Page 58 of Her Wicked Plan

They are in a nice, neat circle with patients already in their places.

A doctor sits in a chair, chatting with one girl. They are smiling and laughing, which leads me to believe this doctor oversees this patient, given how comfortable they are with each other.

Over to the left, on a bare, off-white colored wall, is a long table with snacks and drinks displayed on a dull red plastic tablecloth.

This event is a group therapy session.

“Fuck this,” I mutter.

Spinning on my heels, I have full intentions of marching out of this room to return to the comfort of my little bedroom, but when I try to take a step, I’m stopped abruptly by a brick wall. No… a body.

A grunt leaves me at the impact, and I’m about to yell at whoever is blocking my escape path. The fiery words are on the tip of my tongue until I glance up to see the person I collide with.

Leo stands there with a smug smile, his hands in his pants pockets. His eyes search my face for a moment before he speaks, “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Anywhere but here,” I state and attempt to step around him, but he stops me by mimicking my movement. Now that he is blocking my exit again, a frustrated noise sounds in my throat. “Dr. Madden, let me leave.”

“I don’t think so.” He shakes his head. “This will be good for you.”

“So everyone says.” I roll my eyes. “Look, I’ll come to the next one.”

“No, you won’t.” He calls me out on my bullshit.

Holding up my arm, I wiggle the smallest finger on my hand. “Pinky promise.”

A quiet laugh escapes him before he uncrosses his arms, and his hands meet my shoulders. Turning me around to face the others, his mouth comes close to my ear, “Go take a seat, Veronica. You aren’t getting out of this.”

“And you? Why did you volunteer to be here?” My chest rises and falls as Leo touches me, his breath still hitting the shell of my ear.

“I’m here in case someone gets out of hand.”

He pushes me forward, forcing my feet to the other patients. Maybe if I turn around the scenario in my head, it will make this better.

A circle of chairs. Patients sitting with their hands folded neatly in their laps. This could be a ritual of some sort. A sacrifice could happen tonight! Yeah, right, Veronica. That would never happen here.

“If a patient gets irate, I’ll be here to help.”

“You mean me?” I look at him over my shoulder.

“No... maybe.” He gently squeezes my shoulders. “I had no idea you’d even be here, but now that you are here and as your doctor, I believe you’ll benefit from this.”

I step out of his grasp and spin to face him. “Why does everyone think they know what’s best for me? Do you want to know what I think would be best for me right now?”

“What is that?” His brows furrow.

I move closer to him, our bodies almost touching, and I keep my voice low because others are around. “If you took me back to your office so that we can finish our session from the other day.”

Leo swallows hard, eyebrows shooting up, and his throat bobbles at my words. The calm and collective front he was putting up has now dropped. “Sit down, Veronica. Now.”

A playful smirk shines on my lips, and I dip my chin down. “Yes, sir.”

Clasping my hands behind my back, I walk over to the chairs. There are two chairs left, one by the doctor hosting this fine evening, but I do not want to sit beside her.

I’m hoping if I choose the chair further away from her, she won’t notice me and won’t call on me to share.

When I finally have a seat in the other vacant chair, I hear a shuffling sound next to me that catches my attention, and when I glance beside me, Eliza sits.

Great.