As his cock pushes between my lips and moves to the back of my throat, I lap at it eagerly with my tongue. His hands take a gentle hold of my head, and he begins to thrust hard.
Use me. Convince me that’s all this is, so that I can remind my heart.
Chapter 37
Amelia
Iget home after midnight. Crawford ordered a car for me after I refused to have Melvin drop me at home. I hope there will never come a day when either of them sees my home for real.
As soon as I open the door, the smell hits me, and I stop, dreading what I’m going to find when I step into the living room.
Keeping my movements as quiet as possible, I push the door open, hearing the clink of a bottle as I do. My dad is passed out on the couch, with my mom on the chair beside him.
Immediately, my thoughts move to Annabelle, and I skirt around them, ignoring the mess, hitching up my dress and heading upstairs.
I knock very quietly at the door. I know she’ll be awake; neither of us can ever sleep when my parents act like this.
“Annie? It’s me,” I say softly, and after a long pause, the door opens and Annabelle’s frightened eyes meet mine.
“Oh, thank God. I thought it was Dad.”
I slip inside. Annabelle’s room is usually spotless, but my stomach lurches as I see plates and cups strewn everywhere. That isn’t like her at all, and there’s an odd smell in the room. I glance at her warily.
“Did you throw up?” I ask.
She shakes her head quickly and points at one of the plates.
“Sorry, I haven’t had a chance to clean up in here.”
“That’s alright,” I say as she hobbles slowly to the bed. Her movements are jerkier than usual, and as she lowers onto the mattress, she lets out a sigh that breaks my heart. No one should get that tired just from crossing a room.
“How was the party?” she asks.
“Good,” I say, unable to focus on anything but her. “What happened tonight?”
“Oh, they got into a fight. Mom did something to piss him off and Dad started screaming at her. I went down to check on her, and they both yelled at me. I think…” she trails off.
“What?”
Annabelle’s voice lowers to a whisper. “I think one of them threw up on the couch.”
I cover my face in despair. “Oh my God, Annie, I’m sorry. I should have been here.”
“I’m glad you weren't. We shouldn’t both have to sit through this shit. Anyway, I put my headphones on and blasted Olivia Rodrigo as loud as I could to drown them out. After they were finished screaming at each other, Dad went to the store, and they both started drinking with the TV on full volume. The neighbors came over to ask them to shut it off, but Dad threw a beer bottle at the window. I thought it had broken, but it’s just shattered.”
“Heshatteredthe window? Jesus. We have to get out of here,” I mutter, tugging my sister into a hug as I sit down on the bed.
We remain like that for a long while, my arms around her shoulders. Her collar bone is clearly visible as she heaves a long sigh beneath me, and it’s in that moment that I make a decision.
A the end of the month, we’re moving out.
Even if it means continuing to work with Crawford and exacerbating all the confusing feelings the man brings out in me, it’ll be better to start her treatment somewhere away from here.
“Can I ask you something?” Annabelle says, pulling away and sitting up. We both scoot back on the bed to lean against the wall as I kick off my shoes.
“Of course.”
“Is there anything going on between you and your boss?”
