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I climbed him like a fucking tree, not caring if we stayed in the water. I wrapped my legs around his waist, kissing him. The safety Royal gave me made me need him even more.
I held onto the vision as tightly as possible. I’d need it at my worst.
TWENTY-FOUR
Royal
“This feels like a trap.”
“It’s not a trap,” the therapist, Ian, replied after we’d joined him in his office.
“What else would you call a bait and switch?” I asked, aggressively crossing my giant arms to purposefully be intimidating.
“Your program director thought it would be helpful for you two to have some personal sessions instead of group.” He was soft-spoken and had on a bright orange shirt. Just the type of disarming guy they’d send in as a trap.
“And why would she think that?” I narrowed my eyes.
“Maybe because you don’t participate in group and are just a distraction?” Ian delivered the line with a smile on his face.
Aspen put a hand over his mouth.
“Convenient for her to have an opinion, considering she’s never spoken to either of us.”
“Delia is monitoring your case closely. She’s a busy woman.”
I scoffed. “More like she doesn’t want to deal with me.”
“You don’t seem very open to the process. Do you think that’s productive for your stay?”
“Does it matter if I’m productive? I’m here because my manager is being pissy and wants us to cool off. We cooled off. As far as I see it, we are going to ride out the next two weeks and check out.” I side-eyed Aspen, who was noticeably silent, letting me handle this.
“And why do you feel like your manager would send you here if you don’t need it?”
“He and I will disagree on how to handle assholes, and while I understand it’s his job to manage our image, I’m still not going to let a bitch talk shit.” I crossed my ankle over my knee, mirroring Ian’s body language.
“And you don’t see a benefit in finding other avenues to deal with conflict?”
“I don’t hit anyone I have a conflict with. I don’t throw hands unless the situation warrants it.”
“And do you think using your hands will have the best results?”
“Of course I do. It will teach a little bitch not to talk shit.” I stared at him.
Somehow Ian didn’t flinch. He kept his soft smile on his lips. “Let me reword, what will happen when someone decides to press charges, and there are real consequences to your actions, not just being sent to an island for an extended vacation?”
I almost laughed. “If I have to do time, I will do time.”
“I don’t want you to do time,” Aspen said softly.
I turned to stare at him. “What?”
Aspen shrugged.
“We’d love to know your feelings on the matter, Aspen. I think they’re important,” Ian coaxed.
“I don’t know.” Aspen looked at his clasped hands. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and I guess I don’t think Lucy learned anything getting laid out by either of us. I think for people like her and Arthur, that’s the response they want. It feeds their narrative. They want us to be the bad guys, and the way narcissists and abusers control the narrative is by pushing people until they snap and then using the snap as proof their victim is the problem. I know Lucy has been doing it to me for years, and if Arthur’s reputation of always having drama is any indication, he is probably the same.”
“I think Aspen is right. I think not having control of yourself is the easiest way for people to manipulate you, and considering your fame, it’s a dangerous area for you to relinquish control. Not only because of jail, but it also opens you to legal liability and lets the other party control the narrative of the event with the public.”
