Rock Me Slower (Licks of Leather #3) - Jenna Jacob Page 0,46

my brain.

There were always rumors and rumblings in the industry about shady agents, and the lies and lurid liberties they took with hungry, eager newbies. Carl Zattman’s reputation was among those disreputable snakes.

The smooth-talking prick was the crux of what had destroyed all my dreams of a happy ever after with Mia. And from the way she was disintegrating in my arms, he’d likely tried to destroy her, too.

Carl had heard Mia sing at a club in Scottsdale during open mic night. When she’d exited the bathroom, he’d been waiting—more like stalking—and gave her his card. I’d spent the next week trying to convince her that the man couldn’t deliver a fraction of the grandiose promises he’d made to her. But Mia refused to listen. Instead, she’d given me an ultimatum. Either I convince the guys to let her join Licks and tour with us so she and I could perform the duet we’d written or she’d sign with Carl.

When I’d told her that was impossible, she’d accused me of being a narcissist, more in love with my own career than her. She’d been so blinded by her determination to break into the business she dismissed my warnings and set up a meeting with Carl behind my back.

When I found out, the fight that ensued had been verbally brutal. It had quickly escalated to levels of anger and frustration I’d never experienced. Mia refused to believe that Carl was only out to use her. Finally, I’d issued an ultimatum of my own—either kick Carl Zattman to the curb or we were finished.

When Mia chose the manipulative cocksucker over me, my whole world was shattered. Foolish pride forced me to stay true to my word. I’d walked away without looking back.

Gut knotting and twisting, I now held the woman who’d once been the center of my world while she fell apart.

Anger and guilt assaulted my soul, while agonizing what-ifs shredded my heart.

“I-I c-can’t,” Mia sobbed.

“Shhh, it’s all right. I’ve got you. He won’t ever hurt you again.”

“Yes, he will. He h-hurts me at n-night.”

I’m afraid of the dark. Her confession roared through my brain.

“You sleep with a light on, don’t you?”

Mia nodded as a gut-churning wail escaped her.

“Did he hurt you last night when you fell asleep in the cruiser?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because y-you were there, h-holding me.”

Tears burned the backs of my eyes. I had to swallow the ball of emotion lodged in my throat before I could speak again.

“What did Carl do to you?” No part of me was prepared for her answer, but the question spilled off my tongue anyway.

Mia sat up, but she wouldn’t look me in the eye as she wiped the tears from her cheeks and drew in a shaky breath. Turning, she stared out the windshield. Eyes rimmed red, her glassy haze wasn’t focused on anything but the past.

A foreboding chill crawled up my spine.

“Drugged me. Blindfolded me. Tied me to his bed. Hit me. Slapped me. Bit me. Raped me. Then locked me in a closet for two days.”

A tremor of anger, hotter than molten lava, slammed me.

“On the third day, he pulled me out of the darkness and slapped the blindfold back over my eyes again. He shoved me into a chair and grabbed my wrist, then placed it on a piece of paper that was sitting on a desk. He told me it was my contract and that in order for me to sign it, I had to do one more special thing for him. I already figured he was going to kill me and that I didn’t have anything else to lose, so I told him I didn’t want his fucking contract…told him he could shove it up his ass. He slapped me hard across the face, then laughed and ripped off the blindfold.”

A single tear slid down her face as she sucked in another ragged breath.

“When I looked down, it wasn’t a contract. It was dozens of pictures of me…of him fucking me, of him shoving dildos in my pussy and ass, of him coming on my face and my tits.”

Bile burned the back of my throat. I clenched my jaw so tight I thought my teeth would shatter, but I forced myself to remain silent. Some sixth sense told me she desperately needed to purge this story…force out all the violence, humiliation, terror, and sadness. I silently prayed that somehow, someway it might help her heal.

Her body trembled as she swallowed tightly. “He told me he wouldn’t represent me if