“That’s what I keep telling him.”
Sasha’s unfocused gaze sharpened on the woman before her. Of course, she wanted Aaron. Why wouldn’t she? He was hot, and apparently they both got off on what they did to each other.
Her stomach dropped as a new understanding dawned. “Did he fuck you?”
He wouldn’t do that to Sasha, would he? They didn’t have a relationship, but he’d just been with her.
Those red lips twitched. “We’re not allowed to talk about what the Masters do outside of public scenes.” She glanced to the side before looking at Sasha again and lowering her voice. “But I get so fucking wet every time he puts his hands on me … and the man can fuck like a dream.”
She was going to throw up. Not knowing if her mumbled words made any sense, she quickly excused herself and made her way to the door as she fished out her phone to call a cab.
That son of bitch had come here merely hours after being in bed with her and had topped some woman. One he’d apparently fucked and been with many times. Then he had the audacity to bring Sasha here to give her a taste of his uncontrollable kinky shit?
And Aaron had lectured her on trust? What a grade-A asshole.
She didn’t need this shit, and she sure as hell didn’t want to be controlled. He obviously hadn’t even thought about what she really wanted. Only wanted to satisfy his own sexual desires.
And apparently Sasha wasn’t enough to keep him interested anyway. He was probably already whipping that other woman. Her chest hurt at the thought of that, but she ignored it. She should’ve never let herself forget men were all scum. Always out for number one.
Aaron was no different.
Good fucking riddance.
Chapter 10
Ten days.
Sasha had spent the last ten days hiding at Cassie’s house, avoiding all things Aaron Cope.
He’d sent her a text message to let her know the seller had gotten called away on business, but that he’d verbally agreed to the contract. He’d be signing it as soon as he returned.
She hadn’t replied.
A couple of days later, he’d tried calling her, but she hadn’t answered. He’d left an all-business message on the update of the contract, and nothing else.
A week after the incident at the club, he’d called her again. That time he hadn’t mentioned the condo at all. Only that he missed her and wanted to talk. She still hadn’t returned his call.
“He’s a mess,” Cassie said, taking a sip of her wine. She and Ian had returned a couple of days ago from their honeymoon. Cassie had tried getting Sasha to open up about what had happened between her and Aaron, but she didn’t even know where to start. Did she focus on the fact that he’d tied her up or did she start with his perverted need to cane and fuck random women, regardless of Sasha’s feelings?
Truth was, time hadn’t given her any clarity. She was still pissed at him.
And hurt.
Jesus, she hurt so badly that she’d cried on the way home that night. That was twice she’d cried because of this man, and she hadn’t shed a tear since leaving the hospital after Dwight had put her in it.
She was so sick and tired of her thoughts drifting back to that man.
“Dwight beat the shit out of me,” she found herself saying.
Cassie gasped, and Sasha looked at her. Whatever she was thinking had quickly been shielded. “I know things ended badly. He put you in the hospital.”
“I never knew when something would set him off. He could be fine one minute, and the next he’d be yelling at me. Or worse, belittling me. I never thought about it being abuse because he didn’t actually touch me.” She laughed without humor. “Stupid, right?”
Cassie reached out and cupped her hands. “No. It’s not stupid. Men like that get off on being in control. They don’t care about who they hurt.”
Sasha pulled her hands away and crossed her arms. “Funny that you mention control. Aaron gets off on it, too.”
Cassie’s mouth opened and closed before she responded. “That’s not the same thing, sweetie. Not when it’s two consenting adults.”
“But what about when consent is blurry?” Cassie started shaking. “What ever happened to no being no?”
Her friend stared at her, blinking her eyes rapidly. “He raped you,” she said softly, and they both knew they weren’t talking about Aaron.
“Yes.”
“Oh, Sasha.” Cassie pulled her into her arms, and Sasha felt the first tear slip out before she pushed her emotions away. Crying over it wouldn’t change it. She gently untangled herself from Cassie.
“That night,” she stopped and swallowed the lump again. “That night, he tied me up. Beat me when I said no, so I stopped saying it. Then he forced himself on me. I thought I was going to die.” Once the words were out, she rushed on. “I did what I could to get through the night. When he passed out, I tore up my wrists getting free. I went straight to the hospital. The doctors asked if I needed a rape kit, but I said no. I was on the pill, and he’d always used condoms. I just wanted the pain to go away. I didn’t want to deal with it.
“When the police arrived, I panicked. I didn’t want to press charges because I knew Dwight would kill me, but the officer was female, and she wouldn’t let up until I agreed. I never said a word about rape. Just that my boyfriend got drunk and beat me. It was the easiest thing for me to say to make it all go away. I knew if I told the truth, there’d have been a trial and I’d have to live through it all over again. I just couldn’t. I knew it made me a coward, but I just didn’t care.”
“You’re not a coward,” Cassie rushed to say.
“Yeah, I was.” She shrugged. “But I think the prosecutor didn’t believe the story I gave. I know he talked to Dwight’s attorney to get him to plea to a domestic violence charge. He wanted him to agree to a one-year sentence with him being free in eight months if he was good, and five years probation. If he didn’t take the offer, the prosecutor threatened to get to the bottom of the truth and told him he’d be put away for a very long time. Within a week everything was settled.” She shook her head. “That damn prosecutor still wasn’t happy I’d stuck to my story, but I was just relieved he’d made it all go away. Dwight was going to jail, and when he got out he was prohibited from ever contacting me. That was good enough.”
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
Sasha half-smiled. “I was ashamed. I’d never taken shit from a man before, and there I was, letting him treat me like garbage. I never understood I was in an abusive relationship until it was too late. I mean, it happened so slowly. One snide remark here and there doesn’t seem so bad … until one day it is.”
“Did you talk to somebody else then? A counselor maybe?”
Sasha nodded. “Once. She wanted me to see her regularly, but that meant facing what had happened. I just wanted to forget it.”
“I am so sorry that happened to you.” Cassie’s voice cracked, and Sasha pulled her into her arms.
“Hello, you should be comforting me, not the other way around. I was the one who was raped.”
“What?” a deep voice boomed from behind them. The girls jumped apart, and Cassie got up to pull Ian out, mumbling something to him. Sasha could see the struggle between wanting to ask Sasha about it and trying to listen to what his new wife was telling him. Once they were out of the kitchen, Sasha slumped into her chair.
“Sorry about that,” Cassie said as she came back into the room and took the same seat as before.
“Oh crap, he’s going to tell Aaron, isn’t he?” Although Sasha had already alluded to being raped during their last conversation. Maybe he already made it to that conclusion.
“Probably.” She sighed. “He also said Aaron just called him and asked if he’d relay a message to you.”
Her heart pounded and her hands immediately began to sweat. What did Aaron have to say this time? “And?”
“He said he had the paperwork ready for you to sign on your new condo and ask
ed for you to meet him there in a couple of hours.” She cocked her head to the side, studying Sasha, but she didn’t understand the sudden scrutiny. “Why didn’t you tell me this new awesome place was in his building?”
Sasha frowned. “Whose building?”
Cassie slowly smiled. “Well, holy hell, girl. Seems Aaron has a little devious side even outside of the sex club. That’s his complex. Aaron lives there. Owns a condo on the top floor.”
“What?” she breathed, unable to hide the menace in her voice.
“Oh yeah, he lives there. And the look in your eyes tells me he’s in serious trouble.”
“You have no idea, Cassie.” She took a calming breath. It didn’t work. “You have no idea.”
“I told you I don’t have time for a drink,” Aaron said, glancing at his watch as he sat beside his brother at Sheehan’s.
“And I told you, I don’t give a shit.”
Aaron groaned and ordered a beer. Hell, maybe it’d help relax his nerves. He wasn’t used to being on edge, but knew Sasha couldn’t avoid seeing him tonight after spending the last week and half dodging his every attempt at contact. He’d hoped he would get to use the excuse of signing the papers sooner than this, but the owner of the unit just arrived back in town this morning. Aaron would’ve been all for emailing the contracts to get his signature, but he’d been sent to Africa on a relief mission and Internet access didn’t exist in the area.
“What’s going on between you and Sasha?”
Aaron almost spit out the beer he’d just sipped. “Excuse me?” he asked, putting his mug down.
“I’ve only been back a few days, but I know something’s going on between you two. Especially on her end.”
That got his attention. “What do you mean?”
Ian chuckled. “Oh no. I just got married, dude. No way am I breaking my wife’s confidence this early in the game.”
So Cassie had said something to Ian, which meant Sasha had said something to Cassie. Maybe all hope wasn’t lost yet.
“I like her. A lot.”
“I think she more than likes you.”
The blood rushed in his veins as he stared at his brother. “The feeling’s mutual.”
Ian watched him for several seconds before nodding quickly. “All right, man. I overheard some shit earlier I wasn’t supposed to. Normally, I’m not one to spread other people’s business, but if you care about her, then you should know.”
Aaron’s jaw ticked. “What?”
“She told Cassie that she’d been raped.”
He schooled his expression. Even though he’d figured as much, having it confirmed still fucking infuriated him. “I suspected.”
Ian nodded slowly. “Okay, do you know how it went down?”
He shook his head, both answering his brother’s question and reacting to the fact that he didn’t think he could hear this.
“Her ex-boyfriend tied her up and damn near beat her to death before doing it.”
“Son of a bitch!” Aaron grabbed his hair and yanked his head down, breathing fast and furiously. No wonder she’d run out on him. He had tied her up and fucked her. He hadn’t beat her, but it had been too close to home for her.
“I gotta jet, man.” Aaron stood and fished out his wallet.
“I got it, brother. Go work things out with your woman.”
He nodded and bolted as fast as he could. He’d still get to the apartment early, but he didn’t care. He had to be there waiting on her when she got there.
No wonder she’d been avoiding him since that night. How could he be so damn insensitive? If he could, he’d kick his own ass over this.
Instead, he’d have to settle for groveling. And he’d do it the moment she walked in that door.
When he got there, all he could do was pace. He kept checking the clock, counting down the minutes until she’d arrive. Twenty minutes early, the door swung open and she walked in.
“Baby, I’m so sorry.” He moved toward her.
“Don’t you baby me, you, you, asshole!”
“Yes, I’m an ass. I had no right to tie you up without talking to you about it first. I thought I was doing the right thing, and I assumed you’d tell me to stop if you wanted to. It didn’t even occur to me that you’d be so wrapped up in fear that you couldn’t find the strength to do it. I had no idea your ex had done that to you. God, I’m so fucking sorry.”
She frowned at him. “You’re trying to change the subject, and it’s not going to work.”
He opened his mouth and then shut it on a frown. “Huh?”
No, it wasn’t very articulate, but he seriously had no idea what she was talking about.
“You, Aaron Cope, are nothing but a liar.” Her laughter sounded a little maniacal, and he wondered if he should’ve brought his brother with him for some kind of protection.
“Gonna have to give me more than that,” he said, instead of denying the bullshit comment about him being a liar.
“Ha! And you talk to me about trust. That’s just fucking real.”
Okay, she wasn’t making any sense. “Sasha, I’m lost here, baby.” He took one step closer. When she didn’t growl or hiss at him, he took another. “I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh where should I start?” she scoffed and started pacing like a caged animal. When she stopped, she pinned him with a stare that would leave a lesser man pissing in his pants. “Did you fuck her?”
What the? “Who?”
“Fuck, I don’t remember her name. The chick with the welts across her back that night. Cinderella or something.”
Oh shit. He swallowed. “Gabriella.”
“Yes!” She jabbed an accusing finger in the air toward him. “Her. Did you fuck her?”
Fuck, fuck, fuck. How the hell could he spin this so that he didn’t get into any more trouble? Not that he’d lie to Sasha. No, he’d just like to be able to leave this room with his balls intact. That option wasn’t looking very promising right now.
“Yes, I’ve fucked her.”
“No shit. She told me that much. Right after I found out it was you who beat the crap out of her!” Sasha’s voice had gotten louder with each word until she was screaming at him.
When had she talked to Gabi? Was the fact that he’d been the one to flog her the reason Sasha was so pissed at him? He didn’t even know where to begin with his questions. “Baby, you know I’m a Dom. Gabriella is a masochist. She needs pain.” He stepped toward her. “I would never hurt a woman. Not outside the dynamics of a BDSM encounter.”
“I asked you if you fucked her. That. Night. The night you fucking beat her after leaving my bed!”
He knew it wasn’t appropriate, but he couldn’t help it. He smiled. “You’re jealous.”
“Oh my god, I’m going to rip your balls off and fry them for dinner,” she muttered while stalking toward him.
Now he was laughing, backing away, and putting the couch between them. “Calm down,” he said through a chuckle. “I have not fucked her or any other woman since I’ve met you.”
She’d started climbing over the back of the couch to reach him, but she stopped at his words and dropped her foot back to the floor. The relief in her eyes sobered him.
“Hell, baby, is that why you haven’t been taking my calls. You think I’ve been out playing around with other women?”
She crossed her arms and looked away. He used that momentary distraction as his chance to move to her. He shook her gently until she looked up at him. “I thought it was because you needed time to digest what had happened that night. You stormed out of the room, needing space. I was only trying to give it to you. Then Ian just told me about your rape, about you being tied up, and I felt like such a bastard. That’s why I was apologizing. After hearing Ian’s words, I assumed I’d freaked you the fuck out and that was why you’d been avoiding me. If I’d known you were worried about Gabriella or any other woman, I’d have set you straight immediately.”
She pushed him
away. “I’m still mad at you.”
He sighed, putting his hands on his hips. “Is there something else I need to know about for us to work through? Or do you still need time to get over your anger for assuming I cheated on you?”
“Okay, Aaron, before I get to the other thing, let’s talk about the cheating. Maybe you didn’t have sex with that woman, but you knew pain turned her on. So you got her all worked up and then left her unfilled? And while I’m at it, I know being all dominating turns you on. Are you telling me you didn’t get anything sexual out of whatever happened with her that night?”
He dropped his arms and took a deep breath. He walked to where she’d retreated by the wall and squatted so he was eye level with her. “I never once got turned on that night. I know this doesn’t sound any better because of how you see it, but it was strictly about flogging her. The lifestyle isn’t always about sex. Yes, I felt helpless about what happened that morning with you, so I did enjoy the scene with Gabriella because it was something I could control. What’s happening between us, baby, has me scared shitless.” He stood to his full height, looming over her. “I know we’ve only known each other a short while, but I’m falling in love with you. Hell, I might already be there. No woman has ever tied me up like this. The emotional control you have over me is so much stronger than any physical one I could ever wield. And if it ever comes to you or the lifestyle, I’ll choose you. Every time, Sasha.”
“Aaron,” she breathed.
He leaned in to kiss her, but she pulled back. “Not so fast, hotshot.”
“What now?” he asked, exasperated.
“Just when did you plan on telling me you live here, too?”
Uh-oh. “Yeah, about that— ”
“Save it.” But there wasn’t any fire behind those words.
Hoping she was letting that argument go, he pulled her into his arms. “Am I forgiven?” he asked sweetly. “I only wanted a hot-ass neighbor. Can’t blame a man for that.”
Love Against Odds Volume One (Love Agaist Odds Book 10) Page 19