Fear

26 • Lies and punishments

The aftermath of the chaotic scene still lingered in the air as I lay in bed, my throat sore and my body aching from Dylan's attack. Tyler had taken Dylan away, leaving me gasping on the floor, but now I was alone, waiting for what I knew would come next. Tyler would demand answers, and I had to be ready.

The door to the bedroom creaked open, and Tyler entered, his eyes cold and piercing. He shut the door behind him and crossed the room with deliberate steps, stopping at the foot of the bed. His eyes were dark and stormy as they bore into mine.

"Emily," he said, his voice calm but laced with an undercurrent of threat. "We need to talk about what happened."

I sat up slowly, wincing at the pain in my throat. "There's nothing to talk about. Dylan overreacted, that's all."

Tyler's jaw tightened, and he took a step closer. "Don't lie to me. I spoke to Dylan. He said you kissed Tom. Is that true?"

I forced myself to meet his gaze, my mind racing. "No, it's not true. Dylan's lying."

Tyler's eyes narrowed, and he seemed to study my face, searching for any sign of deceit. "You expect me to believe that? Dylan had no reason to lie about this."

"He does have a reason," I said, my voice steady despite the fear creeping inside me. "He wants to keep Tom under his control. He knows that if you think I kissed Tom, you'll punish me, and he enjoys seeing me suffer."

Tyler's expression darkened further, and he leaned in, his face inches from mine. "If you're lying to me, Emily, I will find out. And if I find out you're lying, the consequences will be severe."

"I'm not lying," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "I didn't kiss Tom."

Tyler straightened, his eyes cold. "Fine. If you're so certain, then you won't mind if I ask you again. Did you kiss Tom?"

I hesitated, knowing that my next words could seal my fate. But I couldn't betray Tom. He needed me to protect him. "No, I didn't kiss him."

The silence that followed was heavy, oppressive. Tyler stared at me, his eyes hard, his fists clenched at his sides. Then, without warning, he grabbed my arm and pulled me off the bed, dragging me across the room.

"You think you can lie to me and get away with it?" he snarled, his grip tightening painfully. "You think I won't punish you for this?"

I tried to pull away, but his hold was unyielding. "I'm not lying!"

He shoved me against the wall, his face inches from mine. "One last chance, Emily. Tell me the truth. Did you kiss him?"

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I held my ground. "No."

Tyler's eyes blazed with fury, and he raised his hand. I braced myself for the blow, my heart pounding in my chest. But instead of hitting me, he lowered his hand and stepped back, his expression unreadable.

"You've earned a punishment," he said quietly, the calmness in his voice more terrifying than his anger. "And you will learn that lying to me has consequences."

I watched him warily, my body trembling. "What are you going to do?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he grabbed a chair from the corner of the room and set it in the middle of the floor. "Sit," he ordered.

I hesitated, but the look in his eyes left no room for argument. I slowly walked to the chair and sat down, my heart racing. Tyler walked over to a drawer and pulled out a length of rope. My breath caught in my throat as he approached, tying my hands behind the back of the chair with practiced ease.