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“Come.” He pushes the hose until the plastic presses against my pussy. “For.” He tilts it up, andoh God. “Me.”

My fingers dig into the rope. My entire body strains. Coming like this should be impossible. Yet I do. My climax is a freight train slamming into me at a million miles an hour. It knocks the wind out of me. Wipes out every conscious thought in my head.

James is on me in a second. His lips are on mine, cruel and demanding, kissing me back to life.

He swallows my moans. Steals my breaths. Bites and licks me, driving me further into…where?

The road of no return. That’s where.

“James, I’m going to…” I’m fading away. “I’m going to…”

“You’re going to be fine. I have you.”

Those are the last words I hear. His arms around me are the last thing I feel.

Right before I black out.

16

OPHELIA

I’m swimming in a sea of cotton candy. Wedging my body through the sticky yet soft waves.

Weird.

When I open my mouth to take a bite, I notice this isn’t what cotton candy is supposed to taste like.

The candy my dad bought me when I was a kid was sweet, not bland. Its color was pink instead of black. When we wandered through the county fair, we didn’t walkthroughcotton candy. I held it in my hand.

What is this?

Where am I?

Far away from home.

The realization swoops over me, a wave crashing me to shore.

I haven’t been to my apartment in a while. I’m not four, either. This isn’t a county fair.

Mom and Dad’s hands aren’t gripping mine as we stroll through the stands.

I’m lying down in a bed that isn’t mine.

My eyes are glued shut. Exhaustion does that. Weighing me down.

I’m navigating through the fog of deep sleep. I’m trying to climb out of it.

There’s no telling how long I’ve been under. Feels like a long time.

Feels like I needed it desperately.

I’m so tired that my limbs won’t work.

You’re not safe here.

This is my second conscious thought.

And I believe myself. I act accordingly too. No sudden movements. No screaming that would give away the fact that I’m awake.