Reckless Together: A Contemporary New Adult College Romance (The Reckless Series) (13 page)

"It would have to be waterproof or she'd wash it off in the shower. And wouldn't that humidity give it away? And someone would probably point it out to her."

"Killjoy. We're just brainstorming here. You're killing the creative genius."

"Sorry. My bad. Want to go together to pick up the sweatshirts next week?"

He shook his head. "And be seen in a crowd of girls as a whipped mama's boy? I'll give you a twenty to pick them up for me."

I shrugged. "Done. I could use the money." I held out my hand.

"I only pay on receipt," he said.

"Talk about trust issues." I laughed. "I wasn't asking for payment. I need your receipt so they'll give them to me."

He hit a button on his laptop and his printer came to life, spitting his order confirmation out. "What brings you here?"

"I needed to talk to someone normal."

"And yet you came here." His eyes danced with amusement.

"Yeah, well, you're not in the middle of bad-breakup depression. You aren't stressed out about testifying at a trial—"

"Now the truth comes out," he said. "Problems with the boyfriend."

"No, just worries. Doctor—" I cut myself off just in time before I spilled something confidential. "Can we lock the door? I don't want to be interrupted."

Dex shrugged.
 

I took that as a yes and flipped the deadbolt before turning to face Dex again. "All the articles I've read say male rape victims feel like they should have been able to defend themselves. Some of them cover it by bragging about their sexual exploits and how sexy they are. But deep down…"
 

I hesitated, knowing I could alienate Dex, too. But I had no choice.
 

"You lied to me," I said.

Dex frowned, perplexed. "What are you talking about?"

I swallowed hard. "You told me you didn't see Logan's picture when you found the rest of the naked photos on Dr. Rogers' computers. But that's a lie. You did." I bit my lip. My mouth went so dry I could barely get the words out. "Dex, please. I need to know
everything
you saw."
 

Chapter Ten

Dex stared at me. "Come on, Ellie. How do you know I saw anything?"

Logic was the only way to appeal to Dex. He didn't make decisions based on emotional appeals.

"Logan was Dr. Rogers' favorite victim. She told him she was in love with him. She was obsessed with him. That was clearly evident the day we pranked her class. When Logan came in, she looked like she wanted to do him right there.

"He told me she confronted him with a naked picture of himself. It doesn't make any sense she wouldn't have kept at least that one. If I have to guess, I'd say she had more than one picture. More than still pictures. I'd say she had a sex tape. And you know what's on it."

"I'm not a perv, Ellie." His eyes and voice were hard. But he bit the inside of his cheek, which meant he was nervous.

"I never said you were. I think something totally different—you're a true friend. You saw something, however brief, and you want to spare me and forget you ever saw it. But it's important to me now. What did you see? And what did you do?"

He took a deep breath and sat down on his bed. "Shit, Ellie, I never would have blackmailed you into being in my study group if I'd realized you were so damned smart."

"Is that a compliment?"

His grin was almost sad. "You'd better sit down."

I sat on his roommate's lumpy, rumpled bed across from him, trying not to think about the last time these sheets had been washed.

"I'll tell you the truth, but I will deny ever having said it."

I nodded. "I'm not a court of law. I want to know so I can help Logan. That's all."

"And what if you can't push the images I give you out of your mind?" he asked. "What if knowing causes you to turn away from him? And me."

"It won't. But that's a chance I'll take. And I won't tell Logan ever, either."

Dex continued to stare at me, looking like he was still thinking it over. Finally, he spoke. "You're right. There was a video. I erased it and the pictures of Logan. To protect you. And by default him. There was more than enough evidence to convict Dr. Rogers without it. I'm good. I covered my tracks thoroughly. If anything ever comes to light, I'll claim Dr. Rogers deleted the files to protect herself."

I nodded and let out a breath I'd hardly been aware of holding. I couldn't say I was relieved, exactly. But I was hopeful. "Thank you. Really, Dex. For everything you did."

"Shit." He looked away, obviously embarrassed. "Why do I feel like I could use a drink?" he said. "I don't like talking to girls about perverted shit like this."

"It's not my favorite topic, either. If it helps, I won't look at you."

He shook his head again. "You're funny, Ellie."

"Look," I said. "I'm fighting a succubus who haunts Logan in his dreams. It's like boxing with shadows. I need ammo. Just give me the basics."

He shrugged. "The tape was short and shot from a camera she must have hidden somewhere off to the side of the bed. The picture wasn't super clear."

If that was another lie, I let him get away with it.

"It opens with her leading Logan to the bed. He's leaning on her heavily, as if he can barely stand, and protesting that he feels sick and needs to leave. He's mumbling like talking is a real effort and stumbling and dragging his feet.

"She helps him on to the bed just in time and it looks like he passes out." Dex paused. "Shit. You really want to hear this?" He studied me like he was trying to determine if I was okay.

I nodded and swallowed hard. "If Logan has to live through it at trial, I can live through it here. Logan isn't going to tell me. I'd rather hear it from you than the hostile opposing lawyers for Dr. Rogers' defense."

Dex nodded and pursed his lips, looking like I'd made a good point. "Okay, then. She undresses him, slowly, like she likes it, running her fingers over his body, squeezing his muscles, telling him how hot he is and how much she wants him. His breathing gets heavier, but he doesn't move.
 

"Then she does a striptease for him, even though he's out cold. And gets herself off as she lies next to him, stroking his dick." Dex shivered like he was totally revolted. "It was horrifying and I fast forwarded through a lot of it. But my morbid curiosity got the best of me and I saw enough of it. Too much."

I nodded. "I know. Keep going."

Dex looked out the window as he spoke. "She strokes him and plays with him until he's hard. Then gets a condom out and rolls it on him. Climbs on top of him and puts him in her. She's riding him, calling his name, trying to wake him. Finally, he rouses just a little and murmurs a girl's name."
 

Dex glanced at me guiltily. "Don't ask me the name because the sound quality was bad and he mumbled. I couldn't hear it, but it sure as hell wasn't Dr. Rogers' name. That much was clear. He thought she was some girl he was into, okay?"

"Okay."

"Just so you're clear—he was obviously confused. He was in no way into Dr. Rogers. I have to make an editorial comment here—she was not sexy. Her breasts were baggy and her skin wrinkled. Her belly was flabby. She looked like an old crone getting off on a hot young guy. It's important to keep that in mind. If Logan had been conscious, he would have been as repulsed as I was."

My heart was racing as I nodded. "I know. Believe me, I know. It's just that he doesn't see it that way."

Dex looked stricken. "Maybe I shouldn't have erased it. At the time I didn't think. I was shocked and sickened. I never thought…" He took a deep breath and let it out. "I never thought it would be healing for Logan, or any victim to see that. Maybe I was wrong."

"It's okay, Dex. You had every good intention. Is that the end?"

He shook his head. "She rides him until he climaxes, but it was clear he was never fully awake and aware. He was hallucinating or dreaming. He thought she was someone else.

"Just after he comes, he starts like he's waking up and realizes for a second who she is. He looks horrified. Then he passes out again." Dex stared at me. "Ellie? You okay? You look pale."

"I'm fine. Just…" It happened exactly like Logan's nightmare. He was reliving it and substituting me for the girl before.

"Icked out and feeling like you need a shower?" Dex asked.

I finally managed to nod and smile. "Yeah."

He sighed. "I know the feeling." He was silent. "I know the last thing he wants is pity, but I feel for Logan. That's some serious shit to have to deal with."

We fell silent.

Finally, Dex spoke again. "If it ever comes up, reassure him that he didn't really regain consciousness. He had no idea what he was doing."

"I know. I will," I said, relieved by that part of what Dex had told me. "He won't bring it up. And I can't. He doesn't want me at the trial because he's afraid of the images getting to me. So how do I convince him?"

"Shit, Ellie. I have no idea." Dex actually gave me a hug.

The day was warm. When I got back to the apartment, the windows were open, Spartacus was swimming happily around his bowl, and the guys were lounging around the living room making plans for the weekend. I entered in the middle of their conversation.

"It's too late to plan a really epic party," Zave said.

"Spontaneous parties can be epic, too." Collin was drinking a beer. He took a swig before he spoke. "We have to do something. Live a little. Next weekend we'll be tied down with the moms." He rolled his eyes in disgust.

I hadn't really thought about their moms coming. Truthfully, I wasn't thinking about much more than Logan and my own troubles with Mom coming. I realized I'd have to move back to my dorm room, at least for that weekend. And I didn't relish the thought of going back or stopping by and talking to Bre about it. I still didn't know if her mom was coming, too.

Zave shrugged. "Yeah, your mom's a party dud."

"What are you talking about? Yours is worse. Mine's decent at beer pong. Logan's sucks."

Logan didn't come to his mom's defense. He remained silently amused.

"Let's have a mom beer pong tourney." Zave noticed me. "Oh, hey, Ellie. Think your mom would be up for it?"

"Probably. But she'd be more up for strip poker and I'm not letting her take advantage of you guys." I liked teasing and egging the guys on.

"That sounds dirty," Zave said.

"Does it? I didn't mean it to," I said, all innocent-like. Then I winked as I walked over and gave Logan a kiss. He pulled me into his lap.

"Don't worry about us, Ellie," Collin said. "We heard your mom is hot and not all that old. We'd let her take advantage of us. For your sake."

"I'm touched, boys, really. But no thanks. I'm going to take her dancing at Up All Night and let her pick her victim from a pool of willing strangers."

"Cruel girl," Collin said to me, but it was all in good fun.

Logan wrapped his arms around me and nuzzled my neck. "You always smell good." He kissed my neck. "Where've you been? I was expecting you earlier."

My heart raced, but I reverted to my cool lying techniques and told a good partial truth. "I stopped by to see Dex. He wants me to pick up his Mom's Weekend sweatshirts and I had to get his receipt. Did you order matching sweatshirts?" I ribbed Logan.

Logan shuddered. "Not even Mom could make me do that. So what do you want to do this weekend, El?"

Zave cut in. "Let's go to the cliffs and do some jumping. We haven't been since last summer."

I froze.
 

Logan noticed and hugged me tighter. "No thanks. I don't think I'm up to saving El's life again." He kissed my cheek.

"Shut up." I punched him playfully, happy he'd come to my defense. But sensing that he was telling the truth—until Mom's Weekend and the trial were over, he was distracted.

"Sorry, Ellie. Didn't mean to upset you. Almost drowning has to be a once-in-a-lifetime event, right?"