Rage consumes me, and I take a step forward. Placing my hands on his chest, I push him with all my might. Stone doesn’t move. It’s like hitting a mountain and hoping I can make it crumble. It’s a challenge to see who’s in control. I’m not stupid. I know he has the upper hand with sheer strength, but he doesn’t know that the girl he is looking at now has the will of a fuckin’ lion.
“It’s not the same, Stone, because the last ten years, you haven’t been a part of my life.”
Stone crowds me, using his bulk as intimidation. His head bends down as he towers over me. “Because they locked me up, and when I got out, you’d practically disappeared. Who the fuck is Emily Willis?”
“It’s the name I used to hide from Robbie.”
“Why the fuck would you need to hide from Robbie?”
“Because he tried to rape me.”
Chapter Eleven
STONE
Red. I see red. “Lock the doors and don’t fuckin’ go anywhere.”
I’m going to bury that motherfucker six feet under and make it hurt. What the fuck? I should have known the asshole was as fucked up as his father. Jesus. She’s his sister.
“He’s in jail. You’re gonna have a hard time covering that up with all those cops and guards around.”
I’m a fuckin’ asshole. I banged her on the hood of a car like an animal. She’s right. I have no idea what’s she’s been through in the last ten years. She’s standing there naked, her arms crossed like she’s in control of everything, holding her head up. My little butterfly. She’s so fuckin’ strong. She has more strength in her pinky finger than most people do in their whole being. She’s a hell of a lot fuckin’ stronger than me.
I can’t stand to see her naked anymore, not because it isn’t a turn-on cos it is. If it were up to me, Emily would be naked in my apartment and never wear clothes again. But right now, she needs armor, something to shield her from prying eyes. Even though it pains me to have her cover up, I feel like it’s something she needs.
I open the closet door, pull out a long black coat, and walk towards her. Every step I take forward, she takes one away from me. Why is she so frustrating? I grab her arm, forcefully dragging her to me, and drape the coat over her. I’m surprised she doesn’t throw it back in my face after what I just did to her.
“When? When did it happen?”
She tugs the coat closed, shielding her body from my stare as she glares at me. “Fuck you. I’m not telling you shit.”
My chest feels tight, and a stabbing pain shoots through what’s left of my heart. She’s so frustrating. Why can’t she just do what she’s told, for once?
“Don’t fuck with me, Emily. You know what kind of monster I am.”
“Yes, I’m very well aware of the asshole you’ve turned into.”
I grit my teeth, trying not to scare her, but she’s starting to piss me off. “You were fine begging this asshole to tongue fuck you not too long ago.”
Her lips turn up in a smile, but it’s not the sweet smile I’m used to from Em. This smile is dark and twisted. “Yes, well, you give good head, and it’s been a while since I’ve gotten off.”
Before I can even think about it, I grab her by the nape and pull her to me. “You fuckin’ know that’s not all it was.”
“What else could it be, Stone? It was an itch, and you made a good scratching post.”
“You belong to me.”
“I haven’t belonged to you since I was sixteen.”
I trail one finger against the butterfly pendant. “Why do you still wear the necklace, Em?”
“To remind me never to trust a man again. A good reminder since it was given to me by the first man who ever fucked me over.”
She took the first shot. She aimed it at my heart and pulled the damn trigger. I never betrayed her. I fuckin’ loved her, still love her. I would die for her.
“Fuck this.” I grab her by the hair and pull her down the hallway.
“Fuck, Stone, you’re hurting me.”
“You already think I’m capable of it. Might as well give you a taste of what me hurting you is like.”
Self-loathing consumes me. I’m not good enough for her, I’ve always known that, but I never thought she could look at me with that level of hate in her eyes. If I can’t win her back, I’ll force her to stay. Either way, I’m good. Eventually, she’ll learn to accept it. We all learn to accept captivity, bend to it to survive. Emily will do the same.
“Stone, please,” she begs as I toss her onto the bed and start rummaging in the dresser drawer, pulling out a pair of handcuffs. “What are you doing?”