Chapter 45

Juno

I shivered while walking back up the driveway to Alma's house and tried to remember exactly where I'd left my phone. It was stupid of me to have forgotten it, but there was nothing I could do about it now.

When I told Jack, I got the impression he was a lot more annoyed than he'd let on, so I didn't waste time going up to the front door. Thankfully, it was unlocked, and I could still get in, but it took me a moment to orientate myself again. The couple had left the bottom of the stairs, but there were still people up, and music was still playing somewhere, a classic rock song I recognized but didn't know the words to.

I moved to the living room, looking by the sofa where I'd sat with Jack for some of the evening. Not only was my phone not there, but another couple was making out, too stoned or drunk to care that the rest of the room could see them screwing on the section of the sofa.

Trying not to blush at the strange world I'd entered and thinking how different this was from the other parties I'd been to, I moved toward the kitchen.

Eventually, I found it in a pile of cell phones on the kitchen table. It seemed I wasn't the only one who had left their phone lying around, and for a moment, I was amused that someone had decided to collect them all and leave them somewhere where people could come get them. Maybe I wasn't the odd one out after all.

Grinning to myself and feeling a little better, I walked back to the front door. At least I wouldn't keep Jack waiting too long.

Before I could get to the door, however, Logan seemed to appear from nowhere. He immediately blocked my way, leaning across the hallway.

"Juno, what's your hot body doing here again? And without Jack once more. I'm starting to think your little thing isn't as much of a thing as the others say. I mean, sure, yeah, he likes you. Who wouldn't want to fuck your delicious-looking body? But it doesn't have to be him, you know."

"I'm leaving. Let me by," I said, feeling sick once more. There would be no rescue this time.

Logan reached for me and grabbed my wrist before he grabbed my breast with the other hand. I tried to twist away and lash out at the same time. My hand connected with his face and made a loud slapping noise, but he also slammed me into the wall and pinned me against it.

"Get off me," I said and growled as he continued to grope. I reached up, but he grabbed my other hand. I pushed back, determined not to get caught a second time. It was as if something inside me snapped. I'd had enough of being screwed around by men who wouldn't respect what I had to say for myself.

Without hesitation, I brought my knee up, connecting with Logan's balls. He dropped like a sack, and I immediately moved to the side to find Jack coming back into the house. He took one look at Logan and then at my face.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I am now," I replied. "Let's get out of here."

Jack took my hand again, and we left for the second time. Neither of us spoke until we were in the next house, the back patio doors shut behind us and the lights on. Our bags were by the door, someone having already brought them over for us.

Although it was a similar size to Alma and Kai's main house, it had an entirely different layout, and we found ourselves in a dining room. Jack led me to the kitchen as if he knew the place well and dropped the keys on the kitchen countertop.

I quickly looked around, feeling awkward in the same way I often did when I first went on vacation. This was both mine for the night and not mine, and I didn't know what to say to Jack, either.

My stomach was still tense, my pulse rapid after running into Logan again. Just the thought of his hands on my body made me want to throw up.

"Hey," Jack said, coming to me and wrapping his arms around me. It was only then I realized I'd done something similar, hugging myself once again. "Did he hurt you?"

"No. He groped a little, but no more." I exhaled as I spoke, my voice breaking and betraying the emotion I felt.

Jack wrapped his arms even tighter around me. I leaned into his chest, inhaling the scent of his shirt and skin, the combination of tobacco, cologne, and him making me feel warmer and safer almost instantly.

"I almost hit him the first time. If you hadn't given him a good kick to the nuts, I think I'd have gone crazy on him." Jack's voice added to the soothing atmosphere despite the anger in it.

"I'm not sure where I found the fight. Normally, I freeze or want to run when something shitty happens."

"It's okay, you know. You can feel scared. But you're safe now. I won't ever force you to do anything," he said, pulling back and lifting my chin so our eyes met.

"I know," I replied, realizing I meant it.

I'd felt safe with Jack from the moment I'd met him, and although sometimes my brain decided to present me with irrational fears, I still loved how it felt to be close to him.

"Come on, let's go find a bedroom and have some fun to end this party with. Replace those bad thoughts of yours with good ones." Jack didn't wait for me to answer but took my arm and guided me to the stairs. They creaked slightly as we went up, making me feel like I should be quieter despite being alone in the house.

I noticed several bedrooms, each one neat and ready to use, but Jack led us straight to the back of the house and a large master suite, the bed in the middle of the room so large I was worried I'd get lost in it.

As soon as the door shut behind us, Jack came to me again and took my hands in his, his gaze wandering over me.

Feeling self-conscious, I didn't move and merely looked back over him. I wasn't sure how much he wanted from me, and I didn't know how I felt after the evening we'd had.

On the one hand, I was livid at the so-called friends who'd been at the party and the strange culture everyone else appeared to be okay with. On the other hand, I was standing before Jack Starling once more, and it was clear he wanted me there.

"I want to do so many things to you," he said, his tone dark and a slight smirk on his face, reaching out to grab my body.

I gulped.

He cupped my chin and ran a thumb across my bottom lip. My mouth parted at the slight pressure, his gaze locked on me. More than once, I wondered what he was thinking, but I didn't dare ask. I'd promised to be his however he wanted me. To submit to him.

"Will you trust me?" he asked a moment later.

I looked into his eyes, a ripple of fear running down my spine. The intensity of his expression as he looked for my answer made me feel a little braver. After everything that happened with Logan, I had a feeling he needed me to show him I knew he was better. That I wasn't scared of him abusing me the way others had.

Despite that, I couldn't speak. I was terrified, and I had no idea what he was going to ask of me.

"Juno, I want you to trust me," he said, a hint of anxiety coming through as his arm tightened around me.

"I trust you," I replied, the words coming out in a rush of emotion and breath.

Immediately, he relaxed and kissed me before pulling back, smirking once more.

"Good," he said as his eyes roamed downwards. "Now strip for me, kitten."