“What are you doing?” she whispered in panic.
The room was dark. He was still holding her, breathing against her neck. His fingers squeezed too tightly, painfully. Her heart hammered with terror.
“I saw how you watched me all night. You were devouring me with your eyes,” he said hoarsely.“Just like the rest of them, huh, doll? You want me? Say it. You want me. I can give you that. Right now.”
The music was so loud that no one heard her scream. Nina struggled, tried to break free, tried to reason with him, but he didn’t hear her. His breath smelled of whiskey, his fingers dug into her wrists, painfully, leaving future bruises. He wasn’t himself. He was that very demon everyone talked about. A demon who knew no mercy, no restraint, no boundaries.
She fought in his arms like a trapped animal, but he was stronger. Much stronger.
“Let me go,” she gasped, crying as she tried to tear herself free.
“Shut up.”
His voice cut into her ears, dull, drunk, strange.
“You’re all the same. You just pretend…”
He threw her onto the bed. Nina jerked, struck his chest, tried to crawl away, but he crushed her wrists and pinned her to the mattress.
She was a virgin. She begged him to stop. But Jasper seemed completely out of his mind.
After it was over, Nina lay on the floor, curled into a ball, shaking with horror.
She didn’t even hear the door open right away.
A hoarse, strangled voice called her name from the doorway.
“Nina?”
She flinched. That was Frank.
He’d been late because of a night shift. On the way to the party, Nina had sent him a short message saying she’d be out for the evening. He’d promised to get off early, and now he’d found her like this.
He sat down beside her and carefully touched her shoulder. She jerked as if she’d been struck. One look was enough for him to understand everything.
His face went empty, dead with shock. Then rage ignited in it. But it was too late.
Nina stared at one point as the cold seeped into her bones.
Frank sat beside her, his hands trembling. He didn’t know what to do with her. The music downstairs had finally gone quiet. The monster was gone, leaving her to drown in pain. Her short dress had turned into a crumpled rag.
“We need to call 911.”
She shook her head violently, sobbing.
“No. Please. Don’t.”
His hand froze in midair.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.“I should’ve been here.”
He blamed himself.
And, to Nina, it seemed that he went on blaming himself for the rest of his life.
That was probably why she eventually married him. Because he knew everything. Knew it all and still didn’t turn away. Because he supported her and kept coming back again and again, even when she didn’t want to see him.
CHAPTER 7
