Page 73 of Something So Strong

“Yes.”

“You wanna hear how much of a damaged fuck up I am?”

“Yes.”

“You really wanna hear about how they broke my hands, held me over a pole, and took turns fucking me?”

My stomach jumps into my throat, but I refuse to let any shock or pity show on my face. “If that’s your story, then yes. I want to hear it.”

“Fuck you, Jesse! There’s no way you can mean that!” Kai pounds his fists into the plasterboard beside him, and I may as well be holding his beating heart on a platter.

“I’m not going anywhere.” I move even closer.

“Fine! If this is what you want.” He grabs my wrists, spins me around, and pushes me against the wall—forcing his thigh between my legs.

“Kai!”

“You said you wanted it. So let’s go.”

He goes straight for my belt.

I try to move aside, but I’m locked in place as his hip presses into me.

“Stop it, Kai. You know this isn’t what I meant.”

My belt is undone in a frantic flash.

I try to hold him off but he still manages to slide his hand inside my pants.

“Kai, stop!” I shout a final time before letting my fist fly.

Hurting him was the last thing I wanted to do.

But I’d tried to move, and I couldn’t.

And still, with my arms hanging limply by my sides, my desire for him has not waned.

Tearing his hands away from me, Kai stumbles back in fear—his hands covering his mouth in horror at what he just became. “J–Jesse… I’m so sorry,” he stutters, his shoulders rising and falling in quick succession.

“I’m okay.” I will be. I’m shaken, but not deterred. “I’m still here, aren’t I?”

Has he tossed me a grenade? Yes.

Can I handle it? Yes—If he’ll allow me to.

“Jesse! Kai! Where the hell are you two?” Esther’s voice echoes down the corridor.

“Shit.” As I quickly do up my pants and belt, my head shoots up to a cacophonous crash. “What the fuck?”

Kai has pulled down a box of stationary from the top shelf and its contents now littered the floor.

The door flings open. “What the hell are you two doing—Kai! Your face!” Esther gasps, stepping towards him with a cautionary hand.

“Fucking desk is out of everything. We were just trying to be helpful, and that box fell from up there and hit me.”

Esther looks distraught, like she can see an occupational health and safety meeting in her future.

“Shit… okay… Jesse, you get back out to the desk. I’m going to take Kai to the infirmary and I’ll be back as soon as I can to cover your lunch.”

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