Page 51 of I Would Beg For You
“Where are we?” I ask.
“Somewhere safe,” Anya says as she takes my hands in hers and pulls me to sit on the couch. “You’re sure you’re alright?”
“I…” I was all set to say I am, but I start shivering again. Anya pulls me into her arms, and I find myself sobbing away.
I got assaulted. In my own house. Almost raped.
Who would do this?
If Valentino comes to know about this, that man would be dead within the hour. Which means I can’t tell him. I can’t have him do something like this. Because these aren’t just words—Val would literally kill that person, with his bare hands, too.
“I knew that rat was up to something,” Anya says.
I pull away from her, stunned. “You know who it is?”
She frowns. “You don’t know?”
“I didn’t see him.”
She shakes her head. “Naomi, it was Thad.”
I gasp as horror fills me. “But he’s a robot.”
“With a dick. That’s always going to supersede any programming.”
“I can’t believe…” I pause and look at Anya, my eyes narrowing. Some things are clicking, some events lining up in my mind. “You never leave me alone around him.”
“With good reason. Look what happened today. You thought I’d left, didn’t you?”
I nod. “And so did Thad. The slimy…” I don’t even have words for this. “Wait till my father hears about this.”
Anya sighs. “Your father’s not going to do anything.”
I recoil in my seat. “What? No. He will. He—”
“He won’t. Thad has been appointed to his entourage by his biggest donor.”
“Still, he won’t put his career before his daughter.”
“It’s politics, Naomi. Of course he will.”
The absurd idea I once had when I met with Thad the day after the ball in our conservatory slips back in. At the time, I imagined my father might want to marry us off.
Is that why Thad thought he could take liberties with me? Because I’m to be his wife?
“I don’t get a say in this, do I?” I ask, realization dawning on me.
“In someone raping you? Of course you do!”
My mother might not have had a say… What am I thinking? And what’s my father thinking? I’m not some pawn he can move around as he pleases.
“I’m with someone,” I say out loud.
“Tina?” Anya shrugs. “I’ve seen texts popping up on your phone under the name.”
I can only blink at her, working to not let my mouth gape. If she saw, then who else did? Thank goodness I changed the name when I stored the number.
“Nothing to be ashamed of,” she continues gently. “My girlfriend’s name is Zara.”
