Page 63 of Limbo

“Back off,” I say, prying his hand away.

He reclaims a firm hold with the other and pulls me toward him. “No one has to know.”

Anxiety kicks in after another failed attempt to move away. On his turf, without Lauren in the next room, he can more aggressively pursue me. Which he does. He steps into me so that I back up. The distance to the rest of the party keeps increasing until we round the corner. Everyone out of sight.

His head dips down, and I put my hands up for a barrier, turning my face away.

“Tyler.”

He moans when I say his name, and my back is against a wall by the time his mouth touches my neck. The hot breath crawls over my skin. I shove on his chest with my forearms, but he won’t budge.

“Knock it off,” I warn him, but my voice trembles on the last word.

The next time I push him, he pins my wrists to the wall by my sides. Lips creep all the way up my neck to my ear. “Why are you always such a bitch to me?”

“I’m sorry,” I say because I don’t know what else to do.

“I’ve heard all the stories, Callista.” He thrusts his hips hard, and a wave of nausea hits me when his erection digs into my stomach. “I know what you really want, even if you won’t admit it.”

I see the moment barreling toward me now. One of those capable of changing everything. What happens next flashes through my head, the dread of it flooding through me. Desperate to stop it, I try to free my hands, to get away. He tightens the grip on my wrists as his body smothers mine. I cry out, but it doesn’t matter. I can’t move. Can’t stop him. Can’t do anything but be there.

Helpless.

Burning tears spill out when I close my eyes, and a panicked whimper escapes. “Please, Tyler.”

“Yeah, babe. Beg for—fuck!”

The weight of his body leaves mine, his hold releasing. I gasp for air, my eyes flying open as he stumbles backward, his face warped in pain. It takes a few seconds to process Johnny behind him with a fistful of blond hair.

“I found Callie,” he says.

I wipe away the wet from my cheeks just as Benji comes around the corner. One glance at Johnny and Tyler, and he bolts over, his eyes scanning my face. But I watch behind him. Johnny jerks Tyler back into the wall before letting go. He places himself between us, his stance broad and more intimidating than I imagined him ever capable of being.

“Hey, guy,” he says. “What are we doin’?”

Tyler straightens up, puffing out his chest in a challenge. “Just catching up.”

“Yeah, I fucking bet.” Johnny crosses his arms and turns his head enough I can see the side of his face. “Should I kill him, Callie?”

“I’m telling you, we were just talking.”

“I didn’t fucking ask you.” Johnny stalks toward him.

“We were just talking,” I blurt out, desperate to stop them.

Adrenaline shakes through my voice, and three sets of shocked expressions zero in on me. I force a deep breath to fend off the genuine possibility of collapsing to the floor.

With Johnny distracted, Tyler sidesteps away from him, a smirk on his face. “See ya later, Cal,” he says, disappearing around the corner.

The departing words stab deep, somewhat because he uses my nickname but mostly because he will see me later. He might even sit across the dinner table from me tomorrow at Lauren’s. If pitted against him, I’ve no doubt she’ll choose him in a heartbeat.

Johnny grips my shoulder. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.” But as soon as I say it, I shiver.

Benji secures my hand to stop it from trembling. “You and Jess, ride with Felicia,” he tells Johnny, never taking his eyes off mine. “We’re heading back now.”

“Yes, sir.” Johnny hands off a set of keys.

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