Trust in Me by Skye Warren Read Free Book Online

harm’s way. It was different with Zachary. With him it was all business and maybe a little camaraderie, but he never took me for granted.
    Tyler seemed to think nothing of using me to achieve his ends. His goals were noble, saving those women, but what about me? People who said the end justified the means were never the ones suffering the means. I wasn’t really complaining about my lot in life. No, I’d accepted my whoredom years ago. What shook me was that Tyler accepted it so easily as well.
    “Can you do it?” he asked.
    “I said yes already,” I snapped. He didn’t just think I was a whore, he thought I was a bad one. I led the way downstairs. We found Carlos outside. Tyler went first, conversing with Carlos in front of a black SUV. I took a minute to collect myself, and then joined them.
    “I’ll see for myself,” Carlos said.
    “All right,” Tyler said. “Go on, then. I’ll see you on the sensor from here.”
    He sounded so wholly unconcerned that I would never have known he was worried about it. But if he betrayed any sign that he wanted Carlos to stay, it would be a dead giveaway.
    “Go inside,” Carlos snapped when he saw me.
    “Baby,” I purred, draping my arms around his neck. “I miss you. Come spend time with me. I’ll make you feel so good.”
    He twisted my wrist, flipping my body to the ground in a graceless heap. I caught a glimpse of shocked blue eyes and realized Tyler hadn’t fully understood the violence Carlos directed at me. Even though he worked in the darkness, his mind was filled with light. Tyler couldn’t imagine inflicting that kind of violence on someone, because he never, ever would. And the one time we had been together, he hadn’t seen my scars.
    Just as quickly he masked his shock. It wasn’t a surprise because he was good at his job. That’s why we were here after all, him acting nonchalant and me getting my ass beat. And it was working, as Carlos leaned over me, spitting in my face with his lecture about interrupting my betters.
    “You sniveling little whore,” he raged. “Like I don’t give you everything. A place to stay, food to eat, fancy clothes, and how do you repay me? By getting in my way, demanding more. Greedy puta .”
    I cowered—that part came naturally. And if I wanted to, I could simper, ingratiate myself to him in order to cool his wrath. But that wouldn’t serve Tyler’s purpose. If Carlos forgot about me, he’d be right back to blowing the sting operation along with Tyler’s cover.
    Already cringing for the blow, I mouthed off. “It’s only because you never pay attention to me. I don’t see what’s the big deal.”
    The blow came, harder than I expected. It was always harder than I expected, no matter how many times I’d been hit. Sex was routine, but muscle memory refused to let me accustom to beatings. As if my own body was working with Carlos, I felt every hit, every cut, like it was my first.
    My face pressed against the grass, incongruously smelling like a fresh spring day and the tang of blood. Carlos yanked up my skirt and spanked me. These weren’t the playful, kinky spanks of a lover, but the beating of a man on a woman. His arm wielded as a club, not stinging, bruising.
    I kept my grunts as soft as possible, not wanting to arouse anymore of Carlos’s ire, not wanting to show Tyler how badly it hurt. He would feel bad if he knew. Even though it was his fault, I didn’t want him to take the blame.
    Tears leaked from my eyes, mixing with the dirt under my face, drawing camouflage on my face. I tried not to imagine how horrible I must look when Carlos yanked me back to stand up.
    “Jesus,” Carlos said. “Look what you did. I have work to do and now I’m busy dealing with a fucking brat.”
He shook me as if for an answer, but there wasn’t a question.
    “Martinez, go check on the safehouse,” Carlos barked to Tyler.
    A thick pause followed. What was he waiting for? This was exactly what Tyler needed, ample