Page 121 of Fear of Intimacy

“No, I do not,” Trevor replied through clenched teeth. “My parents are no longer in my life.”

“Hmm, interesting.”

I glared at my mother. “What are you trying to accomplish?” I spoke before Trevor could. I could feel the tension radiating off him as Trevor sat beside me. His shoulders were tensed, back stiff as a board.

“I’m not trying to accomplish anything. I just find it interesting that a man who grew up penniless with drug addicts as parents is suddenly dating my daughter, who is here at our gala where very influential people are in attendance.”

Did she think Trevor is some lowlife who’s trying to worm his way into my life andtheirmoney? My mother definitely saw Trevor as nothing more than a pest. Unsuitable. My vision went red. My hands left Trevor’s leg to grab the side of the table.

“Are you implying Trevor is using me to getyourmoney?” I spat.

“Why else would he be here with you?” Her words were a blow to my stomach. I looked over at my father to see his reaction, but he just sat there stoned-faced waiting for my response.

Neither of them could even fathom that Trevor wanted to be with me because he loved me, not because he wanted my money or my status. They believed that was the only reason he was here. That I was only useful because of who my parents were.

“You can’t possibly believe that he’s here just because he loves me?” My voice came out higher pitched as I tried to hide the hurt at what they were implying.

“Honey, be reasonable.” The condescending tone she had was enough to send me over the edge.

“Trevor has more money than you two combined,” I hissed. I watched as my father glanced over at something, his attention focused elsewhere. Like he couldn’t be bothered.

“Hon, look, they’re finally here.” My mouth snapped shut as my mother also stood up, plastering on a fake smile while looking at someone off to the side of us. Our conversation was discarded. Like it was a simple conversation about the weather that could easily be brushed aside.

It took everything inside of me not to stand up and tell them exactly how I felt. To yell at them, regardless of who was watching. To ask why they treated me the way they did. All of that was at the tip of my tongue but as soon as the three people my parents were waiting for came into view, I froze.

All the fire inside of me died right then and there. My entire body froze and my mind went into lockdown. I barely felt Trevor touching my arm and whispering to me, too focused on the one person standing in front of me.

Standing there in a tailored suit, his blond hair neatly styled and his face clean-shaven, I watched as he smiled andshook my parents’ hands without a care in the world. I already knew what the color of those eyes would be when he finally turned to face me.

All the air left my body as I came face to face with the guy who assaulted me.

The ground fell out from under me. That night in the club it was dark, but I would never forget the face of the man who pulled me into a dark corner and touched me without my consent. The face of the person who gave me nightmares and made it so I didn’t feel comfortable alone out in public.

It was him.

“Victoria and Chaplin, this is my daughter Tasha. Tasha, this is Mr. and Mrs. Brown’s son, Daniel,” my father introduced the three. “We were telling you about them the other day.”

It took a second for his words to sink in, but when they did, I felt like I was going to throw up. Daniel Brown. Finally a name to the face that haunted me for the last year. But that wasn’t the part that made stomach acid slide up the back of my throat.

The guy who assaulted me was also the guy my parents wanted me to marry.

This couldn’t be happening. I stood up, the chair scraping harshly against the floor, but the ringing in my ears drowned out everything else. My vision tunneled as I watched Daniel step toward me. The smile on his face seemed easygoing. Like he had no clue it was me. Was I just a faceless girl to him in that club? Just some piece of meat to grab and fondle and then forget about? Was I one of the many?

All those thoughts made bile rise up in my throat. I didn’t think he remembered what he did to me. Yet there I was, still messed up and broken up about it.

As Daniel reached his hand out for me to shake, I took a step back. I didn’t make it far as my back crashed intosomething hard. Hands landed on my hips but all I could see in that moment wasthatnight.

The hands on my hips were Daniel’s. The chest pressed against my back was his as he pushed me into the corner. I was vaguely aware of my body trembling and my head shaking.

Daniel looked at me, confused, as his hand hovered between us. I looked at it like it was going to attack me. It already had once.

“Sunshine,” a voice whispered in my ear. I shook my head again. “Tasha.” This time, it came out firmer. The hands on my waist gripped me tighter before turning me around.

Slowly, like I was stuck underwater, I moved my eyes up the dark suit to the face of the person holding me. My brain lagged behind and made it take longer for me to recognize Trevor.

“Sunshine.” The nickname met my ears, working through the fog surrounding me. Trevor brought his hands up and cradled my cheeks. “What’s wrong?”

From the anxious expression on his face, my reaction scared him.

---