The water shut off and the sounds of her moving around filtered through the door. I went back to her bed and sat on the edge, waiting.
Moments later, she emerged with her wet hair brushed and a pink robe pulled tightly around her.
I watched as she approached and sat beside me on the bed.
“What did he do?” I asked softly. Dangerously. It was hard to hold back my anger.
She flinched at the sound of my voice, but to her credit, she didn’t move away from me.
“He held me down and tore my panties off and then dry fucked me before coming all over my crotch. Then he made me suck his friends’ dicks until they came.” Her words were soft but strong. “He shoved me around and hit me a few times. That’s why I’m late.”
I nodded tightly and balled my hands into fists. “And my
answer?”
She twisted her hands on her lap for a moment then looked over at me. I locked eyes with hers.
“Yes. Whatever you want, it’s yours. I want to take him down.”
“You’re going to let me take your virginity to get back at him? To gain my protection?”
She swallowed and slid back along the bed. I watched as she undid her robe and closed her eyes, exposing her naked body to me.
Guess I had my answer.
I moved up her body and ran my fingers along the soft skin of her abdomen before reaching out and closing her robe. She opened her eyes to stare at me, worry clouding them.
“You can’t back out on me now,” she whispered. “I came here to get away from one monster only to be saddled to another. I can’t live like that. I need your help. I-I have to stay alive so I can find my dad.”
She moved to open her robe again, but I stopped her and held my hand over hers as I sat beside her.
“I accept your answer. But tonight isn’t going to happen between us. I’ll let you rest. Tomorrow, we’ll proceed.”
She squeezed her eyes closed and blew out a breath.
“I’ll meet you here at ten tomorrow night. You have Vincent’s number if something comes up. Text or call it if you need anything.” I moved my hand off hers and got to my feet.
“Dominic?” she called out softly.
I turned to see her sitting up on her elbow, her lush lips turned down into a deep frown. “You aren’t going to fuck me over, right?”
I offered her a tight smile. “Not right away. I like to give my prey a running start. It’s no fun if I get to devour them straight away.”
She nodded glumly. “OK. Tomorrow. Ten.”
“It’s a date.” I walked to her door and unlatched it.
“Dominic?”
I paused but didn’t turn back to her.
“Just us, right?”
“Of course,” I said, pulling open the door. “Get some rest. You’re going to need it.”
And with that, I left her room, all sorts of ideas running through my head.
But one I couldn’t shake was her writhing beneath me, moaning my name.