the society. I didn’t have a choice, because you don’t have a choice, and there’s not a way out so I can’t do anything about it. The society is so large . . . there’s at least one person everywhere in it. They’re all about power and corruption and turning the world into what they want it to be. I think they do want to turn it into a better place, by slowly dominating anything they can . . . and I don’t have a problem being part of it, but I don’t want to lie to you and make you think I’m here for no reason. I mean, I’m supposed to be here in Montana, it’s what they want me to do when I graduate, to run an online business from here which I will totally do as an influencer . . . but I just, there’s something I haven’t said and—”
“Where the fuck did those marks come from, Ruby? Who did this to you?!” I raise my voice even though it’s not my intention.
Her lip starts to tremble, “I was walking back to my dorm after the Halloween party. I went through the park in the middle of the campus grounds. It all happened so quickly. I was taken to the ground and someone wrapped their hand around my mouth so my screams couldn’t be heard. I . . . I was beaten and other things happened. I . . . I don’t wanna go into that.”
“What the fuck?! You . . .” I stand up, running my hand over my head. “Didn’t you just fuck Zorro? Now you’re telling me you were attacked on campus a week ago? What the fuck is this, some sort of joke?”
“Why would I joke about something like this?! Do you think I want to say this to you? Do you think I want to tell you about this experience and have you look at me like I’m some sort of helpless woman who can’t do anything right unless her big, tough brothers are around!?” Ruby screams, standing up as well. “For the record, I didn’t just meet Zorro you idiot. If you had kept your eyes open last Christmas you would’ve seen I was spending a lot of time with him.”
“No, you weren’t,” I shake my head at the thought of it. She came here last year on winter break, but if she was around Zorro that much I would’ve noticed.
“I slept in his bed every fucking night, Grim! How could you be so blind?! Oh wait, I forgot. I’m talking to the man who couldn’t even realize his bestie, Rosa, wanted to be his girlfriend. Seeing things that’re right in front of your face isn’t exactly your strong suit.”
“Little girl, it’s best you drop it down a few levels.”
“Little girl. Little girl!?” She repeats.
“Ruby,” I say her name as a warning.
“You’re not dad! Stop acting like you’re my father, like you’re my fill in. You aren’t. Unless you’ve forgotten you’re my brother. Is that what’s going on?” She snarls, heading toward the door.
“I don’t understand any of this. You’re telling me you were attacked and that’s why you left school early . . . but Zorro told me he took your cherry which is something I didn’t want to even fuckin’ know in the first place. It doesn’t make sense.”
Ruby is shaking her head from side to side, throws her hands up in the air again. “Of course, it doesn’t make sense to you. You aren’t a woman who’s been attacked. You aren’t ever going to understand what it feels like to have a foot on your neck, squeezing against your throat while someone else has a hand wrapped around your mouth, while another one of their buddies is raping your ass. You won’t ever understand, Grim, and I don’t expect you too. So, yeah, I flew out here the moment Axel called me because I was terrified, not only for you, but for me too. I needed to know you were okay, and I needed to see Zorro. I won’t make apologies for it, but I wanted that first time to mean something to me. The only thing I can be thankful for is that they didn’t take my virginity, and this might sound crazy, but I’m glad they didn’t. I’d been saving that for my husband, whoever the hell he is, but now it doesn’t matter. After going through what I did, I wanted to make sure when