“No bunny, this has nothing to do with you. You’re okay.” I reach for her.
“Don’t touch her, you animal.” The sheriff lurches for me, but Stone holds an arm out to block him.
“Stop, Uncle,” SJ wails.
Uncle? Ice freezes my lungs, threading out to my heart, into my throat. I shake my head and take another step back. I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole.
Stone is talking to the guy in blue, showing him the consent form. I back against the far wall. I don’t understand what is going on but the echoes of the past, the memories of my life being ruined, are in full color, being played out again.
Cade comes in the room and bypasses everyone to grab my arms. “Breathe, Alex. We’ll get his figured out.”
“Sarah Jane. Are you okay? I’ll get you free of this monster.” The sheriff picks up my safety scissors I always place within easy reach.
Wait. He said Sarah Jane. Alyss had a cousin— Bile rises in my throat.
She set this up?
The sheriff is tugging on the rope threaded through her braid. He’s going to hurt her. I move to stop him, but Cade forces me back. The sheriff slides the scissors against the back of her head and cuts. Her braid falls free along with my rope. I gag. “Get her down first.” My hands are shaking when I push Cade toward SJ. “Don’t let him cut the ropes and break her.”
But the man in uniform cradles her and my ropes fall away in tatters. The red ball bounces to the floor.
Safe word.
I move to my sub to offer comfort, working on autopilot. Cade grabs me. “Stop, Alex. You can’t do anything.”
This is so wrong. I’ve failed her. Never should have tied her up. She lied to me. Why did I think I could make this work? Everything she said was a lie. I turn away, walk to the corner, and tuck myself as tightly as I can into the space. I’m dead inside. This is a million times worse than what happened with Alyss.
Someone rubs my back. Cade? I don’t deserve to be comforted.
Sarah Jane is crying and calling to me.
“Here’s a blanket,” Stone’s voice barely reaches my consciousness. It’s good someone is taking care of her.
Someone worthy to see to her care.
Someone who isn’t me.
SJ
I can’t stop crying and I did this to myself. The only reason I sent my uncle the invite was to prove that I wasn’t lying and that I would— I would save myself by ruining Alex. And I did. If only I could die right now.
“There’s a back way out.” Stone is with us, still trying to help me. I don’t deserve it.
“No. We’re going out the way we came in so all those perverts can see what you did to my innocent niece.”
Innocent. Right. And he doesn’t care one wit about me. This is all a show designed to humiliate me, same as with the pictures he took. Jokes on him. I couldn’t be anymore ashamed of myself than I am right now. Alex’s face the moment he realized who I am and what I’ve done will be etched in my memories forever like a scar. The moment when he turned away and hid in the corner tore my soul in two. Each rope they cut severed any connection I had to one of the nicest, hard-working, most attractive man I’ve ever known. He cares about people, his friends—he even cared about me. I can’t fix this any more than I can weave his ropes back together.
We come out of the hallway to a room full of people. They’re silent. Even the DJ has turned off the music. I imagine the police showing up ruined the party vibe. I shiver and pull the blanket tighter around me. I’m sure I look crazy with my shorn hair and puffy crying eyes.
Two servers come out of the kitchen carrying big silver coffee pots, probably ordered to try to distract from the spectacle I’ve made. Blake scowls at me, flanking his chair is a man I didn’t meet and the woman in red, the architect who designed all this. She may be the licensed professional, but I’m the architect of this disaster.
There is no limit to what I’m capable of fucking up.
“Here’s my card.” The man who was standing next to Blake, has come over to speak to Stone. “Have Alex call me, I’ve got a friend who’s a defense lawyer.” There’s no doubt he’s speaking to me too. He confirms what I already know, Alex has people who will care for him. I have my uncle who will use me again and again. Because his decision to perp walk me through the crowd shows no concern for my feelings. Like his decision to blackmail me with pictures of the men who promised me a modeling career and turned me into a prostitute. Although, since I never saw a dime of the money in the three months I was held there, maybe I’m just a whore.
It’s painfully clear the monster in this situation isn’t Alex. It never was. The monster is the man who used a family connection, the seduction of my writing dream, and a story my cousin didn’t corroborate to convince me to be the villain.
Tears blur my vision. I search out Amy in the crowd desperate for her kindness and caring. She’s clutching Tyler’s crossed arms. His wide stance and cold gaze confirm that he understands what I did. I betrayed them all and they hate me for good reason. They may not have all the details yet, but nothing will redeem me.
