Page 83 of The CEO's Revenge

I nod tightly for him to go on. feeling that’s what he’s waiting for.

“You want me to notice you.”

My eyes widen and my mouth drops open. Jesus, I was expecting him to ask for a sandwich. What on earth is going on with him today?

“Don’t give me that butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth look. You strut around here in your little short shorts and your skimpy little tank tops, tempting me. What else can it be?”

Has he gone stark raving mad? The only thing I’ve ever worn that even vaguely matches what he’s saying is a pair of baggy shorts that are about six inches away from my knees, and not once have I strutted in them.

I swallow the thousand different sarcastic thing that fly into my head and make the mature decision not to respond. If I try to reason with him, he’ll just get mad and who know what could happen. I’m trapped here for the moment, but Mom should be home soon. I just have to keep him at bay until she gets here.

“I’m going to make a sandwich. Shall I make one for you?”

Dan doesn’t seem to notice or care I’m not responding to what he’s saying. He just keeps right on looking at me like he’s undressing me with his eyes.

“I’ve tried to resist your coy advances, but I mean I’m only human, Amelia. I have to give it to you, you played it well. You knew I wouldn’t be able to resist you for long. And I mean your mom is great and everything, but she’s not what she used to be, is she?”

My mom hasn’t changed one bit in the time he’s known her. Dan takes a step into the room and I take a step backwards, the backs of my legs meet my bed. He grins, but it doesn’t meet his eyes. His eyes are suddenly nasty, lecherous, moving up and down my body. I feel sick as I imagine what he sees when he looks at me.

“You win,” he grins. “You’ve worn me down.”

He steps closer again, and again. I have nowhere else to go. Dan reaches out and caresses my cheek. My stomach rolls with nausea. His fingers smell of stale cigarette smoke and beer,; and his palms are rough, although I have no idea why – it’s not like he’s ever done a hard day’s work in his life.

“I’ll be honest with you Amelia. I’ve wanted this for as long as you have, but it felt wrong you know? Still… now you’re eighteen, you’re a woman now.”

“I’m only seventeen,” I say in a panic. “I’m not eighteen for another five weeks.”

He smiles and does the blink thing again. “I won’t tell if you won’t.”

My whole body goes cold as Dan reaches out and pulls me against him. I have to resist the urge to retch as his hard beer belly digs into my body. He tries to kiss me and I turn my head to the side. He slobbers on my cheek, leaving it wet. His breath stinks of stale beer and something dirtier than that, and I can’t help but wonder when he last brushed his teeth. The thought isn’t a good one. I can feel bile rising in my throat. I swallow it quickly as Dan lunges his lips at me again. I try to wriggle out of his arms, but for a drunk guy, he’s shockingly strong and his vice-like grip is impossible to escape.

“Dan, stop it,” I say as firmly as I can. If I can just get the upper-hand here, I might be able to talk my way out of this.

“Dan, stop it,” Dan mimics. “You’ve pushed for this for months and now you’re going to pretend like you don’t want it to happen? Why? You think you’re too good for me all of a sudden?”

I think literally every woman on the planet is too good for him. “You’re very attractive and all that, but it’s not right. You’re married to my mom,” I say, keeping my voice from becoming shrill.

“Since when has that bothered you?” Dan snaps.

He releases me from his hold and I breathe a sigh of relief. It’s over. Except it isn’t. Dan is only just getting started. He shoves me hard on my chest and I fall backwards onto the bed.

“Fucking slut. You really think you’re something, don’t ya? Well, let me tell you something about girls like you. You’re only good for one thing.”

I scoot backwards across my bed, but it’s so small and there’s nowhere for me to go. My back is already pressed up against the wall. I can feel angry tears filling my eyes as I try to think of something to say to calm my mother’s husband down. Nothing comes to mind. Since there’s nothing I can grab to smack him with I get ready to kick him in the nuts. He’ll crumple into a heap and that will give me enough time to get the hell out of this room.

Then I’m never coming back.

He smiles down at me and his eyes shine wickedly. I don’t know if he really believes I’ve somehow been leading him on, or if it’s just something he’s telling himself to justify what he’s about to do to me. Either way, he’s coming for me. As if he knew what I planned to do, he grabs both my ankles and clambers onto my bed. He pulls my ankles wide, and roughly pushes me onto my back. He clambers on top of me, breathing his disgusting breath all over me.

I try to throw him off, but it’s like he’s made of wet sand. His weight holds me in place and he grabs my flailing arms. He pushes my hands together over my head and holds them in place with one large fist.

I am screaming now, shouting for help at the top of my lungs. I don’t know how much good it will do. Our neighbors all tend to keep to themselves, not getting into each other’s business. And no one around here will call the police. Not if they don’t want their windows smashed in as a paint can comes crashing through them.

Dan is slobbering over my neck. It’s only a matter of time until he goes further. My screams are doing nothing to stop him. Mom’s figure appears suddenly at the bedroom door and relief floods me. My scream freezes in my throat.

“Dan. Get off her right now,” my mom commands.

Dan jumps up like I’m hot coals.

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