Page 103 of The Trust We Broke
“Listen, I don’t know who the hell you think you?—”
“Bye, Henry. You ever call her again, I’ll get on my bike, ride to your house, and strangle you with my own hands.”
I can’t help but grin. Periodically, I had daydreams of what I would do for revenge if I ever saw Henry again. What Grudge did was better than anything I could come up with.
Grudge hangs up. “He calls you; you tell me.”
“I will. I promise.”
He reaches across the counter and strokes my cheek. “Loeb. The assault. The aftermath. Were you able to handle that okay?”
His words caught me off guard, for a second, but I remember we’re focusing on being honest with each other. “At first, no. But there was a counselor at college who really helped. And a patient guy in one of my classes who I thought I might fall in love with. He helped me through my first time after the assault.Occasionally, I think about it, but I’ve made my peace with it. I don’t think you ever forget about it.”
“I’m sorry. Sorry I went after Loeb in a way that left you alone. I should have asked before I even touched you in the apartment bathroom.”
I place my palm over the back of his hand. “You were the only man who could touch me the way I needed. I refuse to let Loeb take that away from us.”
His eyes search mine. “You’re sure?”
“Very sure.” My words are filled with invitation. “Can you remind me how good it used to feel?”
Then, his palm fists my blouse and yanks me closer to him, and I squeal as I’m dragged off my stool and across the counter.
My arms flail as I try to grab hold of his biceps. My shin bangs against the counter. But I don’t care as he positions me on my knees on the stainless-steel surface, bringing us something close to eye level.
When he grabs my hair, pulling it tight to tilt me so he can bite my neck, there’s a wild look in his eyes.
“You feeling feisty?” he asks.
“Are you?”
He runs the flat of his tongue up the side of my neck. “Maybe. You want it rough, Bug?”
I place my palms upturned on my thighs, close my eyes, and sigh. “Yes, Daddy.”
He tugs my head back farther and assaults my mouth. There is nothing soft and gentle about it. Teeth clash, and I swear my lip already bleeds.
My breath comes like I’ve run a marathon, as he rips my blouse apart and squeezes my breast so tight, it causes me to gasp against his mouth.
“You remember your safe word?” he asks.
“Sunset.”
“Good girl.” He lifts me up and places me down on the kitchen floor. “Love when you look like this, Bug. You’d let me fuck you right here, wouldn’t you?”
“Yes.” It’s not hard to admit. I’m so turned on by the loss of control that I ache to press my fingers to my clit. I’d willingly bring myself to the edge in front of him.
“There’s no one else here. So, strip for me.”
Quickly, I do as he says. It feels wild and uninhibited to remove my clothes in what is usually such a public place.
“Bruises?” he asks.
“Yes, please, Daddy.”
He runs his tongue over his teeth in more of a snarl than anything else. “Then, you better run. Because in twenty seconds, I’m coming to find you. Twenty…nineteen…”
I sprint out of the kitchen and turn right into the bar. With the lights on low, it feels ominous. Without shoes or clothing, there is no way I’m leaving the building.
