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She’s only finished with that word, though. She has more to do. Starting from between my boobs, she works her way down to my navel. “W… H… O… R… E.”
“Nice work.” Colt laughs, and all I can do is whimper. “What do you think, Leni? Do you feel more like your true self now?”
“After all.” Deborah smiles in my face like she’s the happiest she’s ever been. “We already know who you are. Now, the rest of the world will know, too.”
Then she looks at the guys. “Turn her around. I’m not finished yet.”
Maybe it’s the chilling flatness in her voice when she says it, or it could be the idea of her seeing my scar and how much worse she’ll make my life once she does. Whatever it is, gives me the strength I need to break free. They’re probably too drunk, their reflexes are slow, and I use that to my advantage.
“Hey!” But that’s all Deborah gets out before I fling myself at her, knocking her against a dresser and out of my way. I fly to the door, throw it open, and run like hell down the hall. I fling myself into my room and slam the door before wedging the chair underneath the knob.
“Come on, Leni!” Deborah calls out, her voice getting louder as she approaches. “We just want to have fun! Don’t be such a pain in the ass!” Either Nix or Colt says something to her in a low voice, and she giggles. The sound fades away as she retreats to their room. I don’t have to imagine what’s going on in there. So long as they’re leaving me alone, I really don’t care.
Once I’m sure they’re not going to do anything like try to kick the door in, I allow myself to turn away from the door and head back to the bathroom. The shower walls are still dripping, but I’m about to get them wet again. There are tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat as I turn on the water and step in, grabbing my mesh sponge and soaping it heavily before I begin the task of scrubbing the marker off my skin. It’s not easy, but then what is? This is my life, after all. Nothing about it has ever been easy.
My tears mix with the hot water as my skin gets redder and redder the longer I work. I’m not getting out of this shower until my skin is clear. I don’t care if it takes all night and I run out of hot water. I will not allow those hateful words to live on my body.
I will not let her win.
CHAPTER 16
Time is ticking away. I have a decision to make.
The idea of being in this house alone with my stepbrothers while Mom and James are on their honeymoon is unthinkable. One of the only things that kept me going last night was knowing that, eventually, James would come home. Mom? I doubt she would care either way. But he at least gives me hope. He’s the only one around here who’s kind to me. I need to believe that kindness will make a difference. I need him to believe me and stick up for me. Somebody has to because I’m not getting anywhere by myself.
This isn’t like me. I’m not the kind of person who runs around squealing on people. I doubt either of my stepbrothers would believe this, but I would rather mind my own business.
That’s what I’m fighting with as I wander my room, my conscience and my sense of self-preservation fighting it out as one crucial minute after another ticks by. They’re leaving soon. I don’t have much more time to make up my mind.
I can either spend the honeymoon locked in this room, afraid to step foot outside even to get something to eat, or I can tell James what’s happening. At least he might warn them to stay away from me. He’ll be on my side. He has to be, especially when I tell him there’s proof on the laptop. It’s the only chance I have left.
That’s that. When I look at it that way. When I consider how many awful things they could do to me while it’s just the three of us, it’s obvious I have no other option. I open my bedroom door, take a deep breath, and prepare to track him down before he leaves.
As it turns out, I don’t have far to go. He’s carrying a bag over his shoulder, fiddling with his sunglasses on his way down the hall. A smile lights up his face when he sees me approaching. “There she is. I haven’t seen you all day. You made a quick escape last night. Were you feeling all right?”
“Yeah, I had an accident with some wine, so I figured it would be better to come home and get changed than walk around in a stained dress all night.”
