Chapter 11 #2
I yearned for a break from just standing there as he drank, hung with his teammates, and groped me.
His hand grabbed my ass, rubbed up and down my side, until he left it on my ribs so his thumb could brush the side of my boob.
He didn’t care if his teammates saw, which they did.
Most pretended not to. Others enjoyed the show.
Brandon didn’t care that I was uncomfortable. I was an object. I was his object.
When talk shifted to sex, the urge to walk away for a bit was too strong to ignore.
“I’ll be right back,” I said, hoping he was too distracted listening to one of his teammates blabber on about a girl giving him head in the dugout after a game one time.
I went to walk away, but his arm around me tightened and pulled me flush against him. “Kiss me before you go.”
I tilted my head back to offer myself to him.
His hand went to the back of my neck just before his mouth covered mine.
I had expected it to just be a peck, but when I went to pull away, his hand held me in place.
His tongue slid across the seam of my lips before pushing between them.
I went stiff, unable to do much more without causing a scene.
His tongue explored my mouth and assaulted my tongue.
It was violating. I was a little in shock as he pulled away.
“Don’t be gone long,” he told me.
I nodded and stared at the ground as I headed back into the house. The farther I got from him, the more what had just happened really sank in. I was scared to swallow. I could still taste him in my mouth, and if I didn’t wash it out right away, I’d vomit.
Once inside, I realized I didn’t know where the restroom was. What if I found it and there was a line?
Quickly deciding what to do, I beelined for the kitchen and grabbed the first bottle of alcohol I saw.
I dropped my water cup in the sink. I debated for a second whether or not to wash my mouth out there, but worried how that would look and whether rumors would travel back to Brandon.
I looked around and saw another door leading outside at the other end of the kitchen.
I took it, realizing that it led to the backyard, too, but closer to the side of the house.
I walked until no one could see me from the deck.
The bushes I was standing in front of really helped hide me.
I quickly unscrewed the cap off the bottle, which was a very expensive vodka, and brought it to my lips.
I filled my mouth, swished, gargled, and spit into the bushes.
“You know, I’ve never seen someone so repulsed by a kiss that they had to gargle with vodka,” a voice sounding like Wyatt said.
I straightened as I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. To my right, in the direction I had come from, Roe and Wyatt were standing not even five feet from me. Roe was smoking a joint, his expression schooled as he watched me.
Wyatt had his hands in his leather jacket pockets, letting it show on his face that he was put off. “Your boyfriend looks like a terrible kisser. It was like he was trying to reach your tonsils.”
I gagged. “Ugh, stop it or I’ll throw up.”
Both of their brows lifted in surprise. I filled my mouth again, swished, and leaned behind the bushes so I could spit without them seeing me.
The burn of the alcohol helped with the taste, but it didn’t erase the feeling.
I straightened again and let out a frustrated noise.
“It won’t go away.” My eyes began to burn and I quickly filled my mouth again, but this time I swallowed.
“What won’t go away?” Roe asked.
“He fucking knows I don’t want to be with him and he doesn’t care,” I seethed. I wanted to scream and yell. I took another drink instead.
Wyatt came over to me. “Whoa, there,” he said, snatching the vodka bottle. “From what you just said, you don’t want to be drunk around a guy like that.”
I tried to snatch it back.
He held it out of reach. “Sorry, gorgeous.”
With both hands, I raked my fingers along my scalp and pulled on my hair close to the root, hoping that would distract me from crying. “You don’t understand. It won’t go away.”
“Lottie,” Roe said a little firmly to hold my attention. “What won’t go away?”
A tear slipped out and I tried to inhale but struggled.
“I can still feel him kissing me.” Maybe I’d never be able to erase the feeling of him because the kissing would never stop.
It was only going to get worse. Eventually, I’d have to sleep with him.
If it was this bad just kissing him…I couldn’t do it.
I couldn’t and I’d be punished. I wouldn’t put it past Mother to tie me to a bed for him to do what he wanted.
There was nothing I could do. I couldn’t stop it from happening.
I dropped my hands from my hair as I tried to take in breath again, but it wasn’t enough. It was too shallow. I fisted Wyatt’s jacket and put my other hand on my chest. “I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.”
“Lottie,” I heard Roe say as he stepped closer.
“Ah, shit,” Wyatt cursed before I heard a thunk. It sounded like something dropped onto the grass. He grabbed me by my upper arms. “Charlotte,” he snapped. His tone was so serious, it startled me enough to look up at him. Before I could even process what was happening, his mouth was on mine.
I went still—everything went still. Even my mind.
Wyatt was kissing me. That was all I could focus on. He didn’t do anything more than press his lips to mine, but it was effective.
He pulled away far enough to look me in the eye. “Breathe.”
I inhaled deeply, filling my lungs to the point of relief.
When I exhaled, he seemed to relax with me. “Good job. You’re okay.”
“Really, Wyatt? You had to kiss her after she just had her mouth violated?” Roe asked as he came to stand right next to us. His joint was gone.
Wyatt released my arms and rubbed the back of his neck. “Would you believe me if I said I panicked and it was the only thing I could think of?”
Roe shook his head at him before looking me over. “Keep taking deep breaths.”
I did as he said.
“And I wouldn’t have called that a kiss,” Wyatt said.
Roe gave him an exasperated look. “Oh, really? What would you call it, then?”
“A form of resuscitation,” Wyatt said, sounding as if even he didn’t believe it. “It was an act of lifesaving.”
Roe just stared at him like he was ridiculous.
Wyatt let out a sigh and met my eyes. “I’m sorry.”
I laughed. It was either the alcohol or I was delirious, but I laughed. They watched as if I was losing it.
As I tried to calm down, I wiped under my eyes. “Is my makeup ruined?”
Wyatt shook his head. “You still look hot.”
Roe sighed and met my eyes. “Do you like rock music?”
The random question surprised Wyatt as much as it did me. Then he grinned.
Last time Roe had asked me if I liked something, he’d taken me somewhere. “Are you asking me to go listen to rock music with you?”
“Yes,” Roe said.
The sound of laughter from the party traveled to us, reminding me of all the reasons I shouldn’t. I looked past them, trying to see the deck, but the house and landscaping blocked it.
“Make something up,” Roe said. “Don’t go back to him.”
“He’s throwing back drinks like they’re water,” Wyatt said. “If he’s forceful with you now, I don’t want to imagine what he’s like when completely drunk.”
“I can’t just leave. I—” Wyatt voicing the fears I already had made it hard to convince myself to stay—to not give in to what I wanted versus what I was supposed to do.
“Just text him that you’re feeling sick and went home,” Wyatt suggested. “I doubt he’ll check his phone for a while.”
I’d get punished for leaving like this if Mother found out. There would be broken bones for sure, but the alternative of going back and dealing with him…I’d rather risk having my bones broken.
“I didn’t drive here and I’m not getting on the back of a motorcycle,” I said.
Wyatt reached into his back pocket and pulled out keys. “Well, it’s a good thing I brought my car.”