Page 91 of Perilous

I really don’t expect much of a reaction other than confusion. But when Annika’s face lights up and twists with sickening anger, I realize she’s starting to get it.

“How would you…”

“Your best friend and your father have been fucking each other,” I say. “They’ve been having an affair or whatever you want to call it for about six months now. She always had a crush on him, right?”

“Fuck,” Annika groans.

“That’s right. And he saw opportunity. He pulled her into his darkness. Some fresh, young pussy to enjoy.”

“Stop.”

“No,” I growl. “Fuck no, Annika. You need to know everything. All of this happening behind your back. Here you are, studying and planning your future. You wanted to leave the country and travel the world. Yet behind the scenes your father arranged for you to be sold. To cover some of his debt. And your best friend was sucking his cock, fucking him and planning the same thing for you.”

“I’m going to throw up,” Annika says.

“No, you’re not, doll.”

“My stomach is sick.”

“Good. Let it be sick.”

“Peri, I swear that—”

I drop my mouth to hers and kiss her. I dare her to throw up. Go for it. She’s not going to vomit, she’s just facing reality.

I break the kiss. “I found her panties on the floor of your father’s bedroom. I found everything, Annika. That’s why I went to his place. I drugged him and went through his laptop, his bedroom, everything. I had to find out the truth. I had to know everything. Your best friend pointed the guy out at the end of the bar, didn’t she?”

Annika heaves a little, turning her face away from me.

“Peri…”

Oh, fuck.

I quickly grab for the panties tied tightly around her ankles. I work the knots free and throw her legs from the bed. She stands and tries to run but falls to the floor. Her feet and ankles must be completely numb from the knots I made.

I scoop her up like a suitcase with a broken wheel and I carry her to the bathroom. We make it just in time for her to lean over the bathroom sink and vomit.

She holds the edges of the sink with a white knuckle grip and I have a handful of her hair to keep it out of her face. She’s blushing as she gets sick, not wanting me to see her like this.

“Told you to get drunk,” I growl at her. “To lessen the blow of all this.”

The bathroom sink smells like vodka and bile. Her last empty heave is followed by a sobbing sound. I turn on the water, cup my left hand and offer it to her.

“It’s the hardest truths, doll. But it’s not the last one.”

“What the fuck?” Annika whimpers.

“You need to hear it all. What your father did. What your best friend did. They were going to sell you. That man at the end of the bar was going to kidnap you. Your best friend was part of it. All because your father is broke. Okay? So now you have that part of the story. You running out of the club that night and interrupting me was the best decision you ever made in your life, Annika. But also the worst.”

I offer her more water and gently clean her lips and mouth. She stands up, taking deep breaths.

“I need to brush my teeth,” she says, reaching for her dark purple toothbrush.

“Hold off on that, doll,” I say as I take her wrist and place it behind her back. I stand behind her, towering over her, pressing my body against hers. “You’re not done puking yet.”

Her lips quiver and she gently sobs. “Peri…”

“I know. I fucking know. But you need to know everything.”

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