Free The Deception series boxset: FaCade, Cadence, Beneath Innocence by Ker Dukey, D.H. Sidebottom

taken me, surprising me. She had changed, however. Her abhorrence of me was physical. She didn’t say anything or acknowledge our change of status, but I caught her glares, the ire in her stares. I’d caught her looming over me when I had woken in the night, the silhouette of her rigid, angry posture vibrating above me.
    I didn’t understand what I’d done but I couldn’t help but think it was because Troy had taken me fully. Maria had said he didn’t fuck, he just demanded oral pleasure. Was she jealous of me? Of the fact he’d gone one step further with me than he did with her? If so, that was stupid because it didn’t make him want me anymore than her. He hadn’t demanded me again and as much as I despised myself, it left an itch under my skin; a nervous humming. What if he was finished with me now? What would he do with me?
    I cut off the shower and grabbed the towel from the hook then wrapped it around myself. A shiver crept up my spine. I took a deep breath, trying to bury the unease living in me before stepping out into the adjoining area. The soles of my wet feet slid when the guy I’d come to know as Theo stood leaning against one wall. His arms were crossed over his chest, his accusing eyes narrow, his cold glare on my face.
    “I thought you were never coming out.”
    I stiffened as I pulled the towel tighter around me. I didn’t like Theo; he was mean to me without cause making me wary of having my back to him or ever being alone with him - which had never happened until now. Oh God, why didn’t I stay in my room and why did the giant have to give in to my request so easily?
    “I’m sorry, the... my guard.”
    “Malik!” he spat. “His name is Malik and he’s not your guard! You’re not special enough to warrant one.”
    My eyes closed from his verbal whiplashing through the air, biting at my morale. “Malik said I could shower.”
    He shrugged and inhaled deeply. “I’m not arguing that. I’m wondering what you were doing in there.”
    I frowned, not understanding what he was getting at. “I’m sorry, I was showering.”
    He pushed off the wall, his short dumpy legs moving across the room until he stood before me. “Were you touching your filthy cunt?”
    My eyes widened, my mouth dropping open at his crudeness. “What? Of course not.” My voice trembled as fear shook me
    He didn’t reply. I stood stock still when his eyes dropped from my face to where my hand clutched the towel. Pulling it tighter, I shifted from one foot to the other. My eyes shot around the room. I didn’t like how this felt, how the atmosphere told of his arousal or the way his eyes blazed hungrily with lust and distaste.
    “Let go of the towel.”
    I gawped at him, shaking my head. “No… why…?”
    His brows lifted, his jaw tightening with my refusal. I winced when his hand shot out, his fingers circling my throat, crushing my windpipe in his furious hold. “Don’t tell me no, you fucking bitch.”
    A sob tore up my throat when he yanked at my towel, pulling it away from me and slinging it to one side of the room. Everything inside me seized up, nerves locking down my muscles, fear chilling my bones. I was used to my nudity being on display but not to be molested by this disgusting vermin.
    My feet left the floor when he propelled me backwards, my back slamming into the wall, firing an agonizing pain up my spine as my head hit a shelf holding towels, bottles of shampoo and body washes. The back of my head cracked with so much force I felt a lump already forming. All the contents from the shelf fell to the floor around me.
    I scrambled around, crawling along the floor to get away from him. His fingers circled my ankle, the sudden pull causing my face to smack the floor, in turn colliding my nose with the unforgiving wet slabs, making blood trickle down over my lips.
    I kicked out at him, natural instinct fighting him the closer my body came to his. He was on top of me in seconds, his thighs locking me down