Page 44 of Sex Coach

Fourteen

Michelle

T he dream hadn't cometo me in quite a while .

I could go months without thinking about him now and just as long without having this nightmare .

But maybe I should have expected it. Jake's voice in my ear, "Tell me you want me ... "

It was too close an echo to the cold, ugly voice that had all but screamed in my ear years before. "Don't you go crying, you little whore. You want this...tell me you want this !"

The demand was followed by a hand on my throat, grasping my breast, the promise of violence or pain just a breath away .

"Tell me you want it ."

"You know you want this ."

"Dirty little whore ."

It was my uncle's voice. He'd been arrested, but a fuck-up on part of the cops had all but gotten the worst of the charges thrown out before we'd even had a chance to really begin. The bastard had ended up only serving a pathetic six months for what he'd done .

Sometimes, I saw him everywhere I looked, even though he lived hundreds of miles away .

But in that dream, he was right there .

"Tell me you want it, Michelle...you fancy little whore. Shaking your ass. Tell me you want it ."

Sobbing, I jerked away from big, mean hands, but he grabbed my face and shoved it back into the chair. "Be still. You're going to get what you've been asking for ."

Hands, tearing my clothes away .

"Don't, please!" I begged. But it wouldn't stop him. He'd done it before, and I'd messed up by letting him catch me alone in the pool house. "Please, please, please don't !"

He smashed into me, his bulk knocking the air from my lungs as he pressed me flat against the chaise. "Keep fighting, sweetie. It makes it better ."

I heard his zipper and fought harder, although that would just make it hurt more .

He rammed into me and it hurt, tearing me .

"Don't!"

"For fuck's sake, Michelle !"

That voice –

I sucked in a breath as hands grabbed my shoulders and shook me, forcing me awake. Panting, my belly trying to crawl its way up my throat, I sat there. "No...no...no ..."

"Michelle, sugar, it's me." A gentle hand touched my cheek. "Baby, it's Jake ."

Shuddering at the sound of his voice, I closed my eyes and sagged in relief. I ended up collapsing against the wide shelf of his shoulders, one arm supporting my weight, the other bracketing me around the waist, cradling me tight .

"It's okay," he murmured. "It's okay ."

I couldn't believe that. How could it be okay? But he kept saying it, stroking my back and murmuring to me until I nodded and let him tug my head back until he could look into my eyes .

I didn't have the strength to resist. I just sat there as his horror and rage filled eyes met mine .

Jake knew .

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