Page 52 of Dare
“Sayit, babe.”
God,if he keeps massaging me like that I’ll never get out of here. “My body is yours.”I reach down to stroke the hard on being held back by only a pair of sweatpants. “And this is mine.” He groans and thrusts his hips forward.
“But,”I add, stepping away, my voice light and teasing. “I have to go, so you have mypermission to play with it while I’m gone.”
I’mout the door before he can grab me and he chuckles, shaking his head. “You’llpay for that later.”
“Lookingforward to it.”
Ifeel sorry for him when he closes the door. Being trapped at home sucks, butthere’s nothing we can do, and it could be so much worse. All this time we’respending together, I know he wants it for the same reason I do, because we maynot have much time left. He could be taken away from me for years.
It’stoo painful to think about, so I’m happy to head inside the studio where I canlose myself to the music. It’s late when I finish my last lesson with apre-teen girl, and the school is empty after she leaves with her mother. Justas I’m turning off the lights, I hear the front door open and close. I reallyhave to remember to lock it behind my last student.
Slidingmy coat on, I walk to the lobby, expecting to see a student who has forgottensomething, or maybe Lisa coming back to work on the books. The lobby is empty.Confused, I glance around. Maybe someone just opened the door, then walked backout? There’s no way they made it past the lobby without me seeing them.
Myvoice bounces back, echoing down the hall when I call out, but no one answers.I’m getting a little creeped out, but it’s probably just being alone in a darkplace that’s usually filled with light and life. Scooping the keys from thecounter, I make my way toward the door, smiling as my thoughts turn to Dare andwhat he’s promised to do to me when I get home. He’s turned me into a sex fiend.
Theroom shifts and a croak escapes my throat as I try to draw a breath. Fingerstighten around my neck, and I’m on the floor with no idea how I got there. I’mpinned, a heavy body on top of mine. “Not one fucking word, you ugly bitch, youhear me? Don’t say one fucking word.”
Talbot.The flash of headlights through the windows briefly illuminate his face. Nowonder I didn’t recognize his voice. His jaw is wired shut and he’s talking ina mumble that’s hard to understand. Fading bruises still stain his cheeks andforehead.
Mychest is on fire, my lungs crying out for oxygen, and the room starts to lookwatery. He loosens his grasp, and I pull a painful lungful of air, thenanother, terrified at how close I just came to never breathing again. “Look atme. Are you listening to me, bitch?” Spittle flies out of his mouth in a finespray, landing on my face.
WhenI nod frantically, he smiles, and there isn’t an ounce of sanity in it. “Good.I could have your boyfriend locked up until you’re both old and gray, you knowthat? It’s all up to me. If I don’t show up in court, the case gets tossed likenothing ever happened. So, let me tell you how this is going to go. You staythe fuck away from him.”
Whydoes he give a shit who I’m with? “W-why?”
Hispalm connects with my face, splitting the edge of my lip. “Because I fuckingsaid so! You fuck up everything. From now on, you don’t get to have shit unlessI say so. That includes your neighbor. If I see you together, I’ll get myfather involved. He’ll spend the next ten years staring at gray walls. Do whatI say, and I’ll forget to be in court that day. Understand?”
Thesearen’t empty threats. He’s fucking crazy. “Yes,” I whisper.
“Remember,I’ll be watching.” With a chuckle, he gets off me and walks away humming “I’llBe Watching You” by The Police.
Darewasn’t the only one spying. How else would Talbot know he’s my neighbor? Mythroat burns as I stumble to the door, turning the lock before sliding down thewall, my head in my hands. I thought all of this was behind me. Victoria,Talbot, his father. They haven’t bothered me for years. I moved away. I thoughtI got away.
Idon’t know why he wants to hurt me now. Back then, he did it to give hisgirlfriend a chance at a scholarship I won, but I have nothing she wants now.Is it as simple as revenge? If he and Dare had never crossed paths this neverwould’ve happened. Now, I don’t know what to do.
Ilove Dare. I’m so in love with him, and I can’t imagine my life without himnow. Even though he hasn’t said it, I know he loves me too. Either I break bothof our hearts, or risk Dare going back to prison. I can’t do that to him. It’sbetter to end things now, maybe get him off the Coulter’s radar while he stillhas a chance.
Darebreaks the law every day, but he does it to help children. No matter how wellISH covers their tracks, a senator looking into them could blow apart the wholeoperation, send them all to jail, and leave the children they’re helpingunprotected.
There’sno real decision to be made here. I have to love him enough to keep him awayfrom me, so he isn’t brought down by the same monster who ruined me. Curled upin a ball, I don’t know how long I sit on that floor, grieving what Daredoesn’t even realize we’ve lost. I can’t even go to him to tell him. I don’tdoubt for a second Talbot or one of his lackey’s is watching.
Myphone dings with a text message from Dare.
-Runninglate?-
Idon’t know what to do. I can’t tell him the truth. He’ll just go after Talbotand get himself locked up again.
-Stayingat a friend’s house tonight. Don’t wait for me.-
Ishould tell him we’re over, but I can’t make myself type the words. I alsocan’t go home. I can’t bear him trying to talk to me through the walls, or evenbreaking his house arrest to come get me.
Myphone rings and Dare’s face smiles at me. Tears stream down my face as I swipeto send him to voicemail, then text Sadie.
-CanI stay at your place tonight?-
Thephone rings again almost instantly. “Ayda? What’s going on? Are you okay?”
