My Best Friend's Camera Trap - Chapter 5: Chapter 5
You are reading My Best Friend's Camera Trap, Chapter 5: Chapter 5. Read more chapters of My Best Friend's Camera Trap.
The room went dead silent as I cradled my shaking best friend Sophia against me. Running my fingers through her tangled hair, I murmured, "Shh... you're safe now."
Her skin was a patchwork of purple and yellow bruises. Each mark made my stomach twist, but I kept my hands away from the tender spots.
"What the hell happened?" I asked when her breathing steadied.
At first Sophia just sniffled into my shoulder. But after I kept pressing, the truth came tumbling out - exactly what I'd feared. Derek had been hurting her.
"He's a personal trainer," she whispered. "When he misses his sales targets... he takes it out on me. Choking me. Hitting me." Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. "Before you came, he'd... he'd force me onto the balcony naked and... with those floor-to-ceiling windows..."
My jaw clenched. "Why didn't you call the cops? Or at least dump his ass?" My voice turned sharp. "Is he threatening you?"
Then Sophia did something that made my blood run cold. She looked up with this dreamy expression and said, "But he's good to me."
Good? When he's leaving handprints around your throat?
Seeing my horrified face, she rushed to explain. "I mean, yeah he hits me, but he also... makes me breakfast in bed. Brings me street food after work. Picks me flowers when we're out shopping..."
Her voice got breathy. "And in bed? God, he's incredible. I love most of it - just not the... finishing part. And okay, he gets a little handsy, but what guy doesn't have his kinks?"
She was actually smiling now, like she was reminiscing about some romantic getaway instead of describing her abuse. A shiver crawled down my spine. I never knew my best friend could be this... brainwashed.
Noticing my disgust, Sophia gave an awkward chuckle. "Daddy issues, am I right?" Then she wrapped her arms around my waist like a child. "Jasmine, please stay a few more days? He doesn't go full psycho when you're here. Just... give me a break?"
Now she wasn't even pretending to condemn him - just begging for a temporary reprieve. Looking at her battered body and those puppy-dog eyes, I sighed. "Fine."
"YES!" She knocked me backward onto the bed, giggling like we were teenagers at a sleepover. But in the quiet moments, I caught the metallic tang of blood from her wounds.
My stomach churned with conflicting emotions.
Suddenly she bolted upright. "Shoot! I need to go apologize to Derek."
My eyebrows shot up. "You're apologizing to him?"
"I ran off before he... finished," she said, like this was some minor social faux pas. "He'll be all pent up now. If I say sorry, maybe we can still cuddle tonight!"
Before I could stop her, she scampered back to their room. Our promised girls' night evaporated.
She never returned. Soon the walls started vibrating with those familiar muffled sounds. She never learned - probably getting pounded into the mattress while moaning his name. Though she tried to stay quiet, every pained whimper stabbed through me.
Any arousal I'd felt earlier had completely evaporated.
Next morning, Sophia and Derek were already gone. At work, my anxiety spiked until I called my husband to dig up dirt on Derek. Thank God for wealthy connections - he had answers by lunchtime.
He showed up at my office looking grim. "What's so important? And we're still fighting," I snapped as I buckled into his car.
"Forget that. You're coming home instead of staying with Sophia." He wouldn't meet my eyes.
"Just tell me what you found!"
His knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. "Not here. I'll show you at home."
That ominous tone made my pulse race. Back at our place, he pulled up a website - and there was Sophia's face staring back at us.
Her skin was a patchwork of purple and yellow bruises. Each mark made my stomach twist, but I kept my hands away from the tender spots.
"What the hell happened?" I asked when her breathing steadied.
At first Sophia just sniffled into my shoulder. But after I kept pressing, the truth came tumbling out - exactly what I'd feared. Derek had been hurting her.
"He's a personal trainer," she whispered. "When he misses his sales targets... he takes it out on me. Choking me. Hitting me." Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. "Before you came, he'd... he'd force me onto the balcony naked and... with those floor-to-ceiling windows..."
My jaw clenched. "Why didn't you call the cops? Or at least dump his ass?" My voice turned sharp. "Is he threatening you?"
Then Sophia did something that made my blood run cold. She looked up with this dreamy expression and said, "But he's good to me."
Good? When he's leaving handprints around your throat?
Seeing my horrified face, she rushed to explain. "I mean, yeah he hits me, but he also... makes me breakfast in bed. Brings me street food after work. Picks me flowers when we're out shopping..."
Her voice got breathy. "And in bed? God, he's incredible. I love most of it - just not the... finishing part. And okay, he gets a little handsy, but what guy doesn't have his kinks?"
She was actually smiling now, like she was reminiscing about some romantic getaway instead of describing her abuse. A shiver crawled down my spine. I never knew my best friend could be this... brainwashed.
Noticing my disgust, Sophia gave an awkward chuckle. "Daddy issues, am I right?" Then she wrapped her arms around my waist like a child. "Jasmine, please stay a few more days? He doesn't go full psycho when you're here. Just... give me a break?"
Now she wasn't even pretending to condemn him - just begging for a temporary reprieve. Looking at her battered body and those puppy-dog eyes, I sighed. "Fine."
"YES!" She knocked me backward onto the bed, giggling like we were teenagers at a sleepover. But in the quiet moments, I caught the metallic tang of blood from her wounds.
My stomach churned with conflicting emotions.
Suddenly she bolted upright. "Shoot! I need to go apologize to Derek."
My eyebrows shot up. "You're apologizing to him?"
"I ran off before he... finished," she said, like this was some minor social faux pas. "He'll be all pent up now. If I say sorry, maybe we can still cuddle tonight!"
Before I could stop her, she scampered back to their room. Our promised girls' night evaporated.
She never returned. Soon the walls started vibrating with those familiar muffled sounds. She never learned - probably getting pounded into the mattress while moaning his name. Though she tried to stay quiet, every pained whimper stabbed through me.
Any arousal I'd felt earlier had completely evaporated.
Next morning, Sophia and Derek were already gone. At work, my anxiety spiked until I called my husband to dig up dirt on Derek. Thank God for wealthy connections - he had answers by lunchtime.
He showed up at my office looking grim. "What's so important? And we're still fighting," I snapped as I buckled into his car.
"Forget that. You're coming home instead of staying with Sophia." He wouldn't meet my eyes.
"Just tell me what you found!"
His knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. "Not here. I'll show you at home."
That ominous tone made my pulse race. Back at our place, he pulled up a website - and there was Sophia's face staring back at us.
End of My Best Friend's Camera Trap Chapter 5. Continue reading Chapter 6 or return to My Best Friend's Camera Trap book page.