Gavin Reed x OC | Every Rose Has Its Thorn

Chapter Twelve: Trigger Warning

TW: implications of rape

Tasha had begun spending the night at Jeremiah's more often, but they had only been together a few weeks and he was becoming a completely different person. She knew that she needed to break it off, but the more time she spent with him the more she began to dislike his personality and slightly fear him. He could be very possessive and didn't like that she worked with a man all day.

Tasha called Gavin, hoping he'd be able to pick her shit up so she wasn't late to work.

"Hey!"

"Hey." Gavin said, slightly surprised Tasha had called him. "Is something wrong?"

"No! No, I just need a to ask you for a favour."

"Anything."

"Can you stop by my house and pick me up my purse and a change of clothes?"

"Clothes? Why would you—" The line went silent and Tasha assumed Gavin put two and two together.

"I'll text you the address of where I'm at. You remember where my spare house key is right?"

"Yep." Gavin hung up, disappointment laced in his voice.

When Gavin pulled up, Jeremiah grabbed Tasha's arm harshly before she opened the door. "You're mine. Don't forget that."

"Yeah, I get it!" Tasha snapped back, only for Jeremiah to grab her by the chin harshly.

"You better keep that pretty little mouth shut or you'll regret it."

Tasha nodded, frowning as she felt pain from his tight hold. He let her go, locking the door when she left. Tasha quickly wanted to forget her time spent with him, so she eagerly hopped into Gavin's car. She didn't know how to leave Jer. He was so controlling it honestly terrified her.

"Hey! Thanks for helping me today."

"Anytime." Gavin said as he took a moment to look at her. He felt jealously swell in his chest when he noticed the hickies she was trying to hide on her neck.

"Looks like you had fun."

Tasha flushed, shaking her head. "He's... difficult to deal with. I don't... I don't think I'll be with him much longer."

"Why?"

"He..." Tasha tried to hide the pain when she rubbed her eye. "He's just immature."

When they had finished work that day, Gavin noticed Tasha had been very down the entire time. Chris also noticed this, and they both wanted to make sure she was okay. It was when Gavin saw her trying to hide a bruise on her face that he confronted her.

"Did he hurt you?!"

Tasha jumped slightly, taken aback by his blunt question. "What? No! I just — fell and—"

"You don't get a bruise like that from falling, Tasha!" Gavin tried to look st it but she pulled away.

"Why do you care?! Just leave me the fuck alone!" Tasha cried as she left as fast as she could. She wanted to be alone.

She needed to be alone.

Tasha sent a long winded text to Jeremiah, ending their relationship officially. When she got home, she couldn't relax so she leaned against her kitchen counter, hoping somehow she'd feel relief but none came.

Tasha jumped when the door slammed open. In seconds she was pushed against the wall, her neck being choked. "What the hell do you mean you break up with me?! Me?!"

"Get— off—" Tasha gasped for air until he shoved her into the ground. Pulling his pants off and pining her body down so she couldn't move.

"Stop!" Tasha screamed. "Get off!"

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