Twisted Desire by Laura Dunaway

was up to asking. The fact that he just told me he’d done a number on me was more than I could take, even thought it was true in more ways than one.

    “I can’t stop replaying it all in my mind,” I started. “From when I left the cabin to when you showed up at his. I’m screaming at myself to go back inside when I remember leaving here, to not disobey you, but nothing stops me. I still go exploring, and I still run into Rico. Why didn’t I listen to you, Tag?” I asked as I punched my pillow over and over with my balled up fist.

    His hand shot out and held onto my wrist, stopping me from punching. He didn’t let go as he waited for me to look at him. His touch was strong, but gentle. I knew now more than ever that I was safe with him.  

    “You listen to me,” he said, his tone constricted. “We can’t change yesterday, querida. We can only change tomorrow. What happened is something we won’t forget, but we can become stronger from it. But you need to remember one thing over everything else—it is not your fault.”

    A nerve in his jaw ticked as he spoke, showing me just how angry he really was. My heart jumped a beat, realizing he was doing his best to stay calm, for me. He was putting my needs over his.

    “Did you find out where he is?”

    I couldn’t resist asking. I had to know where he was for my sanity. If he was still on the yacht, it was too close.  

    He turned away, not looking at me. His hand ran over his head—and he emitted a sigh. He knew.

    “Tell me,” I whispered.

    He put his elbows on his knees, his forehead resting in his hands. “He’s in the infirmary.”

    The what? “What’s that?”

    He stayed still. “It’s the medical quarters of the yacht. He’s in a coma… I put him in a coma.”

    Shock ran through me. Little bits of memory came back of Tag beating him up, but a coma? Holy shit.

    “Is he going to live?”

    He lifted his chin and looked over at me. “They don’t know yet. I hope not. I wish I would’ve killed him then and there.”

    Hearing him say those words sent chills down my body. I wasn’t used to hearing things like that, to living things like this. But I understood why he said it, and a part of me found I agreed.  

    “Is it horrible of me to say a part of me agrees?”

    A ghost of a smile appeared on his face. He started to reach a hand toward me, then pulled it back to his side. “No, querida, it’s not.”

    “He’s a monster. Anyone like him is a monster,” I whispered. “I am such a fool.”

    I put my hand up when Tag started to speak, silencing him.

    “I know what you’ve told me, but you can’t change how I feel. Logically I know what he did wasn’t my fault, but the fact is, if I’d just stayed here, it wouldn’t have happened.”

    He let out a huge sigh and shifted on the bed. “Maybe, maybe not, Penny. It may not have happened yesterday, but who’s to say he wouldn’t have found another way to find you?”

    My eyes grew wide hearing that. “But… But you always said I was safe with you. What do you mean?”

    His eyes grew a little darker. “You are safe with me, Penny, when I’m with you. But, who’s to say he wouldn’t have found some way to get to you when I wasn’t around? The fact is, he was more determined to get you than any of us realized. I knew he was obsessed with you, but I still believed Roman had a hold over him and that he wouldn’t go as far as he did. I’m the fool for believing that. If anyone is to blame besides Rico, it’s me.”

    I shook my head. “No, no you’re not. How can you think that? You didn’t do anything other than your job, what you were told to do. You protected me and told me to stay in here when you were gone. I didn’t listen and…I paid for it.”

    I heard him utter some profanities, making me wince. He must have seen because he swore again and clenched his fists. “I honestly wish Roman had a therapist on board here. Going through what you did, Penny, it