Page 65 of The Dance

“I’m not leaving until you tell me what happened. I’m worried, and I need to make sure you’re okay. Did I do or say something wrong?” Several minutes later, I heard something on the other side of the door. Almost as though Eddie had slid down the wood and was leaning against it too.

Unknown time passed, and once I stopped crying, I whispered, “Eddie?”

“Yeah, sunshine?”

“You’re still here?”

“Of course I am.”

Getting to my feet, I went into the bathroom and used a washcloth to clean the mascara that had run down my face. I took a deep breath and unlocked the door. I didn’t know if Eddie knew his friend was a rapist or if Eddie also used a fake name, then deleted his profiles too, but I had to find out. Brody was Chuck and 100% the man who had raped me.

I opened the door, and immediately Eddie reached to cup my cheek. I flinched, moving my head away.

“Tell me what happened,” he whispered.

Stepping aside, I let him into the room. “Can you stand on the other side of the bed?”

“What? Why?

“Please?”

“Are you scared of me?”

“Just—please?”

“What’s going on?”

“Please just stand over there.” I pointed toward the window, and I stayed by the door, ready to run again if I needed to.

“Okay.” Eddie held up his hands and moved to the other side of the bed.

With my hand on the closed door, I took another deep breath. Could Eddie have a horrible secret? I’d known him since I was fourteen. Granted, I barely knew him because there were several years we didn’t speak. He’d always seemed like a good guy, and he’d never given me a bad vibe, especially when we had been alone the few times since reconnecting. I had to hope he didn’t know that his business partner was a rapist, but it was possible. Being Eddie’s business partner, Brody had to have had the knowledge and ability to makeChuckdisappear, or he got someone on the tech side to do it.

And he was married.

With kids.

“That guy”—I pointed up at the ceiling to indicate the party—“is Brody?”

“Yes.” Eddie nodded.

“Has he ever gone by Chuck?”

He arched a brow. “Not that I know of. Why?”

I took another breath, not wanting to come out and tell him what his friend had done to me before I knew I could fully trust him. I thought I could, but I was still scared I didn’t know Eddie at all.

“Do you think sugar babies are whores?”

Eddie balked, his brow furrowing before he answered, “Of course not.”

“I know you met Chuc—I mean Brody in college, but how well do you know him?”

He lifted a shoulder. “I was best man at his wedding. I consider him my best friend and not only a business partner.”

Was it possible for someone to be best friends with another, work together, and attended college together, but not know their darkest secrets?

“Do you know if he has any …” I hesitated for a moment. “Any dark fetishes?”