Cute.
Inviting trouble in seems to be a habit of hers.
Chapter 14
Sierra
The second we step inside, the warmth of the house hits me, sharp against my skin that still feels cold from outside. I kick the door shut behind us and slip out of my heels with a quiet groan, leaving them by the entrance before turning to look at Cain.
“Make yourself at home,” I tell him, brushing tangled hair off my shoulder.
My body aches in places I don’t want to think about, and every step makes me more aware of the dirt drying on my skin.
I stop at the foot of the stairs and glance back at him.
“I’m going to take a shower before I start smelling like roadkill,” I say, already placing one hand on the banister. “Try not to miss me too much.”
Without waiting for a reply, I start up the stairs, forcing myself to move normally, even though every step reminds mehow wrecked I feel. I almost got fucked by two strangers in the middle of nowhere less than two hours ago, and now I’m walking through my own house with another man behind me like this is perfectly normal.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Am I really that desperate?
Every step reminds me of what the one with the white helmet did to me. The ache between my legs is brutal, sharp and relentless, making me feel like I just gave birth to a baby rhino. And somehow, despite how twisted tonight was, I already know I probably won’t say no to Cain if he tries anything. I’ve wanted him for longer than I care to admit. There’s no chance I’m telling him what happened out there, either. What would he think of me? Worse—what if he decides to play hero and call the police? If that photo lands in the wrong hands, my father will lose his mind, lose clients, maybe lose face in front of every person whose opinion he values more than mine. I’ll be the disgraceful daughter who embarrassed the family, and depending on how angry he feels, I could end up with nothing.
No money.
No safety net.
No place in the life I’m supposed to inherit.
Absolutely not.
No one needs to know.
I just need this night buried, forgotten, erased like it never happened, and I can only hope whatever happened out there was enough to satisfy those two psychos so they leave me alone for good.
By the time I step into the bathroom and lock the door behind me, the silence feels almost unreal after everything thathappened tonight. I strip out of the dress and let it fall at my feet before looking up at the mirror.
For a moment, I just stand there, taking myself in. My hair is a mess, tangled and full of dried dirt. Thin scratches run over my legs, my hips and my arms. Faint bruises are already starting to show, scattered across my skin like proof of something I still haven’t decided how to feel about.
I lean closer, touching one mark near my collarbone, then another higher on my thigh, my fingers tracing each one as if they might explain something.
I should be terrified. Part of me is. But another part of me can’t stop replaying it.
The voices. The helmets. The way they treated me—like I was prey, then like I was something precious.
My stomach tightens. I don’t know if it’s fear… or curiosity. Whatever it is, it scares me more than they did.
I let the warm water run over me, watching the brown swirl of dirt disappear beneath my feet. My skin is clean now, scented with lavender, and all I want is to crawl into bed and pretend tonight never happened.
“Sierra? You alive in there?” His voice drags me back to reality so fast it almost hurts.
Fuck.
I forgot about Cain.
Why the hell is he in my house?
