Page 77 of Edge of Heaven

“Have you given me a single reason to stay?” I ask. “You promised you’d ease up on the constant yelling, but you haven’t. Then, if I do the slightest thing wrong in your eyes, you spank me. I used to love you, but now I’m just hurt.”

I see the flicker of surprise in his eyes—as if he never expected me to say I loved him since we’ve never used that word—but it’s gone almost as quickly as it appeared.

“You’re just like all women,” he rumbles. “Using me. For money and status and whatever else. You think it’s a coincidence you’re getting more work now that you’re with me?”

I resist the urge to roll my eyes since we’ve been together over a year and the work just recently started rolling in. And that’s mostly due to Stevie’s help. I won’t argue that point with him, though.

“I’ve had most of these contacts a long time,” I say instead.

“What the hell are you wearing?” he asks when I come out of the bathroom in short shorts and a tank top.

“It’s a thousand degrees,” I say. “And an outdoor show. What do you want me to wear?”

“See, this is why we fight.” He shakes his head. “Put on a fucking dress. And lose the panties.”

“I’m not going to go without panties to a show,” I protest.

He growls. “I said, put on a dress and lose the panties. Unless you want me to call the bank and stop today’s payment.”

I suck in a breath through my nose, trying not to cry or lose my temper—neither of those things go over well with Callum.

“You just told me I dress too slutty to attend a country club even with you, but now you want me to walk around in a short dress with no panties.”

“That’s right.” He reaches out and roughly grips my chin with two fingers. “You want those final two payments made—you’re going to have to work a lot harder for them.”

“What does that mean?”

His smile is menacing. “I think you know.”

I shake my head. “I’m not fucking the band.”

“You will.” His eyes blaze with intensity. Or maybe it’s insanity. I can’t even tell at this point.

“Or little Toby won’t get his treatment,” he continues. “In fact, we’re going to make that happen tonight—because then I can call the bank and stop the payment.”

“Do it,” I say, though my stomach is churning and my chest is so tight I hope this is panic and not a heart attack. “And I’ll be gone tomorrow. I’m never going to fuck the guys in the band for your pleasure.”

“This about money?” He pulls out his wallet and starts counting out hundred-dollar bills. “How much, Taryn? How much is that cunt of yours worth?”

“There is no amount of money that will make me have sex with the guys in your band.” I don’t bother to mention that while Dusty is kind of cute, and Joker is okay, Shorty and Miller—Duncan Short and Miles Miller—are gross. The only reason those two get laid is because they’re rockstars. On top of that, they’re misogynistic assholes who don’t care about anyone other than themselves.

“Well, you have two choices,” he says. “Gangbang the band, or you suck my cock every night, in front of everyone, just before we go on stage.”

“So, you liked jail?” I counter. “Because that’s what will happen. You can only get away with so much, and there are decency laws in Texas. And I’m not going to do anything that might impact my ability to get custody of Toby. If that’s your line, then I’m out. Don’t make the fucking payment.” I turn and storm back into the bathroom, locking the door behind me.

My heart is beating so fast I feel like I might throw up, and my hands are shaking.

I might be able to scrounge up enough for two payments but definitely not three.

I’m so fucking close to being free.

I’ll do almost anything for Toby, but letting Callum’s bandmates have sex with me so he can watch—that’s too much. I’m also not doing threesomes or any other crap he dreams up. It’s bad enough he ties me up, spanks me, and does other things I don’t particularly enjoy when we’re alone. I’ll be damned if I do it with other people and certainly not in front of other people.

I don’t know what I’ll do if he doesn’t make today’s payment, but I know as a last resort I can go to Mick. I was serious when I told him I want us to start our relationship with a clean slate, but I still have to think about Toby. We’ve come too far, and I’ve put up with too much, to give up now.

My mother can probably put one month on a credit card and then I’ll figure out the rest, but this is so damn hard.

“Are you coming out?” Callum yells. “We have to go.”

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