“You’re the filth, you sick fuck.”
Another sinister laugh falls off his lips. “Say what you will. It doesn’t matter now. What does matter is how shocked your friends and family will be when they find you both in a lover’s embrace, a suicide note explaining how guilt-ridden you both are. Stepsiblings who fell in love. Too mortified to go on living, so they die in each other’s arms, having taken their lives.”
My world spins. Suicide. Taking each other’s lives. “No, you can’t—”
He reaches behind him. When his hand comes back around, a gun is pointed at me. “I can. I thought I saw something in you, thought you were the one, but you had to be a bad little girl. Things could have been different for us.”
Hunter becomes animalistic, fighting through his restraints. “Leave her alone. You wanna hurt someone, hurt me. I came on to her.”
Taunting laughter travels up his throat, but he doesn’t acknowledge Hunter. His eyes are sinister and penetrating as they gaze down at me. I feel trapped by his cruel stare, his words wearing me down. “Mr. Gibson, please. Don’t do this. I’ll do what you want. You want me? You can have me.”
“Cat, no!” Hunter yells, but I ignore him.
“Let him go. We can leave together. You can have me.”
“Cat, please—”
“Shut up,” Mr. Gibson shouts at Hunter. There’s a tick in his jaw. His attention is back on me. “You’re lying. You think I’m going to fall for that again?” Agitation flashes across his face. “You think you can fool me again!”
He jabs the gun at me, and I cry out, “No! Please. You’re right. I came on to you. The moment I saw you, I was instantly attracted to you. I was distant because it was wrong of me. I should’ve never put you in that position.” His stare burns through me, searching for lies. “I want you. If you’ll still have me. But not if you have blood on your hands.”
“He is not walking out of here—”
“Then neither are we. I don’t want to have to spend our lives running. If you kill him, we will. I can’t risk losing you if we get caught.”
My lies burn like acid against my tongue. I’m not sure how much longer I can pretend before I break down. Maybe we have a chance if I can just get him to put the gun down and leave with me. “Please,” I beg again, my voice soft, pleading.
Mr. Gibson peers over at Hunter. “Why do you want him to live? He took advantage of you.”
I force my voice to remain indifferent. “Because I thought I couldn’t have you.”
I almost give myself away and cry out in relief as he lowers his gun and kneels before me. “You have me.”
“I know that now. Please. Untie me. Let’s get out of here before someone finds us. We need to be on the move. We don’t have much time.” My lips curl into a shallow smile. I fight the churning sourness in my stomach when he raises his hand to caress my cheek, threatening to fall apart when he leans in and presses his dry lips to mine.
“We’re going to be great together.”
My demeanor cracks, and a small sob escapes my lips.
“What’s wrong? Are you—?”
“I’m just happy. I never thought—”
“Shhh…” He places his finger over my lips. “We have the rest of our lives to show each other just how much we’re meant to be.”
I nod too vigorously, fearing I give myself away. He’s taking too long thinking. “Untie me. We have to go.” His brows crease, and he pulls slightly away.
“And how do I know you’re not just pulling one over on me? You deceived me back at the—”
“I’m not. I swear.”
“Prove it.”
“What? What do you mean—”
“Prove it.”
My barely hanging on composure slips. “H—How do I do that?” My question comes out too shaky.
“You want me so bad, prove it. You prove it, and I’ll believe you.”
“Fine, whatever—”
“Cat—”
“I’ll do whatever!” I shout as Mr. Gibson directs the gun at Hunter. “I’ll prove it to you. Just tell me what you want.”
I make the mistake of looking at Hunter, fire blazing behind his eyes as he tugs at his ties. If this is what I have to do to keep us both alive, I’ll do it. It’s the only way. “Tell me what you want.”
Satisfaction gleams in Mr. Gibson’s gaze. He climbs up from his knees and grabs at his covered cock. “I want you to suck me off in front of your stepbrother. Show me how he means nothing to you. And how much I do.”
Hunter’s fury spikes and he yanks at his ties, jerking the desk forward. “You piece of shit! Cat, you don’t have to do this.”
Guilt courses through my veins. I turn to Hunter, his face contorted with rage. My words are sour off my tongue as I speak. “Stay out of this, Hunter. You don’t know what I want. I’m finally getting my happy ending.” The bitter taste of my reply sends a shudder through me, leaving a layer of cold sweat in its wake. My bravery is spiraling into panic. I blink away the anxiety creeping over me at what I’m about to do. This is the only way.
I bring my focus to Mr. Gibson. “I’ll do it.”
There’s still apprehension in his gaze, but a triumphant smile appears. “That’s my girl.”
“Cat, no!”
I block out Hunter’s voice. The room becomes silent as he unzips his pants. Bile threatens to come out, but I hold it down enough to whisper, “If you want this to be good, you need to untie me. I can do wonders with my hands.” My chest burns. How will I get through this? How can I do such a vile thing? Will he believe me? Will I even be able to go through with it? Will he truly let Hunter go?
“Oh, I have no doubt you’ll make me a happy man.”
“So, we have a deal? I prove my loyalty to you, and you let him live?”
He disregards my question as he takes a pocketknife from the desk drawer and bends down to slice away at my bindings. Relief floods through me, and I pull my arms forward, wincing at the pain.
“Now, show me just how much you want me.”
It’s impossible to hide the shakiness of my hands as I raise them to his pants. Shame eats away at me as my fingers begin to unzip him. The pounding of my heart reverberates against my chest. My mouth is dryer than a sandbox.
I don’t think I can do this.
I’m going to be sick.
The ticking of the clock pounds violently with each second that passes. I know I’m taking too long. He’s going to figure out why I’m stalling, and it’s going to cost us both our lives.
The air is so thick around me, I’m about to choke on each strangled breath I take.
“That’s it, love. Show your stepbrother just how much you want my cock.” I close my eyes and reach for his cock. Disgust, humiliation, guilt—they all weigh heavy on my conscious as I lean forward—
An animalistic roar slices through the air and in a blink, Mr. Gibson is no longer in front of me. I scream as Hunter barrels into him, taking them both to the ground. He gets a good hold on Mr. Gibson and rolls on top of him, taking his fist to his chin. “Fucker!” He takes another swing. “Get outta here, Cat,” he hisses. Another swing. And another. And another.