Ellie let the water hit the back of her neck, keeping her warm. The bathroom had steamed up while she was in the shower. She had kissed Mark goodbye as usual this morning, but they both knew something had changed. Since the encounter with the men they had both been distant from one another, their little in jokes and cute touches stopping almost completely. Ellie lifted her head and wiped the water from her face before covering her eyes with her hands. She wanted to scream. Was the life they had together broken?
Eventually Ellie turned off the shower and dried herself. She put on her underwear, dressed in leggings and a loose shirt and headed downstairs to start work. A little bit of normality would be a welcome distraction from the thoughts that kept creeping back into her mind. Some nights since the attack she had thought about the men, about Mark being awake and watching them have sex with her - no, rape her. She had to remember that. It was an assault. Despite herself she found her anger directed at Mark. He had barely offered her any support or comfort after the ordeal. She knew he must be trying to process what happened himself but all Ellie could think about was how little he had offered to support her and how much those two men had wanted her. When was the last time Mark had done that?
"Hello again."
Ellie snapped to attention as she walked into the lounge and heard the voice. One of the men from the break in was there again, sitting on her desk chair and smiling like the Cheshire Cat. Ellie cast her eyes around to try and figure out some way to defend herself, her body paralysed.
"Now, now, calm down," he said to her. "No need to scream or attack me. No point anyway, clearly I can get in whenever I want."
He took the key he stole from his pocket. Ellie's eyes widened as she recognised their house key.
"No," she whispered, feeling tears come to her eyes.
"Yes, and there's no point trying anything," he said as he got up. He slipped the key back into his pocket as he spoke and approached Ellie. "I've already made plenty of copies of the key. Lots of my friends were interested in having access to this house, you see? Especially when they saw what an accommodating hostess you are."
Ellie felt sick, her body cringing away as he got closer to her. He passed her without saying anything else.
"Oh," he said, almost as an afterthought. He turned and touched her shoulder which made Ellie jump away from him. She spun to face him and saw his amusement. "I forgot to say. A few of us will be dropping by this afternoon. See you then, girly."
When she heard the door close, Ellie collapsed onto the sofa and curled into a ball.
***
Mark turned off the engine and put his head onto the steering wheel. He had to go back into the house and face the woman he loved - the woman he had failed to protect. Their life together had been ripped apart and he wasn't sure if he knew how to fix it. How could she ever trust him again? How could he get her to? He was ashamed of himself and the porn he had started to watch in secret moments late at night or at work in the bathroom only made him feel worse. Mark was turned on watching these women have sex with people who weren't their partners. He was sure its what he deserved for being unable to protect Ellie. He got out of the car and headed inside.
"I'm home!" He called.
"In here," Ellie replied, calling him into the lounge. Mark put down his bag, took off his shoes and headed into the room. Ellie was stood a little awkwardly near the TV and she looked away as he walked in.
"What's wrong Ell-" Mark began as he went to her, only for two men from behind the door to jump out and grab him.
"What the fuck?!" He shouted and began to struggle.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Ellie cried and nearly rushed to help him before the original burglar and another man also entered the room. The four men subdued Mark despite his attempts to put up a fight, and before long he was stood between three of them as the original man stood behind Ellie.
"Hello Mark," he said, his arm resting on Ellie shoulder and his fingers tracing the hemline of her top. "You probably don't remember me, do you? I knocked you out pretty quickly. I'm Russell, and I'm the guy who broke into your house and fucked Ellie here."
Mark tried to struggle against the men holding him which made Russell laugh.
"No point doing that, look at them. They're twice your size," he said. Ellie couldn't bring herself to look at her boyfriend, instead biting her lip to stop it quivering and looking down at his feet.
