“Yes.” It was true, I did but how far was I really willing to go for peace?

“Good. I know the perfect way to teach him a lesson.”

“How?”

“We frame him.”

* * *

My run-in with Trevor and remembering the day he propositioned me, sobered me up a little but I still stumbled up the stairs one at a time.  When I reached the landing I felt the urge to pee so I stumbled further down the hall to the bathroom. Lucky for me, I found it on the first try and no one was in there. In fact the second floor seemed deserted altogether. I thought people usually occupied the bedroom for…stuff.

After using the bathroom, I made it to one of the bedrooms and pushed the door open. I dropped face down on soft blankets that smelled familiar and quickly passed out. If I weren’t so drunk I would have realized what I’d done. If I wasn’t so drunk I could have prevented what happened next.

The sound of the door opening and closing, followed by heavy footsteps across the carpeted floor jerked me out my sleep some time later. It was dark and I couldn’t make out much in my room but I could feel eyes watching me while I remained as still as possible and tried not to panic.

It was the scent of the bed sheets beneath me that gave the first clue. The scent was familiar and undoubtedly masculine and the sheets didn’t feel like mine. This isn’t my room.

“I know you’re awake.”

Keiran. Relief flooded my mind that it wasn’t some creep from the party and I released the breath I was holding…Oh, God. It was Keiran.

Panic returned full force and stronger than before when I remembered exactly where I was and exactly why I was there. I shot up from the bed and hovered by the headboard, pulling the blanket around me for protection.

His eyes flickered to the blanket and back up to meet my gaze as a mocking grin spread his lips. “What is that?”

I clutched the blankets—his blankets, tighter and closed my eyes, squeezing them tight. My knees were knocking together under the blanket and I prayed he couldn’t hear it.

“Is that supposed to protect you from me?” I could hear the sarcasm in his low voice coming from across the room but still I remained silent. “Should I come over there and make you talk?”

“How did you get in here? I locked the door like you said.” I thought I was safe from him with the door locked…at least for tonight.

“I have a key…and you didn’t lock the door.” I swallowed hard against the lump in my throat. My heart pounded too fast and my breathing became short spurts of air. “Did you think you would be safe from me?”

“Yes.”

“Do you feel safe now?” His voice sounded closer and I realized he must have been standing next to me now so my eyes popped back open.

“No.”

“No, what?” he asked unnecessarily. I knew he wanted to taunt me. I could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice.

“No, I don’t feel safe.”

“Yet you parked your ass in my bed anyway.”

“I didn’t mean to come in here,” I said through clenched teeth. He leaned over his nightstand and cut on the lamp, creating a dim glow.

“I don’t believe you,” he said in a low voice.

“Look, why don’t I just leave?” I offered even though the look in his eyes told me he wasn’t going to let me go anywhere.

“Uncover yourself,” he said, confirming my fears. I clutched the blanket tighter to my chest, fighting the urge to obey him and let the blankets go. When he looked at me with angry lust all I wanted to do was obey. The question being, “is it because of fear or desire?”

His deep breath, cut in to my inner turmoil, and was my only warning before his fist was closing around my right wrist. He pried my hand away from the blanket until it was pressed hard against the unyielding headboard.  The corner of the blanket that I held fell to my waist and I felt the heat of his breath and the smell of alcohol against my cheek when he leaned down. He’s drunk.

“I gave you the chance to make this easy. Playtime is over.” He yanked me down by my ankle until I was flat on my back and then he ripped away the rest of the blanket. It was the only thing separating us. He stood up straight and slowly lifted his shirt until it was discarded in a heap on the floor. “I want that dress off.”

It was becoming harder and harder to breathe. The force of his commands shook me to my core but somehow I managed to plead with him. He was the only one who held enough control to not let this happen. I couldn’t say no. I didn’t want to. “Not like this, please.”

“Why not?” he asked in bored tone.

“Because you’re drunk,” I cried. My voice sounded desperate even to my own ears.

“Are you saying no?”

“You know I can’t do that.”

“Then I don’t care. I’m done waiting.” He reached for me so I scooted away from his reach and he laughed. “You’re a walking contradiction, Monroe. Your eyes have been screaming ‘fuck me’ long before I told you I would but yet you resist temptation.”

“Is that what you call it? Temptation? It’s blackmail!”

He raised an eyebrow and cocked his head. “Which only means you have a choice, and you chose my dick because you want it.”

“That’s not true. You just confuse me,” I said as I continued to scoot away.

“No more than you confuse me. The only difference is that I’m angry enough to make you pay for it.” The look in his eyes held me captive as I watched him. I guess that’s why I didn’t notice when he made it to the other side of the bed just as I did. He didn’t touch me when he stopped beside me. He just continued to stare down at me curiously.