Page 26 of The Tycoon (The Douglas Brothers #1)

Drowning him out as he continues to berate my love, I’m unable to turn away from the video.

Time slows as I watch Savannah bend down to say something into Sutton’s ear.

Whatever it is must have hit him the right way, for he smirks like he does with me when I try to talk dirty to him.

Acidic bile rises in my throat as I watch her tongue dart out to lick his neck.

He says something to her that makes her tight body wiggle before he stands from his seat.

Taking her arm, she cuddles against him as they walk away, looking as close as only two lovers can.

A phantom fist punches me in my stomach, causing me to gasp as it knocks the wind from my lungs. I’m engulfed by a boiling wave of physical and mental pain. My heart implodes into a billion shards of delicate porcelain.

How could I have been so naive? Sutton Douglas isn’t my prince charming, he’s my silver-tongued assassin. Now I know why he didn’t text me to tell me goodnight, he was too busy fucking his gorgeous assistant to care. Hell, knowing my luck, he’s probably inside her right this very second.

Oh, God. I’m going to be sick.

Letting out a sigh, Sam pulls his phone away from my face. Locking his screen, he places it back into his pocket. His expression changes from anger and annoyance to something much softer, almost empathetic. Leaning in towards me, he forces me to meet his warm gaze.

“Believe me now, Dolly?” he asks, trying to lift his bruised brow. “I wouldn’t lie to you. Not about something like this.”

Staring at him, my vision blurs as tears well in my eyes.

I stammer like a moron, my words jumbling together in an incohesive sentence.

Unable to hold my heartbreak, I start to sob uncontrollably as the gravity of the situation puts me in a chokehold.

I’m messy and loud, full of molten tears and watery snot as my body collapses against the couch.

I’ve never felt such hopelessness before, I wish my heart would truly explode.

I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be on the same plane of existence as the man that has consumed everything good inside me and eviscerated the purity that was attached to my soul. If I knew I wouldn’t go to hell, I’d run to the kitchen right now and slit my wrists. I really would.

“Oh, my sweet Dolly. Shh, come here,” he says.

Reaching for my trembling body, Sam pulls me onto his lap. Holding me against his chest, he gently runs his fingers through my hair. He tries his best to soothe me, but I am broken beyond repair.

“He isn’t worth your tears, he isn’t worth your pain. He really isn’t, Dolly. You are too good for him. He doesn’t see what an amazing, beautiful, smart woman you are.”

His voice trails off, I feel his lips nuzzle tenderly against my crown. He holds me for what seems like forever, allowing me to cry and scream until there is nothing left for my body to release. It’s only then that he continues with his compliments, no doubt trying to make me feel better.

“You really are so perfect. So smart, so sweet. It’s his loss, you’re going to be ok. I promise you’re going to be ok, I’ll make sure you’ll be ok,” he purrs, pulling me even closer.

I hear his words, but they don’t resonate in my brain. My body may be physically spent, but I am still emotionally reeling.

“Why? Why would he do this?!” I yell, my voice rough and tight.

“I love him, Sam! I LOVE HIM! We…we’re going to get married…

and have a family! Why? Why would he do this?

What’s wrong with me…what’s wrong with me that men treat me like this…

like garbage? I know I’m weird…but I’m a good girl!

I just want to be loved! That’s all I’ve ever wanted! ”

Humming low, he reaches for my face. Holding my cheeks, he pulls me away from his chest to force me to look at him. I try my best to focus my still blurry eyes. He shakes his head before erasing the space between us.

“Nothing is wrong with you, Dolly. You’re absolutely perfect,” he says, before placing a kiss upon my forehead. “Absolutely perfect.”

I stiffen as his lips quickly move from my forehead to my left temple, and then to my cheek. He whispers sweet nothings, his voice becoming louder with every bold kiss. I try to shake my head from his grasp, but he tightens his hold.

“Just let me love you, Dolly. I’ll treat you right, you know I will. I’ll show you…I’ll show you how good I can make you feel. Yeah. I’m going to show you just how fucking good I can make you feel.”

Widening my swollen eyes, I squeal as his broken lips press against mine.

The sound is muffled when he slides his tongue into my mouth, swiping it with an urgency that makes me physically cringe in disgust. I am so confused, I have no idea what’s happening.

Whatever it is, it’s bad, I can feel it in my gut. I need to get away from him. Now.

Lifting my hands, I slap them on his chest and shove him back with as much force as I can muster. It’s enough to break his hold on my face and to put an end to his unprovoked kiss. No longer having his vile tongue down my throat, I gasp for much needed air before trying to jump from his lap.

“GET OFF ME! WHAT THE FUCK, SAM?!” I scream.

Before I have a chance to create distance, his large hands grab onto my waist. Standing from the couch, he throws me down onto it in a single, smooth motion. I don’t have any time to react; he pounces on top of me before I ever get the chance.

“Ohhh, no! NO! NO, DOLLY!” he yells, finding my thin wrists and slamming them above my head. “NO! NOW STOP!”

Shaking my head, I thrash my body beneath his. He’s far larger and stronger than I could ever be. He’s spent years playing rugby, while I’ve spent years curled up in bed reading. As hard as I fight, I am completely and utterly unmatched.

“STOP, DOLLY! DON’T FIGHT ME!” he barks.

Securing my wrists with one of his giant mitts, he drags the other down my face, over my breast, and along my side.

I continue to buck my body, but I barely make it a quarter of an inch off the couch.

Pressing me into the shredded cushion with his muscular form, I’m made intimately aware of how futile it is for me to fight.

“SAM! STOP! NO! I DON’T WANT THIS!” I cry again and again. “NO! NO!”

Tilting his head, he looks down at me with an expression that terrifies me to the core.

His eyes are cold and devoid of life, they remind me of the empty eyes of a shark.

With a demonic smile, his greedy fingers find the hem of Sutton’s shirt.

Sliding his unwanted touch under the fabric he latches onto both the waistband of Sutton’s sweatpants, and the pink lace of my panties.

“Yes you do, Dolly…yes you do! Look at you! You’re BEGGING me.

I can feel your hips grinding into mine!

God, Dolly…you’re making me so fucking hard,” he growls, pulling down the articles of clothing together simultaneously.

“You want me to do this. And it’s ok! I swear that this is ok!

I’m going to make you feel so good! I’ll make you forget all about him! ”

Freezing from a level of fear I’ve never experienced before, I feel every muscle under my flushed skin grow numb.

Panic races through me, running through my veins coated in barbed wire.

It takes my brain a second to catch up to my physical awareness, but when it does, I am horror-struck at what it prepares me for.

Dear God, please help me. He’s not going to stop. I’m about to be raped.