Page 85 of Take Her

I didn’t know how long had passed, only that when I reached the bottom of that well, I was completely wrung out.

“Shhhh,” he hushed. “You’re all right. I’ve got you.”

And I realized he’d been saying those exact words, over and over, for a while now, so that I’d hear them the second I stopped.

I twisted my face into his chest and clung to him, helplessly.

“Better?” he asked, bowing his head to mine.

I nodded into him. I should’ve been embarrassed. This entire process and the blubbering mess I’d become should’ve been humiliating. Any sane girl with a shred of self-confidence would’ve already jumped up and run away.

But I wasn’t sane, and with him, I didn’t have to be.

I sniffled against his chest and then looked up. “What makes you happy?” I needed to know, so that I could spend the entire rest of my life doing it.

“You being smart,” he said, without an ounce of hesitation. His gaze was on mine and his eyes were so kind they almost made me cry again. “You being beautiful.”

I nodded fiercely, prepared to dedicate myself to both those causes, like a monk in a Chinese drama going up into the mountains to learn Shaolin.

He brought his fingers to cup my chin and lift it up. “And the thought of you, at my side, taking on the world with me.”

My lower jaw dropped, and I only barely stopped myself from asking “really?” in utter disbelief.

But I knew enough by now to know that would’ve insulted him.

Because he didn’t say things he didn’t mean.

Ever.

“I want all of those things too,” I whispered.

He let go of my chin. “I know you do.” He inhaled deeply and exhaled, like he was closing a book, and then shifted me off of him, so he could make his way to the edge of my bed.

It didn’t hit me until that exact moment how naked I’d been, physically, and down to the center of my soul. I hurried to grab a sheet and cover myself up.

“Sleep in tomorrow. Skip work. Do something nice for yourself in the morning,” he said, standing.

“Can I come in in the afternoon?” I asked, because I wanted to see him.

“No—that’s when the camera installers will be by. You’ll need to let them in.”

“Oh,” I breathed. I knew he’d been serious, but still—too late now though to protest. I crawled closer to him on the bed. “How did you know?” I asked quietly. “Did my father tell you?”

“Your dad doesn’t tell me shit,” Rhaim complained, then gave me a meaningful look. “But a beautiful girl like you? Unafraid to show her legs, but always wearing sleeves?” he tsked. “You’re not the first sad girl I’ve wanted to fuck.” I frowned, rocking back, until he continued. “You are, however, the first one I’ve decided to own. So tomorrow—you do as I say. You sleep in. The camera people will be here in the afternoon. And then I’ll see you at work again on Friday.” He made to leave my bedroom, then paused in the doorway. “One more thing, little girl—that’s the last orgasm you have by your lonesome. You’re not allowed to use that,” he said, gesturing to the abandoned sex toy on my bed. “I don’t care if you’ve got a Terminator in one of your dresser drawers—nothing touches your pussy from here on out but me and feminine hygiene products. Are we clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good,” he said, and then gave me an intense look. “Do us both a favor and behave, Lia. Because I really want to fuck you.”

I swallowed and nodded quickly. “Yes. Sir.”

36

RHAIM

That morning on my way out to the suburbs, I sent Lia’s PI my traditional text to forward along, and then got a wild hair and told him to go to her apartment and wait around to follow her instead, on the off chance she went anywhere or did anything interesting.

My hope was that she’d sleep in and maybe read one of the books she liked, but I had a feeling she wasn’t the restful type. Who knew, maybe now that I knew her secret, she’d go out and buy herself actually fun things to sleep in, rather than pajamas.