“Do you want to see?” That fucking evil smile is still on his face. “Let me show you.” Walking away, he comes back with a full-length mirror and holds it up in front of me.
Vomit rises at what I see. I’m bleeding all over. Cum mixed with blood runs down my shaking legs. The words written on me in Sharpie are front and center. Gashes so deep that parts of my skin hang. The only good thing is I can’t feel it. Maybe I’ve lost too much blood.
My bare feet slide in the puddle underneath me.
I look away, choosing the ceiling instead, but a hand grips my hair, forcing my head back to look, so I close my eyes as my shoulders shake.
Disgust washes over me, and I hate myself. No one can love this. I told myself we’d get to be together forever if I did this. It was a lie. He tricked me. It’s for his own personal gain. But one day, his time will come. And when I get my chance, I’ll fucking make him choke on the skin I cut from his body.
A hand slaps my wet cheek, and my eyes spring open. “Look at yourself, angel,” he growls.
“Fuck you,” I scream into the gag, and he laughs at me.
“The Lords allowed you to watch them cut their own for years, Eve, and you thought they wouldn’t do the same to you?”
I see the irony. I just don’t care. I didn’t choose this life, and now more than ever I feel like a failure for not succeeding at ending it all those years ago. Two chances and I failed both times.
“Eve,” he barks, slapping my face, and I narrow my watery eyes on his. “Do you really think you’re special? That they’d spare you?” Kashton shakes his head. “You’re a useless woman, Eve. There’s nothing special about that.”
FIFTY-THREE
EVERETT
Ifeel drowsy. High on drugs. The kind they fed me at Dollhouse.
Everything hurts and my skin itches. To the point it burns. It’s the cuts. The feeling has returned. I liked it better when I was numb.
I groan, hoping the drugs take me under once again. I can’t handle any more of this. Maybe someone will cut me deep enough that I’ll bleed to death. That’s the thing about the Lords; they know enough about the body to hurt you but keep you alive.
“Eve?”
I hear Kashton’s voice. The soft and sweet one that I loved so much. It’s a trap. My mind is playing tricks on me.
“Eve, wake up.”
No. I want to stay here. In this drug-induced high where he loves me. Where he didn’t turn my body over in hopes of getting something he wants.
“Come on, Eve. Open your eyes. Look at me.” He sounds desperate. Scared, almost. It’s just another lie. A way to humiliate me.
“Please…no.” My voice cracks. At least the damn rag is gone. Now I can breathe a little easier.
“You’re okay. I’m right here with you.”
I hate you,I want to say, but the words don’t come out because it’s not him I really hate. It’s me. He just showed me who he really is—like every other man in my life. I was the dumb one to believe he would be any different.
A hand touches my face, and my eyes open. It takes a second for them to focus, but when they do, I see his face inches from mine—and he’s smiling.
Panic bubbles up, and I scream. He pulls back, and I scramble away, falling onto the floor, and push my back against a wall. A sob of relief escapes now that I can fight back. I’ve got some kind of chance. The rope is gone, my arms are free, and I can speak. I’m weak, but I’ll fight until there’s nothing left. I just need a weapon. My hands frantically touch my neck to see that it’s also free.
“Everett. It’s me, Kash?—”
“Stay away from me.” I reach out and grab the nearest thing, which is a blanket, and cover my naked body up. It’ll give me some time to look for something to use.
He holds both hands up and sighs. “I’m sorry, angel. I’m so sorry?—”
“Fuck you!” I shout, pulling my knees to my chest. “I hate you.” My lips start to tremble. “Stay away from me. Stay away from me, you sick bastard.”
KASHTON
