“I don’t like them.”
I was okay with that. She got me. She knew exactly what she just did, and I put Paxton in his place for once. That’ll teach him. As proud as that made me, I couldn’t really take the blame for it. I just spewed it out like word vomit. No control. What was one more nail in my coffin? I was dead already.
I was denied the request to go for a walk when the girls went in for showers. That was my other lost hope. I wouldn’t know whether Lane would be at the beach or not. I wasn’t allowed to find out. Instead I cleaned the kitchen, and mopped the floors for the third time that week. I swallowed my pride and did it. That was my life until it wasn’t. Until everything came out. Until the truth. Whatever that was.
Chapter Seventeen
There was no way of telling what Paxton had in store for me. The text message told me to shower and lay in my bed until he got there. I did shower, I just didn’t lay in my bed yet. The thing is, I wanted him to come. I wanted him to cause whatever pain he could to soak up the thoughts. I didn’t want to be alone with them.
Rather than thinking about anything that confused me even more, I thought about two little girls and a crazy mom. I could see us running on the beach in a distance. We were all flying kites, high above the sea. If only I could go back to that time. The time before my mom fell, before Rod and Dink, before they took Izzy from me, before Ms. Porter, and Falcon, before Markus Long, and—. Wait. Markus Long?
“You never listen anymore. Head injury’s make you stupid.”
I didn’t respond to Paxton’s comment. Not the stupid part, anyway. “Are they asleep?”
“Don’t worry about it. I can take care of these girls just fine without you. Tell me what was said at the ballgame today.”
“I told you it was nothing.”
“Yes, yes you did. Lay down, slut.”
I rolled my eyes and noticeably shook my head. I wasn’t afraid of Paxton Pierce. Not even a little. Maybe I was at one time, maybe I should have been, but I wasn’t, and I wasn’t going to pretend to be. Maybe enduring his wrath would stop all the thoughts. My obedience to lie on my bed was even defiant. I didn’t gracefully sit, and lay down. I plopped. Straight back. Like I was falling from five stories. From a fire escape. My eyes remained closed and the room stilled. I knew if I opened my eyes, Paxton would be wearing a puzzled expression.
My eyes remained closed while I listened to the cabinet being unlocked and then rustling by the head of my bed.
“Scoot up. Lay in your bed right, and don’t talk. Not one word unless I tell you to. Got it, slut?”
“Yup.”
“I said no talking.”
“Then stop asking me questions.”
“Shut the fuck up, Gabriella.”
With my eyes still closed, I zipped my lips and threw the key behind my head. I did want to open my eyes when I heard the hum. Instead I smirked with a puff of air. A vibrator. That’s what he was going to torture me with? Okay. Let’s go. My body moved where Paxton wanted it to move. I may have even laughed a little when I felt my wrists being tied above my head.
“Keep laughing. You’re going to love this.”
Next came my feet. The humming vibrated the bed while both ankles were strapped with thick leather.
“Last chance before the fun begins. My fun. Tell me what happened at the ballfield.”
Silence. I didn’t say a word. Not one.
Until.
“Ahh,” I instantly moaned. Holy shit. That thing was packing a hemi. I swear he barely touched me before I was on top of an orgasm. To my surprise. That was his goal. Paxton had me calling out in pure ecstasy in a matter of seconds. Not minutes.
As soon as I came, Paxton turned off the vibrating devise and left me tied to my bed. Hmm. I silently pondered my predicament. There was no way in hell Paxton was finished with me. One eye opened, and I cautiously looked to the closed door. I waited, wondering what the hell he was up to. Knowing Paxton was probably watching me, I didn’t show emotions. Not the kind he hoped for anyway. I hummed a song I didn’t know. Familiar, yet not.
Thirty minutes was the exact time. As soon as the door opened, I closed my eyes, not about to give him the satisfaction.
“Just tell me what was said. Something happened today. Did it have anything to do with the day you left? Your accident?”
Nothing. I didn’t answer. I guess I was secretly hoping for more of what I’d been punished with the last time. I was. Paxton clicked his tongue and opened me with two fingers. It was a little longer than last time, but nonetheless, I came. I came hard, shuddering from the inside out.