Chapter
Thirteen
Tessa and AJ decided to celebrate. AJ got everyone
together for dinner and drinks in the hotel dining room. Nick seemed to have
started without them.
After dinner, AJ stood up to make a toast. "I want
to toast Tessa. The love of my life, my future wife and the soon to be mother
of my child."
The glasses stopped half way to the other guy's
mouths.
"What?" Asked Kevin.
"You heard correctly." AJ said as he sat back down.
"We're going to have a baby and we are getting married. And, in case you
were wondering, I'm very happy about it."
Tessa hung her head. She just knew they all thought
she had planned this to trap AJ into marriage.
"You don't look too happy about it Tessa." Said Kevin.
He reached over and lifted her face with his outstretched finger. "Talk to
me."
"It was an accident, true. It happened when AJ came
to see me right after we met. We forgot the condom. I'm so sorry, I have
ruined everything haven't I?" A tear escaped from her eye.
Kevin leaned over and took her into his arms. "How
have you ruined everything?"
"She thinks she has just ruined my career." AJ
said.
"Nonsense!" Kevin said wiping another tear from her
face. "You, my dear little sister, are a member of this family now. A little
one will be a welcome addition also." He looked around the table at Brian,
Nick and Howie. "Look at what great uncles he will have."
"He?"
"Yes, a new group member." Kevin teased and hugged
her again.
Howie and Brian jumped up and joined in a group hug
with Kevin, AJ and Tessa. Only Nick remained seated. AJ looked at his friend.
"Problem Nick?"
Nick got up slowly and walked around the table. He
stopped in front of Tessa. He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm
happy for you." He straightened up and patted AJ on the back. "The both of
you." He motioned the bartender, "Let's celebrate."
LATER
Tessa was the only one not drinking. Nick was the only
one drinking heavily. When his words started to slur and his eyes got droopy,
Tessa suggested she take him up to his room.
"Come on, Nicky. It's time for bed." She got up and
pulled on his arm.
"Do you want me to go with you, Hun?" Asked AJ.
"No, No. I can handle this. Besides, I'm tired. You
stay here and enjoy yourself. You have been spending all your time with me.
It's time for me to share you with the guys.
"Nite Tessa." The group told her all at once?"
Tessa chuckled, "Nite guys. Come on Nick."
Tessa got Nick to his room. He was unusually quiet.
"You are not happy about the baby are you?"
Nick looked at her. He finally had had enough to drink
to tell her what he really felt. "I just wish the baby was mine."
"What?"
"I love you Tessa." And he grabbed her and kissed her.
He tried to do more, but Tessa got out of his arms and backed away. Nick
realized what he had done and tried to apologize. "Oh man, I'm sorry. I never
meant to tell you that. Forget I said anything and please forgive me for
kissing you."
Tessa just back out of his room, leaving the door open,
and went next door to her own. Once inside she leaned against the door. "Oh
shit!"
Nick began to bang against the door that connected
the rooms. "Tessa, please open the door. I'm sorry. I just want to say I'm
sorry. Tessa?" Then he grew silent.
Tessa listened at the door and finally decided opened
it so she could check on Nick. When she got it unlocked and half way open,
it flew open banging her in the head. She caught a glimpse of Nick on the
floor just before the bartender came charging through the door.
"What the hell do you want? What did you do to Nick?
Nick?" She called out. "Nick?"
The bartender slapped her. "If you can fuck the Backstreet
Boys and be their whore, you can fuck me too."
Tessa backed away, but he followed. He hit her hard
in the face. She fell down and he got on top of her. "I said, I want some
of what those 'Boys' are getting." And he hit her again.
"Get off of me you pig?" She screamed. "Nick, help
me. Nick!" She fought him with everything she had, but he was too strong
and every time he hit her she got dizzier.
The bartender hit her again and ripped her shirt down
the front. Then he proceeded to rip the rest of her clothes off and rape
her.
"Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!! Nick, help me."
Her hit her again. Everything went black.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*
Brain and Howie were tired so they said good night
to Kevin and AJ and went upstairs to their rooms.
"So, what do you really think about the situation,
Bri?" Asked Howie. He was looking at Brian who was looking ahead down the
hall with a strange look on his face. "What?"
"Look. Nick's door is open." And they started walking
faster. At the door, they took in what they saw. Nick was laying on the floor
near the open door to AJ's room rubbing his head. They ran through the door
and knelt beside Nick to see if he was okay.
"What happened." Asked Brian.
"I don't know. I must have passed out."
Howie looked through the open door into AJ's room and
said, "Oh My God. Oh No, No. No!" He got up and ran to Tessa who was unconscious,
naked and badly beaten on the floor.
Brian was behind him instantly. "Nick is okay, he just
passed out I think...." Then he saw Tessa. "Oh God, is she alive?"
Nick looked in the direction of the conversation and
saw Tessa. "What have I done?"
"She's alive. Call 911. I'm going down to get AJ and
Kev." Howie grabbed the blanket off the bed and covered Tessa. "I'll be right
back." And he ran out the door.
At the table where AJ and Kevin were still talking,
Howie stopped and tried to catch his breath. "AJ, man. You've got to come
now. It's Tessa."
AJ was up in and instant and running out the door.
"What? What is wrong with Tessa?"
"I think she's been raped." Shouted Howie to AJ's back
as he tried to follow him.
The elevator was not getting there fast enough, so
AJ took off up the stairs at a run. Kevin and Howie followed.
When he reached their floor he burst through the stairway
door and started screaming Tessa's name. He stopped abruptly at his door
when he saw the scene in front of him. He quickly walked towards her limp
body on the floor. Brian was sitting on the floor holding her head, rocking
back and forth. He looked up at his friend, with tears running down his face.
"Oh man, I'm so sorry." Brian got up and let AJ take his place.
"Tessa? Tessa, honey, wake up?… Oh God, Tess wake
up...please!!" He leaned over and tried to wipe some of the blood off her
face. He wiped the hair out of her eyes. "Oh baby. Please be all right."
He gathered her limp body up into his arms and held her until the paramedics
arrived a few minutes later. They had to pry his arms away from her.
Nick sat on the other side of the room looking on in
horror. What have I done?
