Masked//Roman Reigns Love Story

18. Someone in the Shadows

Tuesday, November 5, 2013
1:10a.m.

"Did he rape you?"

The truth and nothing but the truth, right?

"Yes. Damian raped me," I answered breathlessly. It'd been over five years since I said that out loud.

I never said it because I felt that if I said it, then it would be the truth. It became real once I put it into the universe. The fact that something so special was taken from me hurt me almost more than anything else in the world. What God had made a choice for someone to make was taken advantage of and stolen. No one could truly understand that pain unless they went through it themselves.

"I have the scar on my wrist to prove it... It came from the handcuffs he used to... tie me to his—"

"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Joe cut in, his voice almost trembling.

"He threatened to hurt my family, and I knew better not to call his bluff. I watched him kill somebody, Joe. I would've been damned if I sat back and let him take away somebody I loved. There was no other way—"

"You could've called the fucking police!" he shouted, turning around to block his solemn face.

I knew he'd be hurt once I told him the terrible truth, but what I didn't want him to feel was that he could've done something to stop it. In reality, I'm sure there was a way that what happened to me could've never happened. Yet, that wasn't his job to figure out. And besides, it was eight years ago, it was long done and over with.

"Getting the cops involved isn't how we handle stuff in Philly. You know that. And so what if I did? They take me to the hospital, test me out? Even if the test comes back showing that there were signs of struggle, there are ways Damian could spin it to make me out to be at fault. It's not a simple case at all because all there is is my word against his. And this damn scar isn't proof enough," I shouted, more tears bursting out of my eyes.

I'd be lying if I said I hadn't attempted to tell someone, even against Damian's threats. I still remember that night so clearly, how I'd spent all day figuring out how I was going to break the news to my dad. I made myself so sick the previous night that I couldn't get to school the next day. I still remember the conversation that I had with Danielle too, how she helped me piece together which parts I'd admit to him and which parts were better off him not knowing.

"Where is he?" Joe whispered in a dangerously low tone.

"I don't know."

"Do not fucking lie to me, Maria. Where the fuck is he at so I can get on the earliest flight and end all of this. You won't have to worry about him ever again when I get done with him," he said under his breath, all while pacing around the room. The last bit of his common sense being the only thing keeping him from tearing Nick's guest bedroom apart.

Attempting to calm him down, I quickly found myself standing behind him. When I turned him around to look me in the eyes, I thought maybe that'd calm him down. But seeing the hurt all over his face broke my heart. Him seeing how incredibly worked up I was getting only drove his rage further.

"First off, I am not lying to you. I literally have no clue where he's at, he could be off hiding from the cops in Mexico. And even if I did know, I wouldn't be telling you shit! The last thing I'm going to stand here and let you do is get anywhere near that son of a bitch. He's dangerous, Joe, and you've got too much to live for. You go near him and I have no doubt in my mind that he'll kill you. Then what am I supposed to do? What's your mom, your dad, your sisters supposed to do? We need you here with us, so please just drop it and move on," I pleaded with more tears blurring my vision.