Reini lay there next to Justin, silently replaying the events from the night over and over in her head. From the beautiful way that their evening began, to the disaster that it had turned into! What went wrong? She asked herself. What had she done to make him so angry?

She couldn't help but think that she was to blame for the way that their night had turned out. As she lay there she quietly contemplated what, if anything, she could have done differently. Her thoughts were interrupted by the movement of the body laying next to her. Closing her eyes tightly she let out a soft painful moan as he tightened his arms around her waist.

When Justin finally got comfortable again she blinked her eyes open trying to fight away the tears that were now burning them. Staring into the dark space of the room she once again begin to replay the evening in her head. As flashes of the blows she received from Justin raced through her mind, she found herself thinking back to her childhood in New Mexico . Back to the first time she had ever been victim to her father's unforgiving hands.

All at once the memories of the two events became too much, and the tears that had once rimmed her lids now spilled over onto the pillow. Feeling Justin stir behind her again she quickly wiped the tears away and closed her eyes.

As she tried desperately to fall asleep she came to the realization that maybe this was the way her life was supposed to be. What right did she have to complain? Lots of people had parts of their lives that they couldn't escape, and for Reini this seemed to be it. Accepting her new found knowledge Reini drifted off to sleep no longer questioning her fate, but embracing it.

~*~

When Justin awoke the next morning, he felt unusually refreshed. The guilt that had plagued him from the night before was no longer present. Taking a long tired stretch, he looked over to the spot that his girlfriend had occupied and noticed that it was now empty.

Hearing the shower being turned off he realized that she was in the bathroom. Making his way over to the slightly ajar door he looked inside. Making sure that she couldn't see him, Justin watched as she stood in front of the large full length mirror with her towel open.

Pushing the door open a little Justin peered in a little more to see exactly what it was that she was looking at. Watching as she cocked her head slightly to the side it finally hit him what she was doing. Seeing the deep look of concentration on her face he realized that she was examining the bruises that covered her entire torso.

Once again that feeling of guilt crept up into his chest. Watching as she softly touched her once flawless frame was almost too much for him to bare. But the feeling of guilt was quickly replaced by that of confusion. Why was she still here? Not that he was unhappy that she had stayed, but why did she? As soon as the question entered his mind so did the answer. His father was right! As much as he didn't want to believe it, his father's advice worked. It was at that moment that Justin decided that there was no turning back.

Putting on his game face he entered the bathroom. It took a moment for Reini to realize that she was no longer alone. Embarrassed Reini tried to wrap the towel back around her as quickly as possible. Looking at her in the mirror Justin smiled at the crimson blush that began to take over her entire face.

"Don't" he said still smiling.

"What?" Reini asked softly

"The towel…take it off." his eyes became serious as he held his hand out for the towel.

Slowly sliding it off of her body Reini handed it back to Justin, never looking away from the mirror. Taking a couple of steps Justin closed the distance between them and dropped the towel to the floor.

Softly he pushed her head to the left and traced the bruises along her collar bone with his index finger. Continuing downward, he outlined each bruise, applying a little pressure to some causing her to wince in pain. Reini looked at Justin's reflection in the mirror and instantly her eyes began to water. The look on his face was unmistakable. It was the look of a job well done. He was proud! Dropping her head in shame Reini closed her eyes and hoped that this humiliation would soon be over.

"Hey" Justin said softly brushing her hair away from her face "Hey. Look at me."

Keeping her head down Reini opened her eyes. Sounding annoyed Justin exhaled deeply and brought his hand around to her chin lifting it slightly. As soon as their eyes met in the foggy glass of the mirror Reini once again averted her gaze.

"I'm not gonna ask you again Reini. Look at me."

Slowly bringing her eyes back to where they met his, she stared at his reflection standing behind her. Sadness taking over her features.

"You know…it could have been a lot worse" Justin said caressing her cheek. "You know that right?"

"I know" she replied barely audible.

"Turn around"

Doing as she was told Reini turned around and stared up into Justin's eyes. He loved her eyes. She had the biggest walnut shaped eyes that he had ever seen, and he loved the way that they changed colors. Last night they had been a deep green, today they were a smoky gray.

Never breaking her gaze he pulled her closer to him and kissed her deeply. It wasn't a passionate kiss, but a hungry kiss. One that said he wanted more than just a kiss, and that he planned on getting just that. Going with the initial flow Reini wrapped her arms around Justin's neck and kissed him back ass he pushed her so that she was now wedged between his body and the bathroom wall. As their kiss deepened, and Justin's hands seem to be showing no limits, Reini knew that if she didn't stop this now it more than likely was going to go to a place that she would undoubtedly regret. Pushing his hands away from her body she tried to remove herself from the compromising position.

"Justin. Stop. Please." She managed to get out between breaths.

"What do you mean Stop?" he asked sounding rather annoyed.

"I mean Stop! I don't wanna do this."

"Why not!" he asked now sounding even more annoyed

"I just don't okay."

"Uh…No! Really sweetheart its not okay. I hate to break it to ya Ray, but if you don't wanna fuck me, I'm sure I can find somebody who will!"

"Its not like that"

"Oh really! Then what is it like?" he asked sarcastically.

"I just…" she started looking up at the ceiling "I just…"

"You just what?!" he asked getting annoyed.

"I've never done it before." her voice was so soft he wasn't even sure that he'd heard her correctly.

Softening his expression slightly Justin tilted his head to the side, and repeated her statement.

"You've never done ‘it' before, as in had sex?"

"No." she said as her entire face turned red.

Taking a step back from her Justin continued to stare into her eyes. Was she serious?! How in the hell did a girl as sexy as she was manage to stay a virgin past the 8th grade? As the thoughts ran through his mind a look of complete disgust came over his entire face.

"How big of a fool do you think I am Reini?" he asked placing his hands on either side of her head on the wall. " A 20 year old virgin! I mean come on!"

"Well you don't have to believe me if you don't want to!" she said choking back her tears. "Why would I lie about it?"

"I don't know. Maybe you're getting you're kicks off somewhere else."

Reini wasn't sure why but that comment was almost amusing to her. Was he really that insecure, to think that she of all people was cheating? Looking him dead in the eyes she half smirked before saying anything.

"Look Justin I have no reason to lie to you!" she said defensively unaware of the smirk that played at the corner of her mouth.

"Said the ‘virgin' with the smile on her face" Justin said emphasizing the word virgin and making mock quotations with his fingers.

"I really don't understand why this is so hard for you to believe. I am NOT lying to you!"
Stepping closer Justin pulled her arms up above her head and held them together with one hand. Slowly he began to trace his fingers across her waist.

"How do I know for sure though?" he asked raising his eyebrows with the question. He could feel her pulse begin to quicken.

"For one, I was raised strict catholic, so premarital sex really isn't something that I believe in. And secondly, if you love me like you say you do then the fact that I said that I am should be enough!"

Letting out a small laugh Justin looked her in the eye. Her eyes that always seemed to tell the truth were telling him that she was doing just that. But he had to make sure.

"Okay. I believe you, but I want to see for myself."

A look of utter confusion swept over her face.

"Open your mouth…" he said still staring her square in the eye.

Knowing that he didn't like to repeat himself Reini did as she was told and slowly opened her mouth. Holding on to her wrists with his left hand still, Justin brought his right hand to her mouth and slid his index and ring fingers in. The look in her eyes as he massaged his fingers around in her mouth told him that the realization of what was about to happen was sinking in.
Making sure that his fingers were good and moist he removed them from her mouth and placed his hand just above the place that he now knew he would be the first man to enter.

"Open"

"Justin please…" her voice was a squeaky whisper

"Open" he said again a little more firmly, ignoring her plea.

As she slowly began to open her legs Justin slid his hand down a little further and slipped one finger in. Almost instantly she snapped her legs back shut and a small whimper escaped her lips. With his finger still in place Justin repeated himself.

"Open"

Her eyes were pleading with him not to continue, but knowing that he would she shakily opened her legs again. As soon as they were open wide enough for his liking he pushed the other finger in. Squeezing her eyes shut Reini felt an almost blinding pain shoot through her entire body as the second finger was forced in.

To say that Justin was shocked would be a severe understatement. She really was a virgin! He was absolutely flabbergasted. He pretty much knew that she was telling the truth when he had a hard time getting the first finger in, forcing in the second one was really just for show.
Feeling how tight she was, was amazing. She was a virgin in every since of the word.
Absolutely pure. He had found a girl who was completely untouched! As the thoughts raced through his head Justin could feel himself getting hard simply knowing that he was the first man ever to touch her this way.

The longer he left his fingers inside of her the tighter her walls became around them. Slowly he slid them out of her, but still kept his hand on the place he knew that he now owned. Finally releasing her arms from their position over her head he leaned in and gave her a soft kiss. Lingering for only a moment after kissing her Justin began to make his way back out of the bathroom.

"Finish getting ready and then come down for breakfast ok?" he said just before exiting the bathroom not bothering to wait for an answer.

As Justin walked back into his bedroom he was almost startled out of his skin by the presence of JC

"What the fuck are you doing in here man?!" he asked, his hand over his chest trying to slow his heart beat.

"Damn relax J I just came in to get my digital camera back from you!" JC said laughing at his friend "I knocked for fucking ever man I thought you were gone!"

"Nah just had to handle a little business with Ray is all"

"What kind of business?" JC asked his interest now peeked.

Before Justin could answer him though they were interrupted by the sound of Reini's voice in the bathroom. Giving each other a questioning glance both men walked toward the bathroom to see what or who she could have been talking to.

Peeking their heads around the door just enough so that they weren't seen, they saw Reini still sitting naked on the bathroom floor. With her knees pulled into her chest and her hands clasped together tightly, she sat there eyes closed whispering to herself.

‘What the fuck?' JC mouthed to Justin

Looking at his friend Justin just shrugged and both men continued to listen. After a few more seconds they finally realized what it was that she was doing. She wasn't talking to herself…she was…praying? Silently they watched and listened.

"Please guide me Mary. I'm so lost. I don't know what to do. I don't understand why this is the path that God has chosen for me…but if this is my path please give me the strength and the courage to accept it. Please!…" she pleaded.

Opening her eyes she looked up toward the ceiling as tears began to stream down her face. Justin and JC stood there both speechless. Once again looking at each other this time the question on their faces was replaced by a look of utter bewilderment.

"I know that Justin is good. I just…I just…What am I doing wrong? I don't try to make him angry. I don't wanna hurt anymore. Mary please give me obedience and grant me a conscious mind to do what's right. To accept his faults and to correct my own. Make me better!" she whispered

Finishing her prayer she stood and walked over to where her towel lay. It was then that JC realized the reason that she was praying. When she stood he could see that almost her entire torso and up to her chest and shoulders were covered in bruises. When she bent to pick her towel up he saw that most of her forearms and her left hand were also littered with bruises.

JC's survey of her body was cut short when Justin pulled the bathroom door back up. He carefully pulled it all the way shut so that Reini wouldn't hear it close.

"You said you wanted your camera, right?" he asked brushing by JC

JC's mouth dropped open in shock.

"Whoa whoa whoa!! Fuck the camera! What the hell just happened here?" JC asked looking half amused.

Both friends stood there staring at each other for what seemed like forever before Justin promptly dismissed his friends question.

"Look man I don't know where the camera is right now but I'll find it a little later okay."

Normally JC would leave well enough alone, but this one was just too good! He NEEDED to know what the hell he just witnessed.

"Okay seriously J your girlfriend was just praying." he said pointing back at the bathroom "I mean like she was REALLY praying! What the hell happened last night?"

Justin knew that JC wouldn't rest until he found out what happened. Looking over at the bathroom door, then back at his friend, Justin's mouth turned upward into a sly grin.

"We had a little…quarrel last night"

"Little quarrel my ass! You beat the shit out of her!" JC blurted out half laughing "I mean damn J you got this bitch praying to Mary or whoever to give her the strength to accept the ass beatin you gave her!"

"Hey man she's not a bitch!" Justin snapped back as he walked into his closet to find something to put on

Following behind him JC continued "I'm just sayin man that's some serious shit."

Pulling a gray Armani t-shirt over his head Justin smiled at his friend.

"No. You wanna hear some serious shit?" he didn't wait for JC to answer "She's a virgin!"
JC stood there with his mouth open he was literally speechless. A virgin? They still made those?

"Yeah right! What she told you she was a virgin so you believe her?"

"No she told me she was a virgin and I checked!" Justin stated matter of factly pulling a pair of jeans on over his boxers.

JC gave his friend a knowing look and shook his head.

"So JT's got balls after all!" he smiled

Justin smiled back.

"I think you may have really found yourself a keeper Justin."

Justin walked out of the closet with the smile still on his face. As both men headed for the door to exit the room he looked over to his friend.

"She is a keeper. And I have every intention on doing just that"