REprisal - Kathy Coopmans Page 0,4

but I can’t look at him yet and see Turner’s image. I’ll break if I do.

I know good old Mommy Dearest is watching right now. Damn trampy troll. It’s game time, bitch. I lock down my smug impression, to give nothing away to the camera’s view.

“Come here, pretty girl.”

I lift Journey up out of the water. Her super-sweet temperament is addictive as she squirms when I wrap the towel around her.

“Would you like to hold her?”

My open, straightforward behavior startles him. I focus my gaze on my little girl instead of him.

“Oh, come on, Trent. She’s a baby, and she’s your niece for God’s sake.”

I peek at him. Out of my peripheral vision, I see him looking from me to her, his arrogant, crooked smile tilting the corners of his mouth.

“I don’t know what the hell you’re trying to do, but whatever it is, you can stop now,” he commands, his voice a little deeper than usual.

“I’m not doing anything. Geez, get a grip. I’m lonely. I’ve been held prisoner in this room for how long now? Whatever reason the two of you have for keeping me here, I’ve finally come to the conclusion that I’m never going to get out of here.” I shrug my shoulders. “We may as well try to get along, for God’s sake.”

Storming past him, I lay the baby on the changing table, dry her off, and apply her sweet-smelling lotion, all the while keeping my back to him. I feel him come up behind me, his front making contact with my backside, making me uncomfortable. The feel of him brings back memories I want to stay hidden for the rest of my life. I let him touch me. I let him fuck me, and I liked it. Every single time, I liked it – except when he raped me in the back of his truck.

That memory right there tamps down any tender sentiments I feel toward him. Stick to your plan, Clove. It’s only the beginning. Don’t waver. Don’t steer away from doing what needs to be done.

I need to play it safe, slowly build up his trust in me. This plan needs to move in the direction I want it to. Interestingly, he hums in my ear the same way he used to.

“What are you saying exactly? That you want to fuck me? Is that it?”

His erection presses firmly into my back.

“Trent,” I say breathlessly.

“Clove,” he mocks.

“What’s Tina going to say when she sees you standing so close to me?”

Trent laughs, snaking his arm around my waist.

“The cameras are off, Clove. They’ve been off for about a month now.”

My mouth smiles, but my eyes hold all the warmth of a serpent. Is this a test, a trick of theirs somehow to see what I will do?

“There you go, sweet girl,” I croon to Journey while sidestepping his statement.

I pick up my baby and walk over to the rocking chair to feed her, continuing to act as if Trent’s presence in the room isn’t a low level of torture. Shamelessly, I unbutton my shirt, exposing my larger than normal breast. My hungry, greedy daughter latches on tightly to begin her evening meal.

The sensation of being watched is my undoing as I lift my head to his heated dark eyes. My composure gives away nothing. My broken heart pretends this is my husband standing in front of me, gazing down, watching me with nothing but the utmost admiration as I feed our daughter. My stare travels down his body leisurely, stopping just below the waistband of his hip-hugging jeans.

His cock is enlarged, I note with elation. I have him right where I want him- for now, anyway. Getting his interest only scratches the surface of my plan to seduce him, although the thought of him touching me after all this time makes me want to gag. I will play this through until I have him begging me to let him fuck me, but there is no way in hell he will ever get what he wants from me again. I look up and find Trent looking at me narrowly.

“What gives? I’m not as stupid as you think I am. I tell you the cameras are off and you act as if that doesn’t matter to you. I know you. You’re a fighter, and ever since you’ve had her, you’ve hardly spoken a word. So tell me. What kind of shit do you have stewing in that beautiful head of yours? Because even though I would