Page 77 of Dark, Forbidden, & Taboo

“I didn’t pay much attention to it until you showed up. I didn’t know if we’d get along, and counting helps me stay calm.”

He tilts his head to the side, a quirky smile taking over his face and I smile slightly.

It’s amazing how in the past day we’ve gone from barely speaking and giving each other dirty looks to having small, intrusive conversations and smiling at one another.

“Alright, well, when you’re done staring out the window and counting, come to my room. I want to show you something.”

I nod before I turn my attention toward the window again, inhale a lungful of fresh air and close my eyes for a few minutes longer.

Chapter

Eight

Knock, knock.

“Just a sec!” comes the muffled reply.

I tap my finger against my leg to count the seconds. Thirty-four of them pass before Eastin opens his door and steps to the side, gesturing with his arm for me to come in.

“What’s up?” I ask him curiously as he brushes by me and sits on his bed again. He picks up the controller and goes back to hisgame. Crossing his legs beneath him, he pats the empty spot on the bed next to him without taking his eyes off the screen.

Against my better judgement, I walk over and perch on the edge of his bed.

“Okay, so you can’t be mad at me for this, but you need to see this to understand,” he says, as he presses a few buttons. The game on the screen is gone, replaced by a black one.

That only lasts a moment though, because after the press of another button, the screen comes to life with something that makes me feel a little ill.

“I’ll explain in a minute, but for now I want you to watch this and tell me if you notice anything,” he says as he leans back against his headboard and clasps his hands behind his neck.

My body turns red from head to toe and I can feel myself sweating as I turn my face away.

“Greer, I really need you to pay attention,” he says in a firm, but gentle tone.

I clench my jaw as I turn my attention toward the screen and watch. It’s a recording of Holden in a room I don’t recognize with another woman—one that I’ve never seen before.

She’s on her knees in front of him, swallowing his dick while he holds her in place with a fistful of her hair.

“I really don’t want to see this,” I say, my voice cracking as a tear rolls down my cheek.

“I know,” Eastin says gently, “but it’s important.”

I take a deep breath and begin to tap my fingers on my thighs. I count seconds that turn into minutes. Forty-seven minutes and twenty-one seconds to be exact before it’s over and they’re lying in the bed wrapped up in each other’s arms.

Once I feel that I’ve been sufficiently humiliated, I push myself up to my feet, but Eastin reaches for my arm and pulls me back down onto the bed.

“Almost done, I promise,” he says softly.

Another fourteen minutes and three seconds passes before Holden eases himself off the bed and walks over to his bag. He opens it and pulls out a syringe, fills it something I can’t quite make out, then goes over to the woman. He leans down over her for a moment to make sure she’s still asleep before he places the tip of the needle between her fingers and injects the solution into her body.

“Do you get it now?” Eastin asks, clicking the screen off. “You’re sick because he’s making you sick.”

“When was this recorded?” I ask, brushing a fresh tear away from my face, full well knowing the answer I’m going to hear.

“About ten months ago,” he says sheepishly. “I’ve been having him watched for a while. Once this was given to me, I made it a point to keep an eye on Mom. The one time I decided not to get stop one of their arguments …”

I nod as I get to my feet and when he reaches for my arm again, I swat his hand away.

“I’ll be okay, “ I tell him as I walk out of the room, ignoring his calling my name and head into the bedroom I share with his father.

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