Page 138 of The Restoration Program

A hand swooped in front to block her. Nicole ducked beneath it and nearly had a grasp on the handle. Cora closed her fingers around her waist and pulled her out of reach. Without a second thought, Nicole snatched the knife out of her pocket, raised it high, and plunged it into the back of Cora’s hand.

“Fuck!” Cora’s cry of pain was drowned out by Ryan’s pleasure. Her hand sprang open.

Nicole fell to a crouch on the walkway and scrambled for the door. She yanked it open and bolted through, catching herself on the rail on the other side.

Ryan was in bed, naked and glistening with sweat. He was on his knees. One hand pumped his cock, the other was braced on the mattress. His face was all but buried in a pillow.

She had little time to make sense of what she was seeing before he sat up to take a breath.

Nicole staggered a step back.

There was a NüPrint on the pillow.

She was beautifully, lovingly restrained with red yarn.

For a single moment, Nicole thought Ryan was forcing this poor woman the same way he had coerced her. But no. Her eyes were shut with bliss. He kissed her, and she swelled into him. When Ryan’s free hand plunged in to rub between her legs, roughly forcing her bound thighs apart, the NüPrint’s mouth went slack with a squeal of ecstasy.

Then her eyes fluttered open and locked onto Nicole.

Her moan changed route into a shriek.

“That’s right, baby.” Ryan leaned down to brush his mouth over hers again. “Scream for me.Louder.”

“N-no, no!” She squirmed madly, which only seemed to inspire him further. “Stop it! The door! L-look at the door, Ryan!”

He froze, then whipped his head in Nicole’s direction. Her hands shook so hard that the knife tapped against her thigh. Time seemed to twist on itself as they stared at each other. Cora burst into the bedroom, breathing heavily in the doorway.

Over the ringing in Nicole’s ears, Ryan’s voice bled through. “Let me explain.”

The minute woman on the bed tried to sit up, made difficult by the yarn still bound around her. Her curly hair dropped over her shoulders as she looked frantically up at Ryan. “You said she was staying somewhere else.” Her wide eyes went to Nicole. “I-I… I’m sorry, you weren’t supposed to be here. I thought—mmmph!”

Ryan covered the NüPrint’s mouth with his hand. He pulled sheets over his legs with his other hand, warily eyeing how she was slowly inching back towards the hallway. “Nicole, babe, let’s talk. Give me five minutes to explain, okay?”

“You said I was everything,” Nicole whispered to him.

“Nicole? What’s going on?” Darlene’s distant voice was like the beacon of a lighthouse plunging through a vicious storm. Choking back a howl, Nicole turned on her heel and bolted towards the front door.

Heartbreak morphed to terror when she heard Ryan’s caution turn to urgency. Chaos exploded in the bedroom behind her as he rushed to follow her. Tostopher.The thought made another frightened noise tear from her throat as she ran faster. It was a miracle her legs still knew how to do their job when all she could see was Ryan’s body over that other NüPrint. Tears flooded her vision, making her steps stagger. The soft soles of her flats slipped on the metal, bringing her crashing onto her knees. The fiery pain didn’t,couldn’tmatter. She scrambled to her feet, snatching the knife back into her hand.

“Move!” she heard Ryan shout, followed by Cora gasping.

She rounded the corner.

“Nicole, what’s wrong? What happened?” Darlene hastened into the living room, eyes widening when she heard the crunch of glass and a gasp of pain from Ryan.

How many times?

Howstupidhad she been, all this time?

“Let’s go,” Nicole gasped, halting in front of her friend’s waist. Darlene scooped her up.

“Is thatbloodon that thing?” Darlene’s mouth dropped open at the sight of the tiny knife.

“Please,please,let’s just go,” Nicole sobbed, shaking Darlene’s finger desperately as though she could urge her into motion.

A pair of heavy steps slowed to a stop. “Nicole.”

A whimper slipped out of her when Ryan’s voice sounded behind her. He stood in his joggers where the NüPrint walkway curved around the corner of the wall. The six feet between them felt too close.