Page 76 of Silver

Fucking with my mind…

He fucks with my mind every day. How is this different? How the fuck could I know whether or not he was really going to cut me? He’s never done something like this before.

My body quakes as I try to control my tears and make sense of my swirling thoughts. Words fly out of my mouth unbidden. “He… He… He did that to me. He terrorized me with a ski mask and a knife. Y-you can’t do that. You can’t, Silver.”

“Shhh… Okay, precious. No masks and no knives. I promise.”

I’m cold. It’s making my teeth chatter.

Silver holds me tighter. “You’re safe, precious,” he repeats.

My heart is racing as I try to make sense of the obvious.

Suddenly, I realize what’s right in front of my face with total clarity, and I wrench myself out of Silver’s grip. I do it so fast he doesn’t have a chance to react. I’m on my feet in an instant, tears streaming down my face. I’ve never been this fucking angry in my life. Not even that night.

Silver is obviously stunned and confused because he doesn’t move. He’s propped up on a hip, eyes wide, mouth open.

I glance at the nightstand. There’s always an open cuff resting on top. He likes to leave open cuffs all over the place to taunt me. He says they serve as a warning. The other end of this one is attached to an eyehook in the floor near the headboard.

Without hesitating, I grab it and slap it around Silver’s wrist. He’s still staring at what I’ve done as I back up.

My chest is heaving. I’ve just cuffed my Master to his own shackle. I have no idea where the keys are. They could be in his fucking pocket for all I know. But hopefully not.

He pushes to sitting, coming to the edge of the bed. “Daphne, precious…” he says gently.

I shake my head. “Don’t fucking call me that. You. It was you,” I scream, fisting my hands at my sides. “You fucking terrorized me in the middle of the night. It was you!” I’m yelling so loudly my throat hurts.

He takes a deep breath. “Yes, precious girl. It was me.” Do his shoulders sag slightly?

“Why?” I shout. I glance around. I should find some clothes and the keys and get the fuck out of his room. I need air. “Why did you do that? I had nightmares every night. I couldn’t sleep. My grades suffered.”

He swipes his free hand down his face. “It’s what we do, Daphne.” His voice is defeated. “Every year, we each pick a girl and scare the fuck out of her. It…” He licks his lips. “It relieves our stress.”

I’m so fucking furious that I doubt I could open the door, even if I had the keys. I’m shaking so badly that I’m not sure I’ll ever stop.

I tip my head back and scream so loud it echoes off the walls and ceiling. And then I spin around and stomp into my small bedroom. I yank the top dresser drawer open, grab some leggings and a sports bra, and put them on. I tug on my tennis shoes next, skipping socks. Fuck socks.

When I return to the main bedroom, I jerk open Silver’s dresser and tug out a sweatshirt. It hangs nearly to my knees.

“Daphne…”

I spin around so fast my braid whips me in the face. “Fuck you. Shut up.” I start opening drawers in his desk and shuffling papers around, hoping to find the keys. I’m locked in this fucking room.

“I should have told you before now.”

I glare at him. “Should have told me? Yes, you fucking should have told me. You shouldn’t have done it in the first place. How fucking cruel! What’s wrong with you? All of you? Did this happen to your sister, too? Is that why you and Rook won’t let her speak to me? She’s his slave like I’m yours.”

“Yes.” He doesn’t hesitate or deny. “But you have to understand. She’s like you, Daphne. At least, I have to assume she is. Rook is like me, anyway. All five of us are fucked up. We’re sadistic bastards. We never dreamed any of us would find a life partner. And now two of us have found the perfect masochist to fulfill our fucked-up proclivities.”

I chuckle sardonically, the sound odd coming from me. “A life partner? Is that what you think I am?”

“Yes.”

I shake my head. “No. Silver. No. You can’t terrorize someone and then kidnap them, hold them hostage, and keep them as a slave.”

He cocks his head to the side. “Are you sure about that?” he challenges. He’s not saying that in a smug tone. He’s being serious. He did all those things, and as far as he’s concerned, it has worked.

Has it?