Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 134133 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 671(@200wpm)___ 537(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134133 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 671(@200wpm)___ 537(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
Especially after what just happened at Professor DeMarco’s house.
What he took from me.
I lick my lips, unsure of my next words, but feeling the need to put them out there anyway since I don’t know what happens next. “Look, I won’t… tell anyone what happened. I just want to sleep alone in my own bed.”
“No.”
The startling simplicity of his response makes my eyes widen. I turn my face to look at him, but his gaze is fixed on the road. “Why?”
“Because I want to spend the night with you, and I don’t want you to spend tonight alone. I want you with me.”
“Why? So you can keep an eye on me? You said whatever you did to me you’d expect to get away with.”
His brow furrows, but his gaze doesn’t leave the road. “I think you’re paraphrasing pretty generously. I said that about a specific instance.”
“You came inside me,” I say accusingly.
“Yes, I know.”
“You made me open a condom and then you didn’t even use it. I’m not on the pill.”
“I know.”
“I don’t get the shot or anything. No IUD.”
“I get it, Sophie.”
Maybe he does, but now that I’m actually thinking about all this, I’m beginning to panic. Spoiled rich boys like him might like to dally with girls like me, but they certainly don’t want to deal with any unwanted repercussions.
He’s proven tonight he’s willing to commit crimes to get his way, to cover his tracks. I’ve seen that he apparently has friends who will help him clean up his crime scenes.
What else might he do?
What might he do to me?
“So, you got what you wanted. Why won’t you let me go home now?”
His gaze flickers in my direction, but there’s a car coming in the other lane, so he doesn’t look at me for long. “I already told you. I want to spend the night with you.”
“Then you’ll let me leave in the morning?”
He doesn’t answer that question.
I wait for it, thinking perhaps… I don’t know what, but he has to answer me.
Because it’s an easy answer.
Yes.
Of course I’ll let you go home in the morning.
If he just wants to use me one more time to satisfy his urges and then he’ll let me go home, I’ll stop complaining and let him have his way, but so much has happened tonight that’s swirling through my mind.
He asked if I was his girlfriend.
I would have never said yes to that, but I was desperate to stop him using that toy on me. My body couldn’t take much more. I felt like I was losing my mind, and the shame that came with the physical release...
I didn’t mean it.
He knew I didn’t mean it. Everything I’ve agreed to, I’ve agreed to under coercion. He’s always making me do things.
A new, scarier question occurs to me.
When will it stop?
I thought it was odd how quickly he dropped me after coming on so strong, sure, but it was a relief as well. It meant I could get back to my life and stop looking over my shoulder.
Clearly, I wasn’t looking over my shoulder enough.
“How did you know I’d come to his house tonight?” I ask softly, remembering some of the things he said to me earlier. “How did you know what I even talked to Professor DeMarco about?”
“You shouldn’t ask questions you don’t want answers to, Sophie.”
“I do want answers. If I tried to tell anyone the truth about you, they’d think I’m crazy. I don’t even understand it myself. Why are you doing this to me? Why won’t you leave me alone?”
“I will never leave you alone,” he snaps.
My eyes widen and I rear back, alarmed at the frightening intensity of his words.
I can tell he didn’t mean to say it, at least not like that.
He lost his temper.
My questions made him angry.
I swallow, hugging myself tight as if I can stop myself from unraveling, but I’m not sure I can.
When he speaks again, his tone is more controlled. I can tell he didn’t mean to scare me. “Just stop asking questions, Sophie. You’re coming to my house. You’re going to spend the night. I didn’t mean to snap at you, but it’s been a long few days for me, too.”
I don’t say anything for a moment. Can’t decide if I should.
But finally, I decide to tell the truth. “I’m afraid you’re going to hurt me,” I say softly.
I feel his gaze on me, but I don’t turn my head to return it.
“I told you I wouldn’t,” he says solemnly.
“I know,” I whisper.
But I don’t believe you.
Chapter twenty-two
Silvan
I changed my mind on the way home.
I did plan to let her go home tomorrow, but Sophie’s reaction in the car made me realize something.
She needs firmer boundaries.
She doesn’t understand her place right now so she’s spinning around trying to find it.
Until she does, she won’t be able to feel secure.