Page 54 of The Photograph

A whimper escapes me as he grabs my wrist and forces the check into my fisted hand.

As he leans in, his breath fans over my face. “You were worth every cent.”

He slaps a hard kiss on my lips. Stunned, I open my mouth, and he plasters me against him and seals his lips to mine with a groan. He slides his hand under my dress and cups my sex.

No. No. No. Screaming in my head, I claw at his wrist and lean back as far as I can.

“Gabe… Don’t....”

He fists his hand in my hair and tugs my neck back. Behind the anger that blazes in his eyes, there’s lust he can’t hide. Putting more force into squeezing his hand while my breath hacks out of my chest. I choke.

“Please… Gabe, please don’t.”

The next second, I’m free. I lurch toward the door and get out of this hell.

As the elevator finally swishes open on the ground floor, I take a couple of deep breaths and dip my chin at Jason who edges toward me slowly.

His voice is gentle. “Let me take you home, Ms. Aelin.”

I shake my head and force a smile. “I’m all right, Jason. Thank you.”

As I walk past him, he steps in front of me. “It’ll be my pleasure Ms. Aelin.” His jaw tight, he shuffles on his feet with his head bowed and lifts his gaze to mine. “I know… I’ve heard them talk.”

The tears I’ve locked down threaten to drown me once more.Dear God, as if my humiliation weren’t enough.On a trembling breath, I nod and follow him to the car.

Once he pulls over in front of my house and opens the door for me, I thank him and grab the ramp.

Before I reach the first step, he calls out. “Ms. Aelin?”

I pivot toward him. “Yes?”

Edging closer, he says, “I know about your work with the Other Rainbow Foundation and without people like you, my mother and I would have been on the streets, so thank you.”

I try to smile and touch his hand. “Thank you, Jason.”

He waits until I unlock my door to drive away. I walk in, lock the door, and shut my eyes. My purse falls on the rug of the hallway and the scream I’ve been holding explodes out of my chest in a torrent of tears. Drunk with pain, I teeter to my bedroom, rip the dress off my skin, and yank the bangle off my arm. Filth is crawling all over my skin.I need… I jump under the shower and wash and scrub my skin until it’s raw.

Bile raises to my throat while my head throbs. My legs give in, I slide down the red tiles of the shower cubicle and hug my knees. Everybody warned me against him, but I thought…

What an idiot, a stupid, naïve, gullible girl who believed in fairy tales even though nothing in my life ever gave me any reason to think I deserved more than what I’ve worked for. And even that, I don’t get to keep.

Zombie-ing my way out of the steamy room, I trudge to my sister’s room and slip in her bed then bury my face in her pillow.

How will I explain this to her without her breaking her tour? I’ll have to move before she comes back. I can find a job anywhere, but Cara needs to be in a larger city for her talent to be recognized and for more opportunities to shine in her field.

Cara. My Cara. Cara…

****

The next Sunday as every third Sunday of the month for the past eight years, I go to Rainbow. The well-maintained grounds, with its old leafy oak and the playground on the right where several children are busy being children soothes a little of the funk I’ve been in since … my chest tightens.Never mind.I stroll toward the gigantic house, an old hospital turned into a shelter for broken families. The wide front door I painted in purple a couple of years ago is open. Where’s Vania?

“Lalin!” I wheel around and crouch, on the stone path ready to catch my little cannon of love.God knows I need that today.

She jumps in my arms and giggles while I plant loud kisses over her little face. “My Sammy.”

I crank Sam high on my hip and smile. “Did you leave Mommy behind?”

She nods vigorously. “Mommy’s at school, and I’m here.”

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