Page 59 of Devious Obsession
He nods, all understanding and serene bullshit. “Trust is a big thing for any therapist-patient relationship.”
“I don’t trust anyone,” I mutter. “Especially since this is getting blown way out of proportion. I was drugged.”
“You were drugged? By who?” He’s skeptical.
“And they videoed it,” I add. “Obviously.”
He picks up his notepad and writes something. Maybe,CRAZY!!!
“You’re saying you were under the influence of drugs?”
“I guess.” I twist around to look out the window again.
“Have you ever taken hallucinogenic drugs before?”
My attention snaps back to the counselor. “Why?”
“Because certain kinds will stay in your brain. They can come back days, months, years later and send you into an unexpected trip.”
My lip curls. “You think that’s what happened?”
“I’m not here to pass judgment.” He lifts his hands, like he’s surrendering. “Although as I’m sure you’re aware, CPU has a strict policy when it comes to illegal substances.”
What I know is that Steele O’Brien wants my family separated from his by any means necessary… and he’s hated that I’ve been spying on him. I mean, I all but admitted that his father wanted me to keep an eye on him when I first met him. How was I supposed to know that it was an abnormal event? Or something that Steele would freak out about?
“How about we talk about something else?” I suggest.
“Sure.”
His amiability is getting on my nerves.
“How about your sisters? You have two?” He flips open the file beside him and scans it. “Dakota and Lennox.”
I narrow my eyes. “Yeah…”
“They’re quite a bit younger than you. Fourteen and twelve to your twenty. Did you take on more of a parental role with them?”
“Nope, my mom is an excellent mother. She managed to take care of all of us and herself just fine.” I don’t think I like this line of discussion either. I grit my teeth and glance at the clock. At this rate, I have a feeling he’s just trying to get some—any—reaction from me.
“Where are they now?”
I force a smile. “With mom’s new husband, I would imagine.”
“Leaving you alone here?”
“No,” I reply steadily, except my heart is beating faster. I’m not alone—I have Thalia. And if I really had to stretch, I’d say I had Willow and Violet, and maybe some of the other girls. I mean, we’re not friends by any means, but they both showed compassion when that video went around. And if I had to stretch further, I’d include Uncle.
Not my father, though. Never him, no matter how much money he throws at me.
“Your mother mentioned you had a traumatic childhood,” he continues. “In fact, it was noted in your school records by your stepfather to be on the lookout for resurfacing of such trauma.”
I go completely still. Is that the truth? Did my mom andStephentell Crown Point University that I was… traumatized? What my father did to me as a kid has nothing to do with Steele drugging me. That doesn’t even make sense.
“Should we talk about your father?”
I cringe.
The big bad monster I so desperately needed saving from as a child? No, we shouldn’t talk about him.
