Page 133 of Torrid Love
“He’s changed, Dom. A lot. He’s a bit of a douchebag now.”
He’s always been one in my book.
“Why do you say that?” I chance.
“He spent most of the evening talking about himself and then he wanted to convince me to accompany him to his private club.”
A lump forms in my throat. “Did you go?”
“Of course not. I told him I wouldn’t set foot in a club without you.”
“He knows about us?”
“Like I said, he spent most of the evening talking about himself. I had a small window of opportunity to mention we were together. In any case, he’s not worth another breath.”
“How long is he here for?”
“I’m not sure and I don’t care. I suspect once his legal troubles are behind him, he’s out of here.”
Thank God.
My heart is beating so fast, I’m surprised I can still hear his answer.
“Rod, I have to go.”
“Oh shit, seven minutes went by already? I can’t believe I wasted all that time talking about Gideon. Okay, I’ll call you tomorrow night.”
“That sounds good.”
“I love you, baby.”
“I love you, Rod.”
I hang up.
I’ve never been so thankful to end a phone call in my life. The worst part is, it was with the man I love. The man I’ve been hiding a big secret from—one that could unravel this relationship faster than ice melts under the sun.
Breathe.
Needing time to gather my emotions and compose myself, I walk to the other side of the boat and stare out into the dark horizon reliving the terrifying moment when Gideon stopped being the guy Rod trusted to watch over me—when he was on stage or running from one interview to another—to become a monster capable of the unspeakable.
‘No, please don’t do this. Don’t hurt me.’
I can hear myself begging for Gideon to stop.
I can still picture the evil glee in his eyes as he forcefully entered me.
I can still see the expression on his face when he grunted he was going to take what he wanted from me.
I still remember how he smirked, insulting Rod for being too much of a wimp to pop my cherry first. He was man enough to defile me and claim the prize.
My hands are trembling.
A river of tears rolls down my face.
You’re safe. It’s behind you. You’re safe.
I repeat the comforting words in my head, but they never reach my heart.
