Page 80 of The Misfit

My cry of ecstasy echoes off the walls as wave after wave of pleasure crashes over me. Lee doesn’t let up, lapping at me through my orgasm until I’m a trembling, oversensitive mess.

Finally, he pulls away, pressing a gentle kiss to my inner thigh before standing. His face glistens with the evidence of our passion, and the sight makes me flush with renewed desire.

Lee reaches up and unloops the belt from the light fixture, and gently lowers my arms. He massages my wrists gently as he unbuckles the makeshift restraint.

Lee’s hands are gentle as he massages the feeling back into my wrists, a stark contrast to his earlier intensity. I slump against him, my legs still shaky from two mind-blowing orgasms. But even in a haze, a thread of doubt creeps into my mind.

“You okay?” he murmurs, pressing a soft kiss to my temple.

I nod, not quite trusting my voice yet. Lee wraps his arms around me, holding me close as we both catch our breath. The reality of what we’ve just done starts to sink in, and I feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment. This isn’t me. Restraints? Public sex? None of this is me.

“Hey,” Lee says, tilting my chin up to meet his gaze. “No regrets, okay? This was real. You and me, it’s real now.”

“But what about?—”

He cuts me off with a gentle kiss. “We’ll figure it out. Together. For now, let’s get cleaned up and head back to the party before someone comes looking for us.”

Lee helps me into my dress, his fingers lingering on my skin as he zips me up. I watch as he dresses himself, admiring the play of muscles under his skin. When he’s done, he looks as put together as ever, save for the slightly mussed hair and the lingering flush on his cheeks.

“Ready?” Lee asks, offering me his hand.

I take a deep breath, smoothing down my dress one last time. “As I’ll ever be.”

We slip out of the private room and make our way back to the gala. The sounds of music and chatter grow louder as we approach. Just before we rejoin the crowd, Lee pulls me to a stop.

“Remember,” he says softly, his eyes intense. “You’re mine now. For real.”

I nod, a mix of excitement and trepidation swirling in my stomach. As we step back into the ballroom, I can’t help but wonder how this new dynamic will change things. Will people be able to tell what we’ve done? Will Aries say something?

Charlotte Henderson spots us almost immediately, her eyes narrowing as she takes in our slightly disheveled appearance. I tense, waiting for her to make a scene, but Lee simply tightens his grip on my hand and steers us toward the bar.

Another drink like we didn’t argue about that very thing. And when we finally leave, I am at war within my own head. Was the sex about Aries, or was it about us?

It felt great, of course, and I was into everything, but it felt angry, rough, and I know bruises will ring my wrists tomorrow. Is this what life with Lee will be like? Chasing the next thrill until none are left?

NINETEEN

salem

My bedroom ceilinghas exactly forty-seven tiles. I’ve counted them eight hundred and twelve times in the past three days. No matter how many times I count them, the number never changes. I keep counting them, anyway. It’s the distraction I need from looking at my phone, which buzzes with another text from Lee.

I don’t need to read it to know what it says. All his messages contain the same variation of the same thing:

Lee:Please talk to me.

Lee:I’m sorry.

Lee:Salem, please.

Lee:At least let me know you’re okay.

Am I okay?No. I’m not okay. It’s dramatic, but I’m not sure I ever will be again. Since the gala, my life has been flipped upside down—scratch that, it’s been eviscerated.

It hasn’t been the same since Lee came barreling into that dark pantry.

It just became more dysfunctional the night of the gala. Memories of that night filter through my mind. I haven’t been myself since the gala, when Lee lost control and worshipped me in a way that I didn’t know people could worship another person. I still can’t believe I let him touch me that way. Control me that way. A single truth resonated throughout it all—none of this was fake, no matter the lies we’ve been telling ourselves and to each other. I just don’t know what comes next. And I’m scared how much I enjoyed what we did together. How right it felt. How free I became in his arms.

“You can’t hide forever,” Noah calls from the doorway, carrying another plate of food I won’t eat. “And you can’t keep counting instead of dealing with life.”

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