Free Burning Ultimatum (Trevor's Harem #4) by Aubrey Parker

 
    “No. It’s … ”  
    I rub. I scrub.
    Daniel laughs. “You’re making it so much worse.”  
    I kneel in front of Daniel and try to see myself in the only shiny thing around: his polished silver belt buckle. It’s too small and the reflection is distorted, but it’s enough to see that my mascara has run all the damned way down my cheeks. They should really make throat-fucking-proof eye makeup.  
    “Shit.” I stand.  
    Daniel wraps an arm around me. We make for the canvas door as I continue to dab pointlessly at my eyes. Daniel watches me and laughs. Finally, he says, “If we’re in trouble, I’ll tell them it was my fault.”  
    I manage a small laugh. “It was your fault.”  
    We part the drapes and enter the room, preparing to face whatever music might be waiting.  
    But the lights are all on, the dark walls now clearly visible as mere panels. I see Caspian’s empty throne. The dungeon atmosphere is ruined. We’re in a rec room made to look like a goth kid’s bedroom.  
    Alone.

CHAPTER TEN

Bridget

    I pass Jessica in the hallway after cleaning up. I have no idea how things finished in the Caspian challenge or why, but as long as nobody was coming to get me, I figured I should do my best to appear less freshly fucked. I took my time. I languished in the shower, not caring for once if the cameras could see me. Did it matter? Daniel and I just put on the show of all shows down in the rec room.  
    I lingered for a while, waiting for a summons. I failed the test, of course. But no summons came, so eventually I left. Walked around, looking for answers.  
    Why was the test stopped, assuming that’s what happened? And why didn’t Kylie — that bitch — get her turn in front of Caspian?  
    I avert my eyes as I see her approach. If there were a branching hallway, I’d take it. I still don’t feel right about Jessica. Maybe Daniel says he didn’t have sex with her — or even kiss her, by his own words — but that doesn’t mean she’s clean. She still made that power grab, sacrificing Kat to advance herself. I suppose she thought I’d be dumb enough to stand by her, then it would be me and Jessica against Kylie. I’d still step aside in the end. But if that’s the case, then Jessica is dumber than I’m supposed to be in that scenario. Because how was I supposed to forgive her betrayal with Kat?  
    Or am I still being duped?  
    I’m taking Daniel’s word on his fidelity. He could easily be lying; he’d hardly be the first man in history to lie about getting ass on the side. But I don’t want to think that just yet — it reflects horribly on me, and makes Caspian’s accusations entirely true.  
    I do the most damage. Not to others, but to myself.  
    So I won’t think that. I won’t believe the worst. But Jessica? She still can’t be trusted.  
    And if Daniel truly is on my side after all — and God, I hope he is, after what we did — then there must have been another leak that informed Kylie about Onyx. And I can’t forget that: I’ve freed my mother from danger and set her up with a new life, but it’s a house of cards if Kylie knows what she seems to. What Jessica somehow found out and told her … to eliminate me as competition, as well.  
    There are no branching hallways. I look away from Jess as she approaches. From the corner of my eye, I can see her staring at me. Wanting to speak. Maybe to taunt me. To tell me that Caspian knew how to push my buttons because of all the little details about Trevor and Daniel that I’ve shared with her these past few months. And I’ll bet that’s what happened, too. Kylie’s my enemy. But Jess was a sleeper agent all along.
    “Bridget … ” she says.  
    I keep walking. And unlike Kylie, Jessica doesn’t follow.
    Eventually, I hear footsteps behind me, and we fall into unconscious lockstep as I turn. There’s a figure not much taller than me with dense black stubble, eyes bluer than sapphires, and a tiny smirk that makes