My poor mom will get dragged into more chaos she doesn’t deserve.
A vibration rattled the table, and I nearly jumped out of my skin before literally jumping to my feet. “Is it the room?”
Tripp checked his phone before nodding.
I didn’t wait for him to wrap an arm around my shoulders or use a large hand on my lower back to steer me down the hall. I started walking, desperate to get started.
I was on the precipice of falling apart regardless. At least if I did it with Tripp, I would find calm in the pleasure-pain. And I knew he would put me back together afterward.
His long strides easily caught up with mine, and we walked silently into the room with the leather sling and pain implements. He closed the door before ordering, “Stay here.”
He kept his focus on me as he stepped backward until he was across the room. He grabbed the flogger from the cabinet.
The women.
The pictures.
The gorgeous redhead was kneeling.
Would he have made her crawl, too?
Starting at my feet, Tripp’s gaze slowly rose until he met mine. “I’m glad you listened about the makeup.”
Ugly.
No effort.
Bug eyes.
Not in his league.
Boring. Average. Plain.
Bland, bland, bland.
Josh’s threats. The online comments. The cruelty.
The truth in all of it.
So true, in fact, that even Tripp saw it. Why else would he be glad that I was wearing more makeup?
That didn’t add another blow to my cracking heart.
It shattered it.
Eviscerated itandme.
Past the heartache clogging my throat to choke me, I whispered, “I can’t do this anymore.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
IS SHE WHY THE NEPO BABY WAS ON HIS BEST BEHAVIOR? FOR A WHILE AT LEAST. BUT NOTHING LASTS FOREVER…
TRIPP
“Say that again,” I demanded.
Dared.
