It went from hot to cold so fast. I was trying to go outside, and it feels like I'm outside, but when I blink past him, I see the crucifix, the bronze glinting from the candlelight below. "It's cold."
"I'll warm you up." He assures me. But it doesn't make any sense, because in the next moment he's pulling my shirt over my head, and the chill settles deeper into my bones as it falls away from me, leaving the swell of my breasts bared to him in my bra.
He tosses my shirt behind him without looking, and I forget how to breathe for a moment, the cold stealing into me and freezing my body.
What is he doing?
"I think I want to go home now..."
"I'll take you home, baby. Just a few minutes, okay?"
I want to tell him no, it's not okay, that I'm ready to go now. But moving my tongue feels like a lot of effort, and I can't make the rest of me move any easier.
"Nick..." The world is blurry; I can't see well, so I blink, trying to clear my vision.
"Shh." He soothes, his breath on my neck again as he presses his lips against me. "It's okay. Relax for me."
Iamrelaxed. Too relaxed.
Something is wrong, but I can't figure out what.
"Hurry the fuck up."
My stomach twists as I remember that someone else is here... two someone’s.
"Nick... please..."
"Hear that boys? She's asking for it. Keep that in mind if she tries to go to the police..."
The police? I don't know what he thinks I would go to the police for. All I want is to go home and curl up in my bed. I don't even care about finishing the book I was reading... it can wait 'til tomorrow. I'm too tired, and my eyes are drifting despite a voice in the back of my head telling me to stay awake.
"Fuck, Nicolette. How long have you been hiding all that under those sweaters?"
I blink, and this time, the world isn't blurry. Everything is crystal clear as I do, and I realize my bra is gone now, too. My nipples are standing in points, constricted by the cold.
Why am I topless?
"I..."
"Fuck, that's a perfect handful." Nick praises, one hand closing over my breast, kneading it roughly in his palm and tweaking my nipple between his fingers.
I cry out, the sudden bite more shocking than painful, and try to wriggle out of his grip, but I didn't realize he was sitting on me; his knees straddle my waist, and when I look down between us, it appears there's nothing there— no clothing.
The fear started as a little thump against the back of my consciousness, shrouded out by everything else. Now that it's grown enough for me to recognize it for what it is, it's about to shatter the glass. I can feel my body waking slowly, the horror piercing the numbness that overtook me before.
"Please take me home..." I try, not wanting to say anything to make him upset. "Nick. I have to get home..."
"Not yet." He shakes his head slowly, dark hair falling in his eyes as he does. "Soon."
Something cold reaches between my legs and I freeze, everything in me going violently still as the reality of what's about to happen settles over me.
"Nick..." His name comes on a pant, one terrified breath, and I think it slurs. "Please don't."
I don't want to have sex with someone who was like a brother to me.
"I'll make you feel good." He promises.
Tears stream down my face as I try to gather myself, to make my body respond, so that I can push him away. Nick won't hurt me, so I just need to get enough strength to push him away. Then he'll realize I really mean it, that I'm not interested, and he'll back off.
