Indecent Danger (Danger Incorporated #3)(7)
“Let me go, Bruce.”
The words came out surprisingly strong but the man didn’t bat an eyelash at her command.
“Come on, babe. Don’t be like that. You used to be such fun… and I’m always ready for that. Why don’t we go somewhere more quiet and get to know each other again.”
Acid bile had crawled up her throat and she had to swallow hard to be able to speak. “Leave me alone. We don’t have anything to say to each other.”
His fingers tightened and she winced, tugging at her arm. “Don’t be like that. We both know that you’re a little whore, Aubrey. You had quite the reputation in high school. It’s a shame you and I never met up back then but we can remedy that tonight. You may have f*cked practically every guy in school but I can show you what a real man is. You won’t need anyone else after I’ve had you.”
The mere suggestion of having sex with Bruce Livingston made her physically ill.
With a burst of strength, she yanked her arm away, rubbing at the livid marks his bruising grip had left behind. “Get the f*ck away from me, Bruce. I’m not that girl anymore and even if I was I sure as hell wouldn’t screw you. You were slime then and it looks like nothing has changed.”
Bruce had been a few years ahead of Aubrey in school and kind of a jerk so she was shocked to see him at a fancy party like this one. She’d assumed he would end up selling used cars and wearing plaid suits with white shoes. Even at the most fragile moments of her life she’d had the sense to keep away from him. He had a reputation for cheating on his exams and being abusive to his girlfriends.
“You don’t want to say no to me.”
His left hand sported a gold wedding band and she silently pitied any woman who would have had the unfortunate luck to be married to him.
“Go back to your poor wife and leave me the hell alone.”
Aubrey’s voice was louder than she’d intended and a few people milling by stopped for a moment before moving on. Bruce stepped forward, crowding her personal space, and she lurched backwards only to find herself pressed up against the wall. His breath was hot with the unmistakable stench of whiskey and cigarettes. Blood pounded in her ears as his arms effectively caged her in keeping her his prisoner.
“I think you might want to be a little nicer to me, Aubrey. I’d hate to have to tell Travis what a slut you are…assuming he doesn’t already know. Does he know that you’re easy? That you’ll do it with anyone? If he doesn’t I sure as hell would love to be the one to tell him.”
Heat flooded her cheeks and she opened her mouth to tell him off but he was too quick. His hand grabbed her jaw jerking her head up so they were nose to nose. Whimpering at the pain, she tried to keep her fear hidden but her vision blurred with tears.
“I’m different. I don’t do that anymore.”
Even to her own ears she sounded lame despite it being the God’s honest truth.
Bruce laughed and leaned down so his lips were near her ear, a malodorous funk filling her nostrils and making her want to retch. She trembled and a tear escaped, running down her cheek. She’d never wanted Travis to know about her past.
Every word Bruce said was true. She had been easy in high school, sleeping with guy after guy in some mad dance to find love, affection, and acceptance. Her adoptive parents had been wonderful but she’d been haunted by the fact that her own mother couldn’t love her enough to stay sober and care for her. Screwing guy after guy had been her way of coping with the rejection and pain. It had been some sort of anesthetic, numbing the anguish but never quite eradicating it.
Bruce pressed her harder against the unforgiving wall until she twisted her face away not wanting to look at him. He was so f*cking satisfied with himself it was sickening.
“Right. You’ve changed. Sluts like you never change. You love cock, don’t you? Well, I’m going to give it to you like you’ve never had it before.”
The thought of doing anything intimate with an * like Bruce Livingston pushed her into action. She wasn’t some shrinking violet that needed to be rescued. She was a girl from the mean streets of Chicago and she sure as hell wasn’t acting like it. He might have the upper hand but that didn’t mean she didn’t have a play to make.
Grabbing his forearms to steady herself, she lifted her leg and drove her kneecap right into his groin, watching in satisfaction as he sucked in a breath and his eyes rolled back in his head. She shoved him away as he groaned loudly, stumbling back with his hands over his family jewels.
“You f*cking cunt. I’ll get you for this,” Bruce spat, his face almost purple as he continued to pant, bent over and obviously hurting.
“Don’t go around grabbing women, you bastard. Stay the f*ck away from me.”
Christ on a cracker, they’d managed to garner some definitely unwanted attention. A few people were watching them but not one person came to Bruce’s aid.
His own lousy reputation must be well known.
She might be a slut but he was a douchebag, and that was far worse.
“You’ll wish you hadn’t done that.” Bruce straightened but winced, his teeth snapping together. “I think I’ll find Travis and pull him aside for a long chat. Whatever you’ve told him I bet it isn’t the entire truth.”
Game over. Her lofty perch as perfect girlfriend to Travis Anderson was about to be knocked to the ground. Bruce had always been a vindictive little shit in school and she doubted anything was different now. He would definitely find Travis and tell him everything and then probably make up more shit that wasn’t even true.