Following Me by Linde, K.A. (best books to read in your 20s .txt) 📗

When Devon walked into the club,her head was swimming.  It felt so much like her dream.  It really wasn’tanything like it at all, except for the dance floor, heavy music, and crowd. That shouldn’t have been enough to trigger her terror, but having Reid holdingtightly to her arm didn’t help anything.  As bile rose, she covered her mouth andtried to swallow away her apprehension.

His hand slid across the small ofher back and gripped her waist.  He leaned down and spoke directly into herear.  “Drink?”

She shook her head.  “I’m okay.”

“Come with me anyway,” he said,pulling her toward the bar.

“Okay,” she said because shereally had no other choice.

Reid ordered himself a Crown andCoke and her a Cosmopolitan even though she didn’t want it.  She didn’t likecosmos, and she had told him a hundred times that she didn’t, but he keptordering them for her.

“Reid,” she muttered as theywaited for their drinks.

“Yeah, Dev?”

He pushed his hand up into herhair and massaged her scalp.  She didn’t want to enjoy it, but it felt good. She wished he would stop, so she could concentrate.

“I think we need to talk,” shesaid, wondering if he could even hear her over the music.

“Let’s talk later, okay?  I can’treally hear you,” he said with a smile.

Devon didn’t like the thought oflater.  “But—”

“No,” he said sharply, cuttingher off.  “Later.  Let’s enjoy our night together.”

With that, his lips covered hersas he held her head in place, so she couldn’t move.  He forced her mouth openand plunged his tongue inside.  She wanted to squirm away, but he had herexactly where he wanted her.  Her heart pounded as one of his hands slid downher backside.  He grabbed it forcefully enough to make her cry out.  Backbefore he had ever hit her, that would have turned her on.  Now, she only feltdisgusted.

When the bartender slid thedrinks across the bar to him, he released her.  Reid handed the guy his creditcard and told him to keep the tab open.

His eyes found her again, and helaughed.  “You’re mine.  You know that, right?”  He grasped her chin in hishand.  “All mine.”

She swallowed, trying not toreact.  He didn’t care if she confirmed or denied what he had said.  In hishead, he believed it to be true.

They spent the rest of the nighthanging out with Hadley and Garrett.  Devon tried and failed to act like hernormal self because normal didn’t include Reid anymore.  Thankfully, for thesake of the conversation, he took over.  He had a big enough personality forthe two of them, and he seemed to seamlessly hold up their end of theconversation.  She couldn’t believe she had ever let him talk for her like thisbefore.  It felt unnatural.

She wanted to speak up at times,but then she thought better of it.  If she didn’t hand him ammunition, he wouldbe less likely to pull the trigger.

Reid yawned big and exaggerated. Devon knew he wasn’t tired.  He was actually wired.  Everything about thesituation that put her on edge riled him up.

“I think it’s time we got out ofhere.”

“Are you sure?  It’s stillearly,” Garrett said hastily.

Devon didn’t know if Garrett’sreaction was out of fear for her safety or because he had gotten along withReid so well.  She wasn’t really surprised.  Reid got along with everyone, butshe thought that Garrett wouldn’t play into his hand so easily.

“Yeah, I haven’t seen Devon in awhile.  I think we need some alone time,” he said, pulling her up with him.

“Reid,” Devon said quickly.  Shedid not want to be alone with him.

“Do you want us to come withyou?” Hadley jumped in.

“No.  We don’t want to interruptyour evening,” he said smoothly.

Hadley looked at her pointedly. She thought she was being reassuring as if telling Devon, Here’s yourchance.  Devon regretted not telling Hadley the truth.  She couldn’t bealone with him!  This was absurd.

“It wouldn’t interrupt ourevening at all,” Garrett said, standing as well.

“Really, don’t even worry aboutus,” Reid said.  “We’ll see you in the morning.”

“Reid, I think they should comewith us,” Devon said quickly.

His grip on her arm tightened,and she stopped breathing.  It felt too familiar.  She just wanted to wake upfrom her nightmare.  Wake up.  Please wake up.  But she wasn’t dreaming,and she couldn’t get away from this.

“Don’t be silly, Devon.  There’sno reason for them to come with us.”  He smiled brightly at them.  “Night,guys.”

Reid all but pushed Devon out ofthe club and into the empty street.  He didn’t let go of her arm until he hadsecured her into his BMW.

“What were you thinking?  You saywe need to talk, and then you try to get them to come back with us?” he asked,backing out of his parking space.

Devon didn’t bother saying anything. She was trapped, hopelessly trapped, and she had done it to herself.  Hermeager attempts at getting Hadley or Garrett’s attention had only upset him.

She hoped that she could keepReid’s anger at bay.  She was starting to doubt her own sanity at ever agreeingto leave Jenn’s with him.  She turned toward the window and closed her eyes. Her thoughts drifted back to Brennan—heated kisses, soft caresses, trustingconversations, freedom.  She was doing this for him.  After it was all over,maybe he would forgive her.

“WAIT…” DEVON SAID, actually payingattention to her surroundings for once.  “This isn’t the way to Hadley’s.”

Reid tightened his grip on theirlaced fingers.  “I thought we could use some privacy.”

“I thought we were going backearly for privacy,” she said, her voice coming out hysterical.  Thiscouldn’t be good.

“Haven’t you exploited theirhospitality enough, Devon?  I think it’s a good idea for them to have the placeto themselves tonight.  I thought it would be a good surprise,” he said,smiling.  He took a turn that led them farther away from the apartment.

She didn’t even have a pretenseto hide her fear.  Her heart was hammering, and her breath was coming outheavy.  Where was he taking her?  She didn’t feel comfortable talking tohim in a place she thought of as home, so she certainly wouldn’t feel anybetter somewhere else.

“Where are we going?” she askedin a demanding tone.

“Don’t you like surprises,Devon?” he asked as calm