Page 67 of Daddies' Holiday Toy
“He said you did it for money? Why would you do that?”
After that, no one moves.
No one even breathes.
It’s like the world has gone perfectly still except for the sound of my pulse hammering in my ears.
I can’t stand there another second.
The cold is biting at my bare feet, but the sting is nothing compared to the eyes on me.
I need out.
My feet move before I’ve even decided to go, spinning me in the snow.
Each step feels too loud, crunching in the sudden silence, but I don’t stop until I’ve stepped back over the doorway and make it back inside the cabin.
The blast of warmth hits me, but it doesn’t thaw the ice lodged in my chest.
God, what the fuck?
“Holly,” someone calls after me.
I hear the sound of boots on wood, the pounding of steps coming up the stairs after me.
I don’t bother turning around.
There’s no point.
It’s clear now that I’m already on trial here, already convicted for what happened with Liam, and no matter what I say, no matter how I try to explain it, the facts will still be the facts.
I got Liam off and in return he’s giving me money.
“Holly, wait.” It’s Jack.
Of course it’s Jack.
He catches up to me at the doorway, his hand curling around my arm just as I’m making a beeline down the hallway toward my room, to the one place I can shut a door between us and drown in my own thoughts without three pairs of eyes drilling into me.
But he stops me short, tugging me around to face him.
Behind his broad body, I catch sight of movement, both Liam and Reece stepping inside from the cold, too.
The blast of warm air from the cabin heater does nothing to thaw the tension rolling in after them.
“Save it,” I snap before Jack can even get the words out.
My hand comes up, pushing firmly against his chest.
My voice comes out colder than I expect, clipped at the edges.
“You know, it’s really something…the way you three feel entitled to stand around out there and discuss me like I’m some whore.”
Jack’s eyes narrow, his tone is measured. “No one’s saying that.”
I let out a breathless, humorless laugh that tastes bitter in my mouth.
“Sure. Whatever you need to tell yourself. But for the record? Yeah, it was a transactionandI enjoyed it. So don’t stand here and twist it into some morality play where I’m the helpless little victim and you get to climb up on your high horse about it.”
