Page 44 of Sinful Palace

“How would that help me?”

Willow gnawed at the inside of her cheek before replying. “All these years, you knew what I did, but you never knew why. If I remember everything and tell you about it, you’ll finally have the answer. I know that won’t lead to forgiveness, but it could be like closure, right? Because you’ll finally know why I did it.”

I nodded slowly. She was right. That question had haunted me for years. Why? What made someone like Willow suddenly decide to hit another girl and leave her for dead?

“Okay, I get what you’re saying,” I replied. “But how would this work?”

“Like I said, the memories are obviously still in my head somewhere. I just need to find a way to access them. I’m willing to try if that’s what you want,” Willow replied.

“I do want that.”

She rubbed the back of her neck and frowned. “Well, maybe you could let me see the therapist who used to treat my anxiety. Dr. Monroe. Or we could even ask Myla for help.”

I lifted my brows. “Myla?”

“She’s that domme I met when you first brought me here. The one who was with Ackerman at the party last night.”

“Oh, her. How could she help?”

“She used to be a psychotherapist in New York.”

“Huh, okay. I had no idea.”

“If I start having sessions with someone like that, I might eventually regain all my memories from that night. Like I said, I know you won’t forgive me for what I did, but at least we’ll finally know why I did it. It won’t keep you up at night anymore. All the wondering, that is.”

“Could you speak to your mother about it too?” I said. “Seeing as we’re pretty sure she helped cover the whole thing up after you called her for help that night.”

Willow bit her bottom lip and shook her head. “Do you really think she wants to talk to me right now?” she said. “After all the trouble I’ve caused for her lately, I’ll be lucky to get a simple ‘hello’ out of her over the next few months.”

I grimaced. “Good point. Maybe one day, huh?”

“Yeah. Maybe,” she said, picking at a thread on the blanket.

I cleared my throat. “What do you want in return for doing this?” I asked.

She dropped the thread. “I don’t suppose you’d let me out of the contract and let me go?”

“You know I can’t do that.”

She sighed. “Yeah. I figured it was worth a shot, though.” She chewed on her lip for another moment and played with the blanket again. “Okay. I know what I want.”

“What?”

“Once a week, I want to be able to see family members or friends without you there.”

“I can’t let you do that right now. With all the shit that’s happening with your mom and the scandal, it’s not safe for you to go out.”

She held up a palm. “I know. But after it’s all died down, I want it.”

I nodded slowly. “Fine. Once a week. But you have to take a security detail with you, and you still have to wear the collar.”

“Okay. Deal.”

“Anything else you want?”

She nodded. “Yes, but it’s not really for me. It’s for your mom.”

I frowned. “What?”

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