Instant anger overtakes any rational thoughts. “I sure as hell get to ask any damn question that I want! You got me into this fucking mess! If it wasn’t for you, I would never have taken any drugs.”
“I got you into this mess? You have got to be fucking kidding me! I told you not to drink it. You didn’t listen to me. You disobeyed me.”
“I’m not an idiot! I knew that he’d spiked the drink with something.”
“Then, why did you drink it? That sounds pretty idiotic to me!”
“I wasn’t going to drink it. I was just going to make him think I did. But then you had to get all bossy and demanding, showing that you cared about me.”
“You think I care about you?” He laughs. “Oh, man, Nina. Your worldview is definitely wrong. I don’t care about you. But acting like royalty in this town has its disadvantages. I couldn’t have a club full of people see you get drugged and disappear with a man without me interfering and saving you. One of the main reasons my family maintains so much power in this town is because we protect the town. Sorry that I was desperate not to have to spend my whole night fighting to keep you safe from some loser.”
“Erick didn’t rape me?”
“Of course he didn’t rape you.”
I clear my throat and then whisper, “Did you rape me?”
He laughs.
“It’s not funny. Did you rape me?”
He continues laughing, like it’s the funniest thing he’s ever heard. “No, Nina, I didn’t rape you. I don’t have to. You were willing to risk your life to try to get me to notice you. You’ve practically thrown yourself at me every chance you’ve gotten. I don’t need to rape you in order to have my way with you.”
“Then, why am I naked?”
Arlo sighs. “Because you threw up on yourself countless times as the drugs took effect and were leaving your system. I thought it would be easier to hose you down if you were naked.”
I frown. “You could have left my underwear on.”
He rolls his eyes. “I could have. But then what enjoyment would that have brought me? I thought it was my reward—to finally see you naked after saving your life and taking care of you all night.”
“I’m in your debt now,” I say with a small smile on my face.
“I want to wipe that damn smile off your face. You could have died last night, Nina. You did die last night. I had to perform CPR at one point because you weren’t breathing on your own. Whatever that asshole Erick gave you was strong shit. You would have died if it wasn’t for me.”
“But you did save me.”
He runs his hand through his hair. “I’ve never met a woman so frustrating as you, Nina. I want to punish you so that you will never do something so stupid again in your life, but I’m not convinced you will learn your lesson.”
The pain in my head is gone. My body is flush and warm with thoughts of Arlo. I have to have him. And I don’t care what words he says. He cares about me. He can lie to himself all he wants.
“Punish me.”
“Be careful what you ask for, Nina.”
“Fuck me. Punish me. Then, fuck me again. You know you want to.”
He growls, “You don’t get to make decisions anymore, Nina. You make shitty decisions.”
“Then, you decide. Am I in your debt or not?”
His eyes glow bright with anger.
A second later, I feel the full force of his anger as he pushes me onto the dirty ground, face-first, his body crushing me.
“You fucked up, Nina. Today is the last time you will ever fuck up like this. Do you understand?”
I can’t answer him. He’s squishing my lungs too much for me to be able to breathe, let alone answer him.