บททั้งหมดของ Wildest Desires: A Dark Short Story Collection : บทที่ 21 - บทที่ 30

Austin’s grip on my wrist is like a brand. It’s not a violent pull, but it’s firm. I can’t move, and I’m not sure I want to. I’m staring at his chest, at the way the dark hair curls at the opening of his white dress shirt. He smells like the expensive scotch he always drinks and the raw, musky scent of the woman who just stormed out. It’s overwhelming. It’s making my head spin."Austin, I... I didn't mean to," I stammer. My heart is a trapped bird in my chest, fluttering against my ribs. "I just heard a noise and I thought maybe you were hurt…""Liar," he says.The word is short and sharp. He pulls me across the threshold, into the room I’ve been forbidden from entering for years. He kicks the door shut behind us. Click. The sound of the lock engaging feels like a physical blow.The room is even darker than it looked from the hallway. The air is thick and hot, vibrating with the energy of what was happening just moments ago. The candles on the nightstand are guttering, casting long, d

I’m still shaking, my skin sticking to the mahogany as the sweat starts to cool. I try to pull my legs together, to hide the mess, but Austin’s hand is back on my hip. He doesn't let me move. He just stands there, looking down at me like I’m a puzzle he’s finally solved."You think one time is enough, Emily?" he asks. His voice is a low, dangerous rumble that makes the hair on my neck stand up. "You think you can just pay for three minutes of spying with one little climax and go back to your life?"I look up at him, my hair a tangled mess across my face. My heart is still thumping, my body still humming from the way he just destroyed me. "I... I don't know," I whisper."It’s not," he says.He reaches down and hauls me off the table. My feet hit the floor, and my knees immediately buckle. I would have hit the carpet if he hadn't caught me by the waist. He pulls me into his chest, his shirt damp and smelling of us both. He doesn't let go. He marches me toward the huge, velvet-draped bed

The bass thumps in my chest, a heavy, constant beat that makes my teeth ache. Blue and purple neon lights flicker across the stage, turning the dancer’s sweat into shimmering diamonds. I stand at the edge of the VIP bar, my hands tight around a damp rag. I hate this rag. I hate this bar.I watch the girls on stage. I watch the way the men in the front row reach out, their fingers twitching, desperate to touch skin they haven't paid enough for yet. My own skin feels itchy. Tight. Like I’m a bottle of soda that’s been shaken too hard and the cap is about to blow. I want to be the one they’re looking at. I want to be the one who doesn't have to say no.Then, I see them.They’re sitting in the corner booth, the expensive one with the deep leather seats. The man is leaning back, a glass of amber liquid in his hand. He’s wearing a suit that probably costs more than I make in a year. He isn't looking at the girl on the pole. He’s looking at me. His eyes are dark, heavy, and they don't blink.

The red light in the room makes everything look like it’s bleeding. In the big mirror on the wall, I see myself, flushed, naked, and pinned between two people who bought my night with a stack of hundreds. I don't look like the girl who serves gin and tonics anymore. I look like a wreck, and the sight of it makes my pulse throb right between my legs.Miles doesn’t let me look for long. He spins me around, his large hands digging into my waist. He’s sweating now, a fine sheen covering his chest that makes his skin slide against mine. He looks me right in the eyes, his face hard and focused."On the table," he grunts.He points to the low, heavy glass table in the center of the suite. It’s cold, reflecting the dim light like a dark lake. I hesitate for a second, my heart hammering against my ribs. The good girl inside me is trying to find her voice, trying to tell me this is too much, but Miles doesn't give her a chance. He grabs my arm and pulls me toward it."I said on the table, Danie

The room is finally still, but the air is thick with the scent of us. My ears are ringing from the silence that has replaced my screaming. I lie there on the cold glass, my legs still hooked over Miles broad shoulders, my breath coming in shallow, shaky puffs. The hundred-dollar bills are glued to my damp skin, sticking to my stomach and thighs like expensive bandages.Miles doesn’t pull away immediately. He stays buried deep inside me, his forehead resting against mine, his chest heaving as he tries to catch his breath. I can feel his heart thumping a wildly against my own, a heavy, physical reminder of what just happened.Jessica is draped over his back, her blonde hair messy and wild, her cheek pressed against his shoulder blade. She reaches around and strokes my face, her thumb wiping a tear, or maybe it’s sweat, from under my eye."Look at you," she whispers, her voice sounding raw and satisfied. "You’re a mess, Daniella."I try to find my voice, but it’s stuck in my throat. I jus