Page 14 of Fire Island
His face pulls into something painful, his hand pumping faster. It’s not that I want to give this man any kind of pleasure. That’s not what this is. This is my ticket to a long enough leash so I can break free.
Widening my legs just a little further as my heart thunders in its empty cavity and my limbs shake, I say, “Lower, Timothy. Look how wet you’ve made me.”
Almost choking on the stone forming in my airway, I force myself to stay the course, to stay still long enough to reel him in.
The ache of my pussy runs indignant heat through every inch of me, flushing my face. Arousal non-concordance. That’s what they call it when your body responds to sexual situations, regardless of where your mind is at. I’ve used it in my books, and now I’m living the horrendous moment my main characters have suffered through. I am, in fact, wet. But not for the man in front of me.
I’m living for each hour now. That pivotal moment where I come into my own. When life’s training wheels come off. I get to own this. I’m living for...
My freedom.
That sends blood thundering through my body.
I’m high on that control.
He jerks forward, collapsing over the end of the bed as he comes in his own hand.
I’m done being scared of this pathetic excuse of a man.
Checkmate.
Four
CALLUM
“What do you mean, it’s 2025?” I stare at my little sister likeshe’sthe one who’s lost her mind.
I’ve lost three whole years. The restlessness in my gut that flip-flopped into existence like a dying fish when I woke up here flares back to life.
Dammit.
I mean, it’s not like anything ever changes in my life, but hell. The ass-faced Jamieson stands on one side of my hospital bed, Iris on the other. Em hovers outside, worry etched over his face.
“Do you remember your lodger, the one who came to stay for nine months?” Iris asks, her face strung on the marionette strings of tentative hopefulness.
Sorry, little sis, nada.Not a damn thing.
“Who?” I ask, and her face falls. God, you could see that one movement from Mars.
“What about the Fresnel? It needs replacing?” Iris prompts.
“Yeah, well, thought it could have lasted another year or two.”
Iris raises an eyebrow.
“Oh yeah, I guess it’s time is up, then.”
“So,” Jamieson starts, “from what we can gather, your memory’s been affected. You have lost the last three years, give or take, a few months.”
“Will it come back?” I ask, brows dropping as my gut sinks.
“That depends. Everyone is different. With time, most of it should return. It can come back in bits and pieces or all at once. Sometimes another traumatic event will spur the old memories back into existence. But it doesn’t mean you go out chasing thrills to get your memories back.” His face turns harsh. As if my history of doing stupid shit in this town is not history at all.
“Don’t get your panties in a knot, Jamieson, no intentions of any such thing. I just want to go home to my island and get back to my days of solitude.”
Iris shifts on her feet. “About that.”
Jamieson leans in. “You will need to have someone with you for the first few months. Just in case.”
