Lunar's POV

Something told me Castian didn't stay home, that he'd followed us home because I barely had to dial his number before I got a text from him and then a knock at the window. I wasn't going to ask any questions... I was just glad to have a support system.

He was grumbling and muttering things under his breath, helping with packed boxes and possibly using it as a distraction not to lose his temper. His eyes glancing towards Matty and her mother, swears slipping from his throat as daggers were at the visible bruises.

I was still annoyed with Mr. Lincoln, growing irritated at Mr. Hayes. Both were still acting funny, but I refused to let my mind become clouded with such questions. With a huff, I kept avoiding Mr. Lincoln... Mostly just because I knew Mr. Hayes would push me away from him. Cast handed Matty's mother his car keys, "Don't scratch it."

They both opened their mouths to argue, Castian's pupils dilating with a cock of his head. The motion of a gentle challenge to say, "I'm not going to hurt you, but I dare you to argue."

Matt was quick to snatch the keys, tugging her mother along and obeying the order. We watched as they followed the Cadillac, my hands fumbling with packing more boxes. The hostility grew the moment they were out of view, my voice a murmur when I felt he was going to speak his angered mind, "Please, just help me pack stuff up and behave."

I saw his jaw wiggle from the corner of my eye, a low snarl slicing the silence as he gradually backed off and helped with everything. The lack of sound seemed to bug him more, his voice waltzing out, "At least tell me about this prick."

"Well, Praying Mantis' father is a drinker," I sighed with a lazy shrug, Not too keen on the subject but knowing it was needed, "He seduced Matty's mother, made her think he was Prince Charming and the best man on the planet. Then when they married, he showed his true colors and abused her heavily. Matt says her mother told her they moved here because her father wanted to. We're guessing he did so to isolate her from the rest of the family. Mrs. Le'velle says things weren't so bad it was just an occasional name call. However, when they had Anthien, things got worse. Anthien got verbally, mentally, emotionally, and physically abused. She says he never had a single hour without some form of abuse happening."

Just hearing myself say those words had me feeling remorse and empathy for Anthien, but it turned vile shortly after. He's not an abuse victim anymore. He's an adult, and he hurts people willingly. You can be abused and learn to not abuse.

As quick as the stress of it rose, it was gone. He's learning from his mistakes and getting better. That's what matters. I wish it were easy to forget the trauma, but it's not. I need to remind myself again and again; that he's learning. He's getting better. He's not an asshole anymore.

"He doesn't usually get physical with women, b-but he's gotten worse with drinking and anger issues. A couple of months ago, he and I got into a fight, and he tried to choke me out. I didn't even really do anything, I just asked him if he could stop drinking for the night, and he threw his bottle at my face and got physical. Mathis risked her ass to save me," My hand involuntarily rubbed my throat, flashbacks dancing through my mind before I finished packing a box. Castian had me pause so he could take a box outside, having me continue as he returned, "He gets worse when his buddies are around and doesn't care who hurts or who he pisses off. I've seen him bring hookers home around his wife as she's cleaning or cooking him food. It breaks her heart and makes her cry on the porch all the time, but he doesn't give two shits about it. A few times he's abused her around them and threatens to do the same if they don't do as they're told."

You could see the fire of anger in Cast's irises, almost literally. It seemed like the red was moving, but when I tried to pay more attention to it he drew his eyes elsewhere. My brows furrowed, and my head shook as he took boxes outside and climbed back through the window.

"Mathis doesn't like talking about what happens, but she tells me what she's willing to. She can hardly get dressed up or get ready to have fun. He always calls her a whore and says if she keeps trying, he'll treat her like one. A few times his friends have slapped her ass just for her wearing skinny jeans, and he did nothing but encourage them and belittle her," My jaw tightened as I shoved things into a box, my anger was starting to spike, and my hands shook, "Last night was the first time he's actually gotten physical and let them hurt her. They fucking attacked her right as she got out of the shower. She didn't have a chance to get away or suspect anything 'cause she had just gotten off work and was fucking tired. She said they didn't even use a condom and shoved pills down her throat to keep her from getting pregnant."

My knuckles made contact with the desk as my breath trembled, my eyes shutting tight. The world was spinning as I rubbed the stinging from my hand, blurry vision peering down and admiring the redness on my flesh. Castian took my hand carefully without saying a word as he brought me into the bathroom, finding the first-aid kit and wrapping my knuckles as I whimpered, "I-I should have come back here...I-I could have protected her. I-I could have done something. I-I could and would have happily taken her place so she'd be free from such an experience."

"There's nothing you could have done, Kid," He murmured, tying the gauze as he glanced at me. The look he had spilled more information about him than words could describe. I don't think he realized it, though, "Abusers don't have a child just for the sake of reproducing. Abusers have children because --- to them --- it's another playtoy. They can and will do whatever they please to their targets. They don't give a fuck if it hurts more than one person because it's all a game. Mathis could have called you. She didn't because if you'd come home, you would have been a playtoy with her. She waited because she wanted to protect you just as much as you want to protect her."

***

Mathis' POV

Resting my chin on my hands, I let out a shaky breath as I rested on one of the mansion's balconies. My eyes shut tight as I clenched my bottle of Mountain Dew, breathing hard on my vape and holding it for a moment. I admired the smoke that blew out, letting it soothe my nerves, and the tears threatened to escape.

My entire body ached. It still felt disgusting. My skin felt like billions of ants gnawing at it, especially in certain regions. I could still feel hands touching and groping, feel parts violating mine. My ears were ringing with the psychopathic laughter echoing, feel the pill and alcohol burning down my throat.

"Ya know that'll kill you, right?" Tyler spoke from the doorway, pulling me from my thoughts as I looked at him with a jerk of my body, "Vaping and cigarettes are awful for your lungs. Whether or not one is better than the other is meaningless, they'll kill you faster than not smoking."

"I'd prefer that currently...I-If I'm being honest," I dry laughed with a wipe of my cheeks, drying my tears, "Sounds amazing."

He took a seat with me, rolling his sleeves with a sly chuckle and a shake of his head, "Trust me, you prefer living."

I took another hit of my vape, puffing out smoke as I rested my forehead on my arms, paying attention to the hidden tone in his voice, "Y-You sound like you've got a story behind your words."

"Oh, I do?" Entertainment parted his lips, a tsk behind them as if I was playing a losing card, "I'm unsure of what you're meaning."

"Nobody says such a line without having a reason," I rolled my eyes at him, "I wasn't born yesterday, spill it."

He grinned at my persistence, leaning against the gold bars of the balcony as he faced me, raising an eyebrow, "There's nothing to tell, Ms. Mathis."

"Bullshit, Tye. Everyone has stories," I pushed at him, setting my Mountain Dew down as I leaned opposite from him with a glare, "You keep acting like a ghost or some bullshit like that, but don't think you've had me fooled this whole time. I've heard your riddles and trickery to get around things. You don't have me played like the rest, and I don't care if I piss you off by saying it, but you make yourself look pretty fucking pathetic."

Amusement flashed through his irises as he looked at me, a sparkle flashing through them, "You are quite amusing, especially for a human."

"Whatever. Tell me or don't tell me I'm not going to act interested or beg for a story like everyone else," I rolled my eyes, getting up and heading inside with my drink. I meant my words as I set my bottle on the nightstand of the guest room I was staying. Placing my vape next to it, I tied my hair back with my hair tie and looked at my reflection. The bruises around my throat made me pull my hair back down, tucking them away with it as I brushed my hair.

Mr. Hayes leaned against the wall mirror, reaching over and moving my hair away from the bruises, his pupils looking them over, "Who's being pathetic now, hm? Covering up the past will only make it grow."

"Says the one who won't share his own," I shot back, brushing the strands back into place. I can play this game just as well as he can.

A chuckle escaped his throat as he stepped around me, leaning and whispering in my ear with a teasing tone, "So persistent. I can see why Lunar is fond of your friendship."

I pulled myself onto the desk and sat on it, crossing my legs with a wiggle of my jaw, "Again with the evading the opening up. Your act is boring and dry."

"Bold of you to assume I'm acting," He leaned against the nightstand with his hands, smiling at me, "How do you know I'm evading? Did it ever occur that there is no past, hm?"

"Again, I'm not an idiot," I shook my head, a yawn threatening to spill, "I've seen your scars and tattoos. You're packed with 'em. You have scars covering stab wounds and gunshot markings. Some of the tattoos are Greek. Like the one on your spine. It's Hades and Persephone dancing. That means you respect their story and know Hades isn't an asshole. But that doesn't mean I didn't see the gash along your spine. It's almost invisible, and you have to take a long look to notice it."

More amusement seemed to cross his face as he held back a smirk, his body standing back up before he slipped off his shirt and stepped forward, "Alright, and what about the rest of my tattoos, hm? If you feel you know so much, what do they tell you about me?"

"Your chest is littered with dots, they appear to be random, but it is a tattoo version of Braille," I pointed at the dots on his chest, trailing my fingernails across his skin before pointing to more tattoos that led down his torso, "It's a bible verse. This one is an ink splot. Most would think it was an error or a covered tattoo, but I'm betting it's supposed to symbolize your interest in writing. You like to write with old-fashioned feathers, not the modern technology of pens, pencils, or computers. This one is a house burning. Lunar told me what happened with Ryker, so that's not difficult to guess. More Braille, It's the Seven Deadly Sins. You have it matching your other side, but the opposite side says the rest of it," My nails led to another tattoo, glancing up at him as I flicked the spot. Next, I pointed to the cobra and viper that snaked down his right and left arms, "The two pairs of snake bites mean you've been bitten, so you placed the snake tattoos to show the bites off. I'm guessing it was because you enjoyed showing off to gawking souls back then..."

I noted his pupils following along with my touch, watching them wander with my contact. His body didn't react, but his irises spoke for it. I turned him around, pointing to the tribal tattoos that danced around Hades and Persephone, "These are folk songs. They're the symbol of love, and you have them around Hades and Persephone to make it appear like they're in an eternal dance of bliss and happiness."

He chuckled as he faced me, a cock of his eyebrow and a smirk tugging at his lips, "You're missing one, Little Lad---"

"You have a hollow heart on the part where your v-line makes contact, just above your penis," I rolled my eyes as I looked at him, interrupting him with an attitude that could make a man either weak in the knees or lose his temper, "Lunar told me. That was put there to soothe whoever is 'forced' to see it and give them a focal point, so they don't choke."