Chapter Five

Athena

My parents and brothers ran towards me, and I stood up instantly, as they got close. Hugging my Mum tightly, I inhaled her sweet lavender scent that never failed to comfort me.

"My poor baby girl, what happened to you?" my Mum asked, holding me as tight as I did her.

"Tell me, who hurt you princess and I will make him pay, " Dad said angrily, touching the bruise on my face. I was so tired, and just wanted to go home, cry myself to sleep then probably wake up feeling better. I looked at Dante, silently asking him to tell them what happened.  Ares misinterpreted the look I gave Dante, as an answer. He hurled a punch at Dante who caught his hand and stared at Ares, with dark eyes that almost looked black.

"You bastard! How dare you hurt my sister?" Ares pushed out through gritted teeth. Dante didn't reply, he just glared at Ares with a cold look on his face. 

"No Ares, Mr. Perez didn't do anything to me, on the contrary, he actually saved me, " I rushed out.

"So tell us what happened," Apollo said, looking worried.

I was about to explain but Dante beat me to it. "Your daughter was assaulted, by her boyfriend in the bathroom," he explained, staring right at Ares, his tone flat.

"How dare he?" My Dad's voice boomed angrily.

"Are you okay baby? I hope he didn't hurt you?" Mum said, frantically checking my body for any visible injury.

At that moment, the adrenaline that was coursing through my body, during the time of the assault finally wore off. I started feeling great pain, in my back, from when I was slammed to the floor. My legs could no longer carry the weight of my body, and suddenly, I was falling.

 I had almost kissed the ground when I was caught by a pair of warm hands. I looked up to see that it was Dante, who had caught me. His strong arms wrapped around my waist, making me feel secure like no one could hurt me. My feelings were so confusing, I couldn't understand why a guy I just met, could make me feel this way.

My eyes met his, grey to hazel. Although his expression was passive, I could see the conflict in his eyes. I got a whiff of his scent, an earthly smell swirled around him. We gazed into each other's eyes until I felt myself being taken by another pair of hands, Apollo's. 

"Thank you for helping my daughter, I don't know what would have happened to her if you weren't there in time," My mum said. 

He nodded in reply, then turned to look at me for a second, before walking to his car.

"That bastard is going to pay princess, I promise, " Dad swore.

When we arrived at the house, I went straight to my room. I took a long hot shower, trying to wash Michael's touch off me. Wrapping myself in a towel, I looked at my reflection in the mirror, my eyes were bloodshot and swollen, and my neck had numerous hickeys. 

I let out a sigh, and turned away from the mirror, walking to my closet. I pulled out a pair of yoga pants and a big T-shirt. I put the clothes on and climbed onto my bed, trying and failing to get some sleep. Flashes of what Michael tried to do, kept replaying in my head. My eyes were filled with tears, that I seem to never run out of today.

I heard my phone beep, signaling a new message. Picking up my phone, I scroll down to see numerous messages from Amber asking where I went, and threatening to skin me alive if I don't reply to her text messages. 

I replied to Amber's messages first and she called immediately. I picked the call and put the phone away from my ear because I knew what was coming.

"Athena Grace Williams, where the fuck are you and why haven't you been picking my calls?" Amber shrieked loudly.

"Micheal happened," I said hoarsely.

"What did that bastard do?" She asked, her voice softening as she heard the sound of my voice.

"I will tell you tomorrow, just wanted you to know, that I got home safely."

"Are you okay?" She asked, probably noticing how tired I sound.

"Can we talk tomorrow?  I'm tired now, " Honestly, I have never felt so drained, even when I tried to lose weight. Keyword tried, my subconscious pointed out.

"Okay babe, call me if you need anything, I'm very good at getting rid of bodies, " She said, seriously.

I chuckled lightly at her words, " There will be no need for that, good night babe," I hung up.

I opened Apollo's message, he asked if he and Ares could come to my room. I replied with a yes, then I waited for them. They came in two minutes later and sat on the bed watching me.

"How do you feel princess?" Ares asked as he sat on the chair in my room, while Apollo sat on the bed. 

"I'm fine," I replied, automatically.

"I don't mean the automated answer, you have been giving everyone, I need the truth, sis," he said giving me a knowing look.

"I don't know. I've never felt so scared in my life," I sighed, as tears gathered in my eyes once again. "I almost gave up fighting when I thought that no one was coming to help me." Apollo pulled me into a hug as I cried, patting my back in a comforting way.

I continued, "I was so scared, no one heard me scream and no matter what I did I couldn't fight him off," I said crying harder.

"I'm so sorry Princess, for not being able to protect you. I should have followed my guts when I felt that something was off, as Michael excused himself to go to the bathroom almost immediately after you had left," Apollo said, sadness evident in his voice.

"I feel like I have failed you, as a big brother princess. I should have been there to protect you," Ares said, disappointment written all over his face.

"No! Don't say that, you two have been the best brothers that I could have ever ask for," I said quickly.

"Thank God, that Dante Perez came in when he did. Although, I can't help but wonder what he was doing in the female toilet," Ares has always been the voice of reason. 

"We should leave you to sleep now princess," They both kissed my forehead, then left my room.

I fell asleep with one question in my head. What was Dante doing in the female toilet?