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“Come on, you wanker, drop yourself in the shit,”Brody growled in my ear.

“Finding a way to meet up with you—I mean, what’s a guy to do? You’re beautiful, unique, and honestly, since I saw that video, I can’t get you out of my head. You captivated me.”

“Was it the crying or pleading for my life that did it for you? Or maybe the screaming in fear?” I couldn’t stop the words from leaving me. The hangdog, earnest expression on Drew’s face was getting on my last nerve.

Drew shrugged. “I could see past it. I could see potential.” He sighed and checked his watch. “If we’re going, we’d better get a move on.”

“You need to make him say something, now, sweetheart. Push him, piss him off. You know you can do it. It’s your gift.”

“And if I don’t want to?” I challenged quickly. “If I decide not to go back to your place and fuck you, even after giving you ten grand in stolen money—what then?”

“Then your little sex tape, three-men gang bang?—”

“Rape,” I corrected him.

“It gets seen by the entire HHU campus, and the town, too. There won’t be a person in your life who hasn’t seen that tape.” Drew sat back and looked satisfied with himself. “I don’t think it’s a hard choice. I’m not a bad guy. I won’t hurt you like they did.”

“So, you know they were hurting me, but you still watched that tape. You still enjoyed it.”

He stared at me and then shook his head slowly.

“You clearly don’t understand what happens to a man when they watch a video like that. It’s biological. We don’t logically think about right and wrong, good and bad. It’s about instinct. Prey drive, they call it. The problem is you have no protector, Selena. So, that happened to you.”

“Not even close, Officer Dimwit, but try again.”

Drew’s eyes shifted over my shoulder. I didn’t need to turn to know who was there.

Brody’s low, mocking tone felt like a cozy blanket, making me feel safe and warm.

“Excuse me?” Drew spluttered and looked around worriedly.

“I said you’re wrong, but I’m sure you’re used to that. That night happened because sick fucks thought they were above the law and common decency, and took their depravity out on an innocent woman. They were fucked in the head,” Brody continued, leaning a hand on the table and getting in Drew’s face.

“And they burned for it. Either they already have, or they will. There is no other justice worthy to punish the crime. Burning comes the closest, and it has a certain poetic justice to it, after all. Men have been burning women at the stake for centuries. It’s time for a little payback.”

“Who the hell are you?”

“Don’t interrupt,” Brody drawled in an effortlessly commanding tone. “The second thing you were wrong about was your simple explanation of animal prey instincts, which I’m not going to waste my time correcting. The third is that Selena is alone. That is wrong. She has a protector, you see. It’s me.” He glanced at me. “You can go, sweetheart. I’ll finish up here, and make sure the police take over. First, my lawyer is on his way, and he’d like a word.”

Drew went to stand, and Brody clapped a hand on his shoulder and shoved him back into his seat.

“‘Sweetheart’? What are you? Her boyfriend?”

“No, nothing so pedestrian,” Brody tossed at Drew and then met my eye. “I’m the man who loves her, just as she is.”

I had no idea how to react to those words.What the hell? Has he lost his mind? Wait… am I really smiling right now?

Brody nodded toward the exit. “Go now. It’s time. Cal will take you home.”

“I…” I trailed off, unsure what to say.

I love you, too.

It sounded ridiculous. Absurd. I couldn’t say it. I’d choke on the words and die. Even though I did. I absolutely did.

Then Brody was pushing me toward the door, while muscling into the booth opposite Drew. The police officer seemed like he was about to get up and follow me when Brody shook his head, tutting softly.

“You’re not going to want to do that, unless you want me broadcasting your entire conversation just now, loudly. It wouldn’t do your reputation much good in town.”