Page 115 of Breaking Free

“Watching you on set in romantic scenes he didn’t approve of led him to think it was up to him to punish your behavior, fulfilling his twisted sense of justice,” Detective Lloyd concluded.

While the team processed the revelations, the room fell silent. Piper clung to Tristan’s hand, the only thing keeping hergrounded, as she tried to make sense of the madness she had narrowly escaped.

On edge, with her nerves completely frazzled, a cell phone buzzing on the wood tabletop made her jump.

“Sorry, I thought I had that turned off.” Lloyd picked it up and checked his message. “Here’s some good news though. Perry’s arraignment was first thing this morning. The judge denied bond and ordered a mental health evaluation. His trial won’t be for months. You can breathe easy, Piper.”

“Thank god for that. She’s been through enough trauma,” Tristan declared, sounding as bone-weary as she felt.

Piper tugged on his hand, waiting for his gaze to meet hers before asking, “Would you take me home now?”

“Certainly.”

“Thank you. I have an urgent need for another shower,” she confessed, her voice laced with desperation. “Although I doubt there is enough hot water and soap in the world to make me feel clean.”

When she stood up, he rose too, gallantly pulling out her chair.

“I’m going to stop by the ladies’ room first.”

“Are you all right?”

“No. But I will be.” Honest, not by any stretch sunny, but determined, her words hung in the air as she walked out.

“SHE’S TOUGH,” KEIRANobserved as they watched Piper pause in front of the conference room windows. They had one-way glass, which looked like a row of mirrors on her side. She raised a trembling hand to her forehead and took a deep breath before continuing down the hall.

“Most women, and a lot of men, would be a wreck after going through what she has,” Eric remarked.

“Not Piper. No matter what life throws at her, she soldiers on.” Tristan was proud of her strength and composure but worried she might crack under the strain. He could feel the gaze of the others on him, but only Christian spoke up. “It has finally happened. A submissive is tying the rope master in knots.”

“Am I that obvious?” he asked in his first public acknowledgment that he felt something for Piper.

“Yes,” they answered him in unison.

“The question is, what are you going to do about it?”

He met Eric’s discerning gaze but didn’t reply. It was between him and Piper.

“I’m taking the rest of the day,” he told his boss out of courtesy. Piper was his priority today, regardless of his answer.

“Take all the time you need,” Keiran assured him as he suspected he would. He’d been through something similar with Esme not long ago.

Piper reappeared at the door.

“Ready?” he asked as he joined her.

She nodded, her nails digging into his flesh, the only outward sign she was dangerously close to crashing.

---