Page 53 of Cruel Dominion

“Let me see,” he said in a dangerous whisper, reaching for my face. My head spun and when I tried to bat his hand away it connected with nothing but air.

His hand went around the back of my neck, lifting me as I heard a familiar sound.

Was that…a zipper?

I blinked, trying to get the dark spots out of my eyes as he whispered unintelligible words it sounded like I was hearing under water.

“There. You’re okay. Let me make it better.”

The overpowering scent of him in my nose and his touch on my collar shocked me back to reality.

I pushed at his hands, but he worked past them. Stronger. So much stronger.

I couldn’t win against him.

Just like I couldn’t win against Josh.

My eyes pricked and a ball formed in my throat.

“I-I’m fine,” I said, finally regaining some clarity as Jaden gripped my right side, his hand on my rib cage, his thumb brushing the underside of my breast though my dress. “You don’t need to?—”

“Shh, it’s okay.”

No. No, it wasn’t okay.

“No, I need to go. I need to go. Just,” I grunted, trying to get my legs out from under him, trying to get up. “Get off me.”

A loud knock cracked through the air and Jaden’s probing touch stilled on the swell of my left tit.

“Open this fucking door,” someone shouted, their voice muffled through the door but terrifying enough to make my skin crawl.

The handle swung up and down.

The next knocks sounded more like kicks.

Jaden jumped away from me, and I used the opportunity to scramble awkwardly to my feet and collect my shit. Clearly, Jaden had pissed someone else off. They wouldn’t be here for me. I’d just scoot past them and get the fuck out of?—

“Who the hell is that?” Jaden whisper-shouted. His wild eyes looked around the studio, then at me, an accusation in them.

“No idea,” I said on a breath. “But it’s your problem. Not mine.”

Jaden staggered toward the door, hesitated, and spun, his previously calm demeanor shattered. The banging continued. My hackles rose.

Wait. Maybe it was my problem.

Carter’s bodyguards?

Maybe they had followed me.

I swallowed.

More banging.

God damn it.

“Who the fuck did you give my address to?” he was shouting now, stepping into my path to stop me from opening the door. God, my head was throbbing. I needed to get out of here.

“Move.”

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