For A Price

Chapter seventeen In the Clear

Chapter seventeen

In the Clear

I felt the bed shift behind me. Opening my eyes, I saw the first rays of the day and felt the stiffness in my shoulders. 

“Gavin.”

Feeling his touch, I jerked away. The bastard left me lying there all night, and my back and shoulder were paying for it. Not to mention my wrist, which I was pretty sure would be bruised along with other areas from Luke throwing me around. 

“Gavin.” Luke removed the tape from my mouth.

I just laid there as he pulled me into his arms.

“Sorry,” he whispered. “I just don’t think when I’m around you. You do something to me.” He kissed my cheek. “I don’t want to lose you again.”

“Untie me,” I whispered. 

Luke touched the belt. “Are you going to run?”

I shook my head. “No.” My body hurt too much, and even though I had slept, I was still exhausted. “I don’t have anywhere to go.”

He untied the extension cord and belt. I winced as my arms and legs were freed. Luke’s slipped an arm beneath me and pulled me close as the other rubbed my shoulder.

“I’m sorry. Between stress from work and worrying about you, I was thinking clearly. I shouldn’t have done it.”

I swallowed hard and pulled my knees to my chest. “I’m not ready for this Luke.”

“I know,” sighed the man spooning up behind me. “And I’ll wait. Just lay with me for awhile. I promise not to try anything.”

Turning over, I ran my finger near the cut near his hairline. “Sorry. You’re not the only one who overreacted.”

Grabbing both of my wrist, he kissed the bruised skin before pulling me to his chest and shut his eyes. I should be mad. I should push him away and curse him what he did to me. I wanted to, yet I just laid there and closed my eyes as well.

***

A loud beeping noise woke me up the next morning. Luke had his arms wrapped around me with my head laying on his chest. He grabbed his phone off the bedside table. 

“Shit,” he muttered under his breath. “I’m late.’

He threw back the covers and darted into the closet. Sitting on the bed, I watch Luke hurried about the room, getting ready for work. It had been weird to wake up next to him again, but I was still mad about being tied up all night. My shoulder kept reminding me of that every time I moved.

“Don’t ever talk to me like that again.”

“Hmm…” Luke glanced over at me.

I stood. “Don’t ever talk to me like that again. I did what I had to survive and that doesn’t make me less of a person than me. I’m not proud of the fact that I sold my body to scumbags,” I stated, staring him down. “And you’re not just as much as responsible as me. You bought me just like those men at the club. I might have worked a prostitute, but the fact that there are men like you out there willing to buy sex is just as bad. Without people like you, there wouldn’t be a sex industry.” Standing straight, I stood in front of him. “Don’t talk down to me. I have every right that you do.”

Letting out a deep breath, Luke nodded. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“It better now,” I muttered. “And.” Grabbing his shoulder, I rammed my fist into his stomach. “that’s for shredding my ID which cost me grand.” I threw Luke back, who gasped for air.