Total pages in book: 216
Estimated words: 206530 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1033(@200wpm)___ 826(@250wpm)___ 688(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 206530 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1033(@200wpm)___ 826(@250wpm)___ 688(@300wpm)
“Stop it,” Dominick says again, and this time he grabs both of my wrists in a single one of his hands. I wrestle against his hold but it’s no use. Stupid boys being so strong. I growl in frustration as I continue trying to free my hands.
His cheeks are spotted pink with frustration as he glares down at me. “If you’re going to act like a little girl, so help me I’ll flip you over my shoulder like one and take you somewhere I’ll make you listen,” he threatens.
I scoff at him and roll my eyes.
And the next thing I know I’m ass over head as he flips me up and over his shoulder.
“Let me down!” I shriek. “You giant— Oaf!” I finish for lack of a better insult.
He pushes open a door and when I look around, still disoriented from, you know—being upside down!—I realize we’re in yet another bathroom stall.
“Oh no you don’t, mister,” I growl. “You better not even think I’m going to—”
But suddenly the world is being flipped topsy turvy again as he sets me back on my feet. Apparently the multi-stall bathroom is empty, because Dominick locks the door. Then he stands in front of it and crosses his arms over his chest like some kind of Viking sentry.
“What are you— You can’t just—” I try to pull him out of the way and get to the door but he’s a giant and completely immovable.
I let out a huge huff of frustration and cross my own arms over my chest. I turn my back to him. Which doesn’t really help because I can still see his reflection in the multiple bathroom mirrors. Stubbornly, I squeeze my eyes shut.
“You can lock me in here until someone notifies hotel security, but I’m not going to talk to you.” I jut my chin out.
“Fine,” he says, breathing out so loudly I can hear how frustrated he is. Even without looking I can imagine the hand he’s running through his floppy locks.
Dammit, I hate that I know him so well.
No, Sarah, that’s not true. You don’t know him at all. It was just a trick. Pretend intimacy. Really this has just been a whole big scam. A game he and his dad have played many, many times before. The thought is a spear through the chest and I want to go curl up in a stall and put a barrier between us, even if it’s as feeble as a bathroom stall door.
“You won’t talk, then listen. Janine is not a healthy woman. We didn’t know that when we started dating her. And yes, we both dated her at the same time. It was something we tried for a while.”
I wince and take a step away from him. In spite of my determination not to say anything, I have to ask the question. “How many women? Have you shared?”
Another loud expulsion of breath from him. And then silence.
Oh my God. There have been so many he can’t even remember—
“Five.”
I blink. Was that more or fewer than I was expecting?
More than I wanted.
Fewer than my horrible imaginings had started cooking up.
I rub my hands up and down my arms. “How did it start?”
I turn around to look at him.
He’s dropped his arms but hasn’t moved from the door. His eyes are pleading. For me to understand? Not to leave them?
“It started with my high school tutor.”
I jerk back from him. What? I didn’t expect that. “How old were you?”
His eyes are clear and steady as he answers. “Seventeen.”
My mouth drops open. “She abused you.”
He shrugs. “I didn’t really think of it like that at the time. She was only twenty-one. I was getting laid so I was happy. I was combining my Junior and Senior year so I felt old enough. She was hot.”
“Dominick, that doesn’t make it okay—”
“Yeah well, that’s not all. Turns out she was sleeping with Dad too.”
My mouth which I’d just closed drops wide open again. “What a bitch!”
Dominick laughs at my reaction. “Dad caught us together, but it was after I’d just turned eighteen. For all he knew, she hadn’t come onto me until I was of age. Anyway, she got super freaked out that he was going to get pissed and fly off the handle.”
Dominick shrugs again. “He didn’t. He just came and joined in. Well, Dad being Dad,” he rolls his eyes, “she got her punishment, but in Dad’s way.”
“And you were…” I pause, not knowing how to put this delicately, “okay with that?”
He looks down. “Dad and I have always had a… how do I put this… a complex relationship. I was mad at the woman for cheating on me with Dad. I mean, him busting us like that was how I found out about it. I was hurt—she’d been my first and I guess, I don’t know.” He looks up at me and smiles self-deprecatingly.