Page 3 of Deadmen's Captive

I obeyed, sinking into a chair. She leaned back against the counter, arms crossed.

"I hope you've learned your lesson."

I nodded. "Yes, Mum."

"Proper girls don't do what you did. They don't shame their families."

"Sorry, Mum." The words were hollow. Just say what she wants to hear. Don’t set her off again. I couldn't look at her, kept my gaze fixed on the worn tile floor.

"Sorry doesn't fix things, Paige. Remember that."

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. "I will, Mum."

"Good. You will not go near that boy again. Or any boy, you understand me?"

I nodded, tears threatening to fall at the thought of how Ben was going to react when he saw me. It must be past Saturday now, and I’d never shown at the cinema. He must have thought I'd stood him up, and my heart ached at the idea of him standing there waiting. He was going to hate me too.

My mother’s eyes raked over my body. “I don’t know how I managed to give birth to a daughter who is such a fucking mess. Why would a boy even look at you?”

“I don’t know,” I whispered.

Her eys narrowed. “He did though,” she said slowly. “He wanted you. He must have thought you were worth fucking, if he kissed you.”

“No, he wouldn’t… he’s not like that..” I said, my horror at her opinion of Ben overcoming my fear of speaking back to her.

“Don’t be stupid, Paige. they’re all the same. They just want to fuck you, whether you want them too or not. It's our job as women to use that. Do you understand me? It's the best weapon we have. It’s how we… ohh…” Her voice trailed off, and I blinked at the sudden smile that crept over her face. It chilled me.

“Ohh, now that’s a thought. Paige, darling, take off your clothes.”

“What?” I wasn't sure if I was more confused by the order or her calling me darling.

“I said, strip,” she snapped.

“Why?” My answer was a slap across the face that left my head ringing. I stood up, leaning on the table for support as I removed my school shirt and skirt. I’d left my tights and tie in the spare room. I stood there in my underwear, trembling with cold, and she walked around me, studying my body.

“Hmm, well, after all that, maybe you do have potential. But we need a man’s opinion. Come with me.”

Her fingers clamped around my arm and she hauled me down the hall to the living room.

“Mum, no! Dad’s in there,” I hissed, trying to pull away. She glared at me.

“That’s the point, stupid girl. I need to know what a sleazy male thinks of you. Now be quiet.”

She shoved me into the living room in front of her and I stumbled into the centre of the room. My dad was laid on the sofa, the empty bottle from the night before still arrayed around him. His shirt was open, revealing his flabby middle aged body, and his belt was undone, though thankfully not his trousers this time. He blinked, sluggish, then focused on me again.

“What’s this?” he slurred.

“I want to know what you think of Paige. Now she’s growing up.”

He looked confused. “What?”

My mother sighed in frustration. “Look at her. Is she fuckable, Neil? When you were… younger. Would you have fucked her?”

His eyes crawled over me, slow and calculating. A shiver ran down my spine.

“Mum please.”

“I want his opinion, Paige. I just see you as an ugly dirty little slut, but to men like him, you might be a fuckable dirty slut. There’s a difference and I need to know if you have potential.”

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