Page 77 of Tis the Season to be Bullied

Trinity scrambles up, spinning around to glare at Cass and me. She frowns furiously at us as she works to loosen the belt with her bound hands.

I’d caught a glimpse of her ass when Miriam was giving her those lashes yesterday afternoon. It took every ounce of self-control I could muster not to get more than a semi. Especially when her sweet howls of pain echoed around me. When I’d taken her to my room after I’d specifically not lit a candle. But it hadn’t been fully dark yet so I’d still gotten a fantastic view of her bruised ass when I’d put on the lotion.

I’d had just as much difficulty stopping myself from squeezing that ass. From slipping off my clothes and having her bare skin flush with mine.

“It’s two in the fucking morning,” Cass says. He’s moved closer again. “No one’s gonna come.”

Before Trinity can loosen the belt, Reuben steps up behind her. He slides an arm around her waist and snags the cuffs, pulling her hands away. She freezes, eyes wide and sparkling with fear. He hooks a finger into the cable ties and shifts his grip so he’s keeping her close with the same arm.

“We can’t, Cass,” I say in a low voice. “It’s…”

Wrong.

Stupid.

Juvenile.

Reuben strokes her neck. At least, that’s what I think he’s doing. I lean back a little.

What the fuck?

He tugs, and a red rosary slips out from behind Trinity’s vest. He nestles it carefully between her breasts.

Fuck, that’s his rosary, isn’t it? Hedoeslike her.

This is the last thing we need.

But who the fuck am I to deny us the things we so desperately need?

“You have five minutes.”

Cassius darts past me, slapping Apollo’s shoulder as he passes. “Rube, bring her!”

Trinity’s eyes are bugging out of her head. She’d been keeping perfectly still while Reuben rearranged her jewelry, like a small fluffy animal trying to camouflage itself from a predator.

Only one problem.

There are four of us, and only one of her.

She can’t hide. She can’t even run.

She’ll have to endure it. Which could prove to be a dear lesson for her.

We’ve had many such lessons and they’ve only made us stronger.

We’d be making her stronger too.

She catches my eye, and her skin pales.

Why?

I guess it’s my smile.

Chapter 27

Trinity

This can’t be happening.

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