Page 148 of Until I Own You

Seth forehead pinches at the center. “Solomon said you fell down the stairs at your dorm and–”

“That’s what I told him, yes.”

We stare at each other.

“Your…ex,” he says.

I nod.

“Don’t tell me that fucking piece of shit–” Seth begins.

“Please, please, I know you’re angry, but please can we just be…can we be quiet about it?” I ask in a soft tone. My eyes burn, but tears do not threaten me. I’m cried out. “The anger makes my heart race.”

Seth takes a few breaths. “I’m sorry. I can’t help it.”

“I know, but please try.”

“Of course.”

I wait a few moments to determine if Seth will be able to rein in his temper before going on. “Yes. We were drunk and I told him what I liked. That I wanted to be a sub. And he took that as an opportunity to…” I get a flash back to a clump of my hair in Zack’s meaty linebacker hand. The taste of blood in my mouth. The pain of the cracked ribs. “Hurting me brought him pleasure. But he wouldn’t stop. It went too far.”

“Oh my god, Bridget…”

“I didn’t want to go to the hospital, but one of my friends made me go, and thank god I did because I had a concussion and… anyway. The only people who know what happened are me, Zack, and that friend.” A friend I no longer speak to. Someone I left behind in Iowa after I decided to come back to New York after the accident. “Anyway, you were probably right to be overprotective of me. I didn’t know what was good for me. Trusted the wrong person.”

“No, Bridget, no. Trusting the wrong person…we all do that. They don’t always come with those consequences.”

I blink. My throat threatening to close once more.

“I was overprotective because I wanted you for myself. My intentions weren’t good. Of course, I never in a million years, whether you were mine or not, would have wanted you to be hurt. Like that or otherwise. You deserve perfection, Bridget.”

I sniff with laughter. “No, I don’t.”

“Yes.” Seth places his hand against my knee.

My body swells with warmth.

“You do.”

I put my hand on his, tug on him to come closer until I’m able to fall into his chest. I push my face up against his neck. “That’s why I’ve waited for so long. That’s why I didn’t just go with any Dom and let him have his way with me. I needed someone who would take care of me. Who I could trust.”

“You trust me?”

I nod into him. “I do.”

“Thank you.”

I touch his aching hand with the pads of my fingers. Careful.

“Now I really wish I’d killed him,” he says, and I know there’s no joke about it.

“He’ll get what he deserves now.”

“Too many years too late.”

I sigh. “Better late than never.”

Seth touches my chin, guides my face upward so our eyes meet. “I will never let anyone touch you ever again.”

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