that’s the point?”
“My father’s a loser, Finn. Is this what you’re waiting to hear? He was a big-shot hockey player when he was young, but he blew all his money. He got injured and didn’t bother finding more work and lived off my mother and grandmother, and now that they’re both gone, he lives off me. He’s a shit-ass drunk and I’ll be damned if I let my brother end up like him. I promised my mother I’d get him out, and I never break my promises.”
The color’s rising from her collarbone to her delicate throat. I notice some bruising there.
Her eyes shine with rage. “Never, Finn. I’m not going to give up on Trinity’s staff. If we can come to an agreement that allows me to help them, I’m all for it. Otherwise, you’d better just kill me and get it over with.”
The wine’s done its job. I lean forward at her confession. “But then who will take care of your brother? Are the casino workers more important than your own flesh and blood? Surely another family trauma would keep him from getting to Stanford?”
She blinks several times, holding back tears. It’s so satisfying to watch her walk into my trap and see the self-righteous rage drain from her face. She pushes away from the table.
“I can’t do this. I’ll take my chances out there.” She steps down on her good foot and winces when she puts weight on the bad one.
I watch her with amusement for a few moments before following as she limps toward the bedroom. She’s grabbing her damp slacks from the bathroom, and I lean against the doorframe. My body fills the entire doorway.
She spins to look at me, tears streaking down her oval face. “Finn, please, just let me go.”
I shrug. “I can’t let you go, Sasha. I can deal with my father’s ire.” I’d prefer not to, though. “But I’m not so sure if you can. You’re tired. It’s been one hell of a stressful day, and you’re hurt. Why don’t you just rest here tonight, and tomorrow we can try again to find some middle ground? If you leave now, P.J. will find you and it’s over. I won’t be responsible for that.”
She’s wrestling with what she wants to do, and what she knows is the smart thing to do.
“Besides, not to read too much into what you’ve told me, but your father may be angry if you disturb him now.”
She flinches. It’s cruel, but I’m not wrong. Sasha raises her chin, trying to project a strength that’s left her.
“You’re just as bad as he is,” she squeezes out.
Does she mean her father or mine? Doesn’t matter I suppose. But before I can rebuild Sasha, I have to break her down. It’s part of the process.
“Maybe. I don’t sugarcoat situations. But you’re in a lot of trouble, and I’m someone who can help you out of it, hopefully in a mutually beneficial way.” There’s an offer in there, but one she seems to miss.
How sexually experienced is this woman? She’s in her mid-twenties, but she hasn’t had much time to be young, between taking care of her mother and her brother. Her life’s been exactly the kind of drudgery I’ve worked hard to avoid.
She’s clutching the pedestal sink for support, pain evident from the tension in her body. Her sense of duty is going to be hard to overcome.
Another reason to fuck her senseless.
But not yet.
I’m going to bring about the sexual awakening of this lovely woman and get us both what we want, but the timing has to be right or I’ll scare her too much. I need to scare her just the right amount.
But I don’t like how much pain she’s in right now.
“Come on,” I say, my voice gentle, coaxing. “You’re making your injury worse.”
She catches her reflection in the mirror and draws her fingers to her neck for a moment.
Sliding my hand to her lower back, I reluctantly stop just above the generous curve of her ass. She lets go of the sink and holds my arm tentatively. Her hands are small, her fingernails covered in peeling nail polish—something my mother never could abide on her daughters.
“Do you like to read?” I ask, walking her out to the living room.
Sasha seems surprised at the question. “Yes,” she answers, her tone suspicious. “Why?”
She eases onto the couch, while I pull a book from my well-stocked shelves. I’ve always been a voracious reader. School was far too easy for me,