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I scowl as he lets go of my wrists and steps back. When I turn around, I find him already walking away, in the opposite direction of the stairs. Where is he going? I hesitate. Ifhe’snot headed upstairs, why should I? I need to get back to my desk.
But what type of punishment would I be facing if I didn’t go up there? I war with indecision before finally caving and heading toward the stairs to the third floor. As I ascend, I make it a point to take my time. Each step takes a few extra seconds longer than it should. By the time I make it to the row of bookshelves I’ve grown to hate, Trip is already there.
He must’ve taken the elevator after making sure I was going to listen to him.
His mouth pulls down in disapproval, but he lifts his arm and offers me his hand as I approach. I keep my eyes glued to his as I reach out to take it. With his attention on my face, I hope he doesn’t see how my hand shakes. A shiver of awareness slithers up my arm as his fingers wrap around me and he pulls me closer.
“You know the rules, dollface. There’s noignoringus,” he says as he pulls me closer.
My bottom lip trembles as I fight back the panic, fear, and desire that surges forward. I’m just one big complicated emotional mess. With a deep breath, I try to salvage the situation before it goes too far.
“Trip,please. I was working. I didn’t have time—”
“I don’t want to hear your excuses,” he snaps, his brows crashing together as he talks. “You’re a disobedient toy. You talk back, don’t listen, and you think too much. Your job is to please us and nothing more. What about that don’t you get?”
My bottom lip trembles so hard that even when I trap it between my teeth, it vibrates. Trip yanks me closer so that we’re chest to chest.
“I came up here to punish you. You deserve it,” he growls through clenched teeth. “Tell me you know that.”
Do I? I don’t really think so, but what choice do I have? Unable to form words with a growing knot in my throat, I simply nod before dropping my gaze.
“Good.” Trip pauses. “Tonight, however, I’ve decided that’s not going to happen.”
Wait, what? Hope barrels through the other emotions so quickly, they turn to dust. My head pops up to meet Trip’s rich brown eyes. His expression is still devastatingly terrifying but there’s something different… Is that indecision? Confusion?
“Don’t look at me like that.” To my surprise, he pushes me away, his face twisting with disgust. “I’m not here to save you or any of that shit. I still want to hear you scream, to see your tears, and to watch your body quake as we force you to enjoy every fucking second of our presence, dollface. Don’t ever think I won’t get off on that.”
I-I don’t know what to say or think at the moment. Beyond confused at this point, I stay silent and watch as Trip’s jaw clenches and relaxes. He looks away from me as his hands curl into fists and his shoulders rise and fall dramatically.
“I just can’t find it in me to go through with what I wanted to do tonight.”
I should feel grateful, relieved even. Instead, I’m confused. What’s different this time? I don’t get a chance to ask why. Trip seems to be on a roll and there doesn’t seem like there’s any chance at stopping him now.
“Do you know when the last time someone helped me was?” he asks, his voice harsh. When he finally looks back at me, his expression is thunderous. “Never. I don’t get handouts or help. People take one look at me and see the color of my skin and the tattoos, and they dismiss me. I work twice as hard as anyone else in Groveton just to be taken seriously and even then, it’s short-lived. People see a Latino man and let their prejudices and biases blind them. I stopped asking for help a long time ago. But thenyoucome along and offer up help like it’s nothing.”
I blink in surprise. What’s this? Is Trip opening up to me? What alternate universe have I stepped into?
“You know, it took the others a while to convince me that you were worth giving the time of day to,” he admits, disgust twisting up his face once again. “Yeah, you got a pretty face, but once we found that blackmailing shit, all I wanted to do was screw you over just as royally as you’d screwed Jackie. You fucked with someone’slife. Do you know how shitty of a person you have to be to do something like that?”
Shame causes heat to rise in my cheeks. I don’t try to defend myself, even as Trip watches my face closely, expecting it. What I did was wrong, and I know that.
“But once I got a taste of you, it’s been hard to keep you from getting under my skin. You’ve been like a goddamn rash that won’t go away.Fuck, dollface. You’ve been driving me crazy!” He suddenly launches himself at me.
All I have time to do is gasp before he has my face between his hands.
“Fuckingcrazy, dollface,” he repeats, his warm breath hitting my face as he speaks. “Yet, when you do things like help my dad, or help Jay’s parents, that madness is less unpleasant and more… I don’t know! It’s justdifferent. Whatever you’re fucking doing, it’s ruining this game.”
At this, I scoff. “Are you telling me that because you’ve realized I’m notalwaysa shitty person, you’re starting to have doubts about how you treat me?”
The twisted grimace on Trip’s face is all the confirmation I need.
“Just do it then. Go on, Trip. Deal out your punishment. I’m giving youpermissionto be an asshole to clearyourconscience. How’s that? Is that what you need right now?”
The snarl that ripples out of his mouth, causes my bravado to waver.
“How about rather than punish you, I do this?”
Trip’s lips come down onto mine. At first, I stand there, frozen with surprise. But as Trip’s kiss becomes demanding, I can’t help but lean into it. The desperation and hunger is startling but exciting.
