I’m going to throw up.
No one was supposed to ever hear that recording. No one was even supposed to know about that recording.
How…
I guess now I know what was in the basement.
The words play, but they’re hazy. It doesn’t matter. I don’t need the reminder. I know what I said.
I know what I did.
And now, so does Pandora.
“You gonna tell him?” I ask raggedly, staring down at one of the few bare spaces on the floor.
“Why would I tell him?” Pandora asks. “No, this was really hot. I jerked off to this three times already. I just think, why stop at touching his cock a bit? We can do way worse to Blaze.”
My head snaps up, and I stare at her. I can barely process that she masturbated to that bit of information, even though it doesn’t surprise me. The fact that she wants to do worse to him, though…
No. That doesn’t surprise me either.
“I don’t want to,” I say, watching her. “But let me guess. You’re not giving me a choice.”
“You don’t want to?” Pandora gives me a disappointed look. “Even after he called you his subordinate? He was a real dick to you, Asch. Treating you like you’re the hired help.”
I grit my teeth. “So what?” I ask her. “He’s always a dick. It just took him longer than usual to be a dick tome.”
It still fucking hurts.
I’d thought I was different, somehow.
“Yeah. You thought you were besties. But Blaze just uses and abuses.” Pandora lets out a small laugh. “I mean, it was really nice of his family to pay your tuition. I didn’t expect that of the Bouchards. Or… I guess that makes Blaze think he owns you.”
For the third time in the past hour, I gape at her like a landed fish. “What?” I shake my head. “They’re not paying for my tuition. I’m here on scholarship.”
Pandora gives me a condescending smile. “Sure. The very special Bouchard scholarship that got set up just for you. I’ve got the financial records, if you want to see. They’re covering all your expenses too, which is a pretty sweet deal. You should take advantage of it while you can.”
I shake my head again. “No. You’re wrong. His dad is — was — paying me for…” I trail off. His dad wasn’t really paying me for doing anything. It was only pity money. Is it really a stretch to think that he wouldn’t go further? It’s not like money matters to the Bouchards. My tuition is a drop in the bucket to them.
But why?
Is he trying to build leverage over me? “That doesn’t make any sense. Blaze doesn’t even want me working for his family after graduation,” I tell her.
Pandora scoots farther up the bed and sits cross-legged. Her steel-toed boots end up on my clothes.
I guess it doesn’t matter.
Nothing does.
“It’s an interesting email chain,” she says as she scrolls her phone. “I didn’t know your dad was dead. Sorry he passed. Or not sorry, if he was a dick.”
I really can feel my heart thudding against my ribs now. “What…” I ask, hating how unsteady my voice sounds. “Why are you telling me all of this? If anything, it should just make me want to thank Blaze for everything.”
That’s not what I want to do.
I want to get up in his punchable fucking face and demand answers.
I want to find out what the hell he wants from me.
