Page 105 of Piece Us Together

He stops. Freezes completely. Nolan makes a soft sound before fumbling to his knees and ripping his blindfold off.

“Maison?”

“Okay,” Hunter says, his voice calm and placating. “Everyone is okay. Let’s take a breath, okay? Just breathe, Maison.”

“Red,” I say again. It feels like the world is tilting. Like everything is mirroring and shattering, so many pieces on the floor, too many for me to put back together. “Red.Stop. Red.”

“Hey, shh. We stopped. It’s done, okay?” Hunter steps toward me, his hand still out.

I stumble back. “Don’t fucking—don’t touch me!”

He stops and there’s a flash of hurt in his expression before he manages to hide it. His hands go up in surrender. “Okay. Nolan, I need you to—”

“Red!” I nearly roar the word this time, my body starting to vibrate with rage. “Stop fucking bossing him around! It’s over! All of it!Stop!”

This time, when the hurt comes, Hunter struggles to get rid of it. He looks shattered. More pieces to add to the floor.

I’m sorry. I warned you. I told you I’d ruin it.

You’re going to have to piece yourself together on your own. I haven’t figured out how.

“Maison?” Nolan asks again. He’s standing now, still naked but no longer hard. There are pink marks along his torso where Hunter had hit him with the crop before he flipped him over and moved on to the flogger. His nipples are puffy and red. Bile rises in my throat.

I see him as a slave in my mind, a dual image of the man in front of me,

I need to get out of here.

I need to gethimout of here.

What have I done? What have I let myself become?

How could I ever think I was falling for a man who does this to someone?

I’ll fucking kill him.

The thought has a shudder running through me. Panic swells in my chest and up my throat.

I’m a bad person.

I hurt people.

But not him, never him, I couldn’t hurt him.

I look at Hunter just standing there, watching me like he doesn’t know what to do. He’s supposed to know what to do. It’s his fucking job. But he’s juststandingthere.

“Nolan, get dressed.” I grab my pants from the floor, my hands shaking so hard I nearly drop them. I’m going to be sick. Or cry. Maybe both. I don’t want to do either here, though. Not in front of Hunter. He doesn’t get to see me fall apart.

Nolan isn’t moving. “Maison, I think maybe we should—”

“Get dressed,” I say again, giving him a look I’m not sure I’ve ever directed at him before. The look I use when I drag myself into the shoes of team leader and take control. He blinks, looking almost startled.

I’m already dressed as I watch him gather his own clothes and hurry to pull them on. The rope harness is gone. I don’t know how. I don’t care.

Nolan won’t look at me.

Hunter won’tstoplooking at me.

“Maison—” Hunter tries again, my name soaked in desperation and fear.

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