skin, I shot up, screaming.

I brought my hands to my face and clenched my hair on the sides of my head. I looked around me. Nothing was different. I was in the room of Gomez's sister. No one else was in there.

Someone suddenly burst into the room, causing me to let out a high-pitched gasp.

"Are you alright?" I heard his creaking, deep voice asked me softly.

I nodded quickly. "I was just...having a nightmare is all..."

Luther walked slowly over to my bed and sat down near me. I looked away from him. Even the thought of him after my dream made me want to hide from him.

"About what?" he pressed.

I shook my head. "It was nothing. Just Taco and R.J."

He furrowed his brows. "Who exactly is R.J.?"

I let out a sigh. They were never properly introduced. I guess that here in the hood, you need to be known simply by reputation. "He was the boy you stabbed. The brunette one, remember?"

He lifted his chin. "Ah, yes," he remarked wickedly, causing me to shudder. "Yes...I remember." He turned his head back towards me. "Well, what did they do?"

"They overdosed me with heroine...and started to cut me open."

His face suddenly twitched. "Cut you...open?" I could've sworn that I saw a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Getting more uncomfortable by the second, I slowly scooted away from him.

"Yes...?" I replied. "But I woke up before anything else happened."

"Well," he began as he got off of my bed. I let out a silent sigh of relief that he was leaving. "I'm going to personally make sure that no one else will ever hurt you like that. Or, in anyway, for that matter."

I gulped and nodded. He left the room and quietly shut the door behind him, his tall, looming silhouette disappearing behind it. I sat back in bed and let out a heavy breath. I hadn't...triggered him, had I? I shuddered. Before this little trip, who knew how many awful things that Luther had in store for me? That night at his house and the incident in the bathroom was only a small taste of what he was capable of.

I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes. I was afraid to fall back asleep again because of the nightmare, but I was afraid to stay awake as well, for in this town, you could never tell what reality had in store for you.

A boy's face drifted into my mind. His skin was flawless, his eyes were brown and his hair was golden. Nate. I only met the boy a couple of days ago, and yet, I felt so connected with him. He was sweet, and understood my situation. But, was Luther going to scare him away?

I hoped not. I liked Nate a lot. My uncle seemed to like him as well. That was always a plus. Maybe he, Nate, could be my outlet. My way out. I trusted him fully, and he had standards. The only people I had to worry about getting into the mix were Luther and that crazy ex-girlfriend of his.

I feared for what was going to happen when the three of us returned. No doubt Gomez feared too. What if Luther went haywire and reeked all sorts of havoc? If I somehow triggered him again, or if he felt that he would loose his mind unless I was in his grasp? If he decides that life was getting in the way of his love and kills off all of my friends and family, kidnaps me no one ever finds me again? No doubt he was capable of such things.

In the distance, I heard the screaming of sirens. I sat up in bed. They were getting closer and closer. I got out of bed and sprinted to Gomez's room.

"Gomez!" I shouted as I shook him awake.

His green eyes snapped open. "What is it, Chica?" he asked, concerned.

"I think that the police are coming!"

"Aye..." he whispered, jumping out of bed. He ran out of the room with me close on his heels. We ran to the living room. Luther was sitting on the couch, still wide awake.

"What is it?" he asked, the sirens getting louder. I could see the police lights through the blinds coming down the street. Gomez lifted Luther by the elbow and led him out the back. The two of them started running, Luther looking completely dumbfounded.

"I parked a few blocks away, they'll never suspect we were here," he informed. He turned back to me and pointed a finger at me. I flinched. "Remember what we talked about tonight. You are not to mention anything about Luther or me. Got it?" I nodded. He turned and started off. He and Luther jumped the fence that led out to another backyard and kept on running. I went back into the house and waited by the door.

The police cars stopped in front of the house. Several of them got out and ran up to the house. A loud knocked sounded through the house. I walked up to the door and cautiously opened it. I stuck my head out the crack.

"Yes?" I asked softly.

"Are you Ava Lane?" the officer standing before me asked.

I nodded and swallowed. "Yeah, I am."

"Are you here by yourself?"

I nodded again. "Yes."

"Would you mind coming with us, please?"

I stepped out of the house and walked down the porch steps with them. I got put into the back of one of the police cars. They started off. Several of them stayed behind to investigate the house. I looked in the rearview mirror and saw Gomez's car speed off into the opposite direction from where we were heading. I wandered where he was going. What he was going to do. What I was going to do.

Better start coming up with excuses, and quick, because now there is no room for error.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I find it hilarious how at the end of the chapters people comment "PLEASE UPDATE!!!" And I'm like, do you think that I'm not going to update? That I'm just gonna be like "F*CK THIS BOOK IM NEVER UPDATING AGAIN!" Like, really?