I can barely see through the haze of my rage. What if he asks me to sleep with some other random person next? Someone old or gross, someone I hate? What then? Will I do it? How far will I go?
The body is a tool to be used, princess. In this case, you will use yours to exact punishment. Perhaps you’ll learn to control your pawns in the future. As for the cheating, I was never the cheater.
Your mother was—with Dr. Paul Vanguard. Ask her about that next time you’re having a heart-to-heart.
He calls me almost immediately, and I answer, tears streaming down my face.
Parrish is sitting cross-legged on his bed, and he’s eating a meal. A real meal from a plate. He stabs a piece of broccoli and stares at it quizzically for a minute, like he doesn’t trust that it isn’t poisoned.
“Not that you couldn’t kill me anytime you wanted, you stupid fuck,” he mutters, and then he sticks the broccoli in his mouth and chews. A satisfied groan escapes him, one that makes my heart hurt. Tears prick his eyes and then he’s stabbing another floret with vigor, shoving it between his pretty lips and chewing so quickly that he almost chokes.
The call ends, and another text comes through.
I’ve been generous. More than generous. I have given Parrish these meals, asking nothing in return. But I very easily will poison this boy’s food. Or slit his throat. I’ve often fantasized about killing Paul’s firstborn son. It would bring me immense joy, princess. But for you, I stay my hand.
If privacy is a concern, fear not. Mr. Volli attends to these situations, and he is asexual. You are my precious daughter, and I won’t allow perverts to access you.
I just stare at those messages for a while.
I’m not even going to bother with that last statement; I can’t deal with that right now. I try to focus on something else to ground myself.
Tess was a cheater? She cheated on Justin with Paul? Even if she did, I imagine it was in the middle of Justin’s abuse. In no way do I blame Tess for that. Her ex is a literal murderer.
But … it also means that she lied to me.
Assuming, of course, that Justin is telling the truth. As Chasm suggested, it does seem to be a kink of his. Like, his morals are twisted but solid.
Like Maxx’s.
I groan and bring my knees up to my chest.
I don’t think I can do this.
Maxine, she’ll be devastated. I think of the overwhelming love in her eyes when she looked at X. How upset he was when he broke up with her. I think about all the things we said to each other tonight, about the possibility of anything happening between us to be nonexistent.
I think about Parrish and Chasm and how much I care for them both. I think about the way Parrish grit his teeth as he watched me and Chasm make love, how he threw the phone against the wall, the way angry tears pricked his eyes.
This is insane.
Beyond insane.
Justin Prior is fucking insane.
Now I’m certain that the skeleton key comes from the insane asylum. Why wouldn’t it? This man needs to be locked behind steel doors and evaluated by a team of specially trained psychologists.
I stand up and I start to pace, my mind whirling as I search for a solution, a trick, some wordplay that I can use the way I did when he told me to murder the bunny. I grab my phone off the floor, flush the toilet, and set it beside me while I brush my teeth and swish mouthwash around until I feel clean again.
Tonight, you will have sexual intercourse with Maxx Wright.
That’s … very specific.
I check today’s sunrise, just to see how much time I have.
Five-sixteen in the morning. It’s currently three-thirty. That … does not leave me much time.
I strip down and turn the shower on, removing my cup and cleaning it out before I put it back again. All the while, I’m plotting and planning, working things out in my mind.
Accepting the inevitable.
I consider playing with the rules a bit. What if we just did, like, hand stuff? Does that make it any better? Is it worth the risk?
Justin warned me against playing more word games with him.
I brush my hair out and head back into my room, my phone in hand. Never in my life have I wanted to call Maxine so badly. I miss her so much that it becomes a physical pain, this burning inside of me that chokes me up, that makes my eyes burn with tears.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed, I check the time again.
It’s nearly four. I’m running out of time. Should I call Chasm and talk this over with him?
