Page 114 of Slaughter

But he’s leaving me all alone. I need him to hold me. I need more…

I can feel his heart racing, and his breathing ragged. “Stay with me.”

“Bunny.” He growls.

“I need you, Avery. Please,” I beg, knowing that will get me what I want.

Being naked and chained to a wall will change you. It made me realize that I have been chained for eleven years. Ever since I was forced to leave him. Ever since I was beat enough to lose our child.

He lets out a long breath and lifts his hand to cup my face. “I’ll make them pay.”

“I believe you. But can you do it later?”

He sighs heavily, lowering his forehead to mine. “What do you want, Bunny? Tell me what I can do to make it better.” His voice is full of pain.

I hide my smile by biting my lip, knowing I can get what I want. “I want you to fuck me.”

He pulls back as though I slapped him. He stares down at me with a mixture of concern and total shock. “What?” he asks as if he didn’t hear me right.

“I want you to fuck me,” I repeat, but my voice lacks the confidence I had the first time I said it.

He takes a step back from me, raising his hands as if to keep me away. “No,” he says.

My chest tightens, and I take a step toward him. “Avery …”

“I said no, Bunny,” he snaps. “Jesus, what is wrong with you?”

“Nothing.” Everything.

He snorts, not believing me, and I wrap my arms around my chest. “Get out,” he demands, pointing at the door. I just stand there, staring at the floor. I’m exactly what I didn’t want to be. Damaged. He sees me as a victim rather than a survivor. “I said get the fuck out!” he roars.

I drop my head to my chest as my eyes fill with tears, then turn around and walk out of his bathroom and bedroom, heading upstairs back to my room.

CHAPTER THIRTY

AVERY

I SIT ON MY COUCH IN MY study, holding a bottle of scotch in my hand. I skipped the glass, knowing that I would need more. The fire crackles in the fireplace, and I watch the flames, thinking how I would like to see Lance’s body burn. Maybe that’s how I’ll end his life. Set him on fire in the front yard.

“Didn’t think I’d find you in here,” my brother announces, entering the room.

“I needed a drink.”

He sits down in the high-back chair. “How is Presleigh doing?”

I take a big gulp from the bottle at the mention of her name.

“She’s just gonna need time, Avery. I know you have no patience, but …”

“She wants me to fuck her,” I state.

“What?” He gapes at me.

I take another drink. “That’s what I said.” I thought I had heard her wrong, but then she repeated herself. I want you to fuck me. My stomach twists at that thought.

He sighs heavily. “She needs to see a professional. Someone she can talk to about what happened to her. Besides you.”

“Do you have one on speed dial who makes house calls? Because I don’t.” I take another drink.

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