Shame (Ruin 3)

“Did everyone see?” I smirked as Mel leaned forward, her face pale with worry.

“Yeah.” Her lips were even white. “It got the most hits out of all of our posts on the website. The guy was completely horrified. He even called the police. His parents freaked, and…” She shivered. “Why? Why him?”

“His life needed more excitement.” I felt satisfied that I’d ruined another life, satisfied that I’d used Mel to do it, though she didn’t seem happy about it like she used to. That’s how bad choices start, though. Do you truly think a homicidal maniac wakes up and goes, hmm… think I’ll kill someone today? Hell no. It’s the tiny choices. The small things you think don’t matter. Stealing candy from a store, lying to your parents, stealing money, doing drugs, kicking a dog, drowning a turtle… what–the-hell-ever. It’s the small insignificant choices that lead to life-altering decisions. She had no idea when she said yes to that one dance with me that I was going to alter her — and now, she had no way out. —The Journal of Taylor B.

Lisa

IT WAS AWKWARD and tense, walking up the stairs to the second floor. Each click of my heels was another reminder that we were alone, just me and Tristan, or Mr. Blake. I wasn’t even sure what to call him, how to address him. On one hand, I was fiercely attracted to him; the other part of me was horrified that I’d just done something so stupid that he’d rejected me, yet offered me protection, something I’d shamelessly taken without arguing. That’s what fear does. It leads you up the stairway into the unknown with a sexy man following your every move.

When we reached the top of the stairs, I stopped, unsure of which way to turn. Two rooms spread out in front of me. To the right was the edge of a balcony overlooking the kitchen, and a few chairs pointed toward the large bay windows. A fireplace sat square in the middle. I wanted to be as far away from that balcony as possible.

I’d hated heights ever since that night.

They made me want to puke. As it was, my hands were shaking.

“Left,” Tristan whispered, and his hand grazed my lower back, just enough to let me know he was still there. My knees knocked together as I turned and walked in the direction he’d instructed. I tried to keep my head high. A few more steps and I could lock myself in the room and pretend that his touch didn’t affect me, that his kiss wasn’t still buzzing across my swollen lips.

“Here we are.” He stepped out from behind me and walked to a door then pushed it open.

The guest room was huge. A large king-sized bed dominated the middle. The wall facing the water wasn’t solid but made of glass from floor to ceiling. The windows allowed the moonlight to shimmer inside the room, casting a comforting glow on the white fluffy bed and matching white leather chairs. Clearly, the guy had a thing for the modern look.

Black-and-white pictures lined the walls, and a few candles were scattered around in organized chaos; either he had a heck of a decorator or had an eye for style.

I turned around the room then faced him.

Tristan was busy turning on the switch to the fireplace that appeared to also be visible on both sides, leading into the bathroom. When he turned to face me, his face had become indifferent once again, impossible to read. It made me nervous because I’d known a face like that, one that was emotionless.

I took a step back and tried to appear nonchalant, but my heart was giving me away, beating so rapidly against my chest I could have sworn he could both hear and see it.

“You’ll be safe here, Lisa.” His voice was smooth, his lips full against his careful smile. “I swear it.”

“Safe from the boogeyman.” I nodded and offered a shrug. “Thanks for that…” And the kiss, and the night of escapism.

Tristan hesitated, his eyes searching my face. My body heated as his hungry gaze devoured me from head to toe. He took a step toward me, and then another. My hands clenched at my sides as I waited. My breathing slowed. Everything in the room slowed by his fluid movement.

Once he was inches from my body, his hands slowly rose to my shoulders th

en caressed down my arms, resting at my wrists. With a shudder, I bit my lip as he lifted both hands to his lips and bestowed a kiss on each one.

Dropping my left hand, he kept my right, flipping it over until my palm was facing his delicious mouth. With a wicked smile, he kissed the inside of my wrist and then my palm, his breath hot against my skin. My body was full-on trembling, unable to decipher if he was safe or dangerous.

“Goodnight, Lisa.” He released my hand. “Sweet dreams…”

It took me a second to catch my breath, and when I did, my voice was hoarse. “You too.”

“I can promise you…” His eyes traveled from my head all the way down to my toes. “…I will.”

With that, he left the room, shutting the door silently behind him. I staggered toward the door, nearly face-planting against it, then turned the lock and leaned against the cool wood. Whimpering, I slid down until I was on the floor and let my head bang back against the door a few times, trying to lodge something logical into my brain.

He wasn’t for me.

He was my teacher.

My teacher!

Granted, he was also a sexy piece of man who was also clearly just as important as Wes and Gabe, but that made him even more off limits. I had to stay out of the limelight, at all costs, because I knew if I did… what had been promised to me would finally come true.

He’d ruined my life, my career, everything that night, and I knew my only saving grace was disappearing, pulling out of the public eye and pretending to be something and someone different.