Page 21 of Daddy's Little Survivor

He placed both plates down on the kitchen counter where he had two stools. So many thoughts went through his mind. Should he wait for her to come in or should he go get her? Should he wait until she came to eat or go ahead and eat his food while it was hot?

Before he could act on any of his thoughts, Monroe walked through the kitchen door, her head hung and shoulders slumped. She looked absolutely defeated and Michael didn’t like that. He didn’t like that at all.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

MONROE

Monroe walked into the kitchen, her head hanging and shoulders slumped. She didn’t know what to do or how to feel after the past twenty-four hours.

Michael had been nothing but nice to her, too nice for her to be able to trust that he was sincere. He wanted her to eat enough, made sure she felt comfortable, and told her if she needed anything to go to him. No one in her life had ever done that for her.

Was that normal or did he want something in the end? From her experience, no guy had ever been nice to her just to be nice. They always had some ulterior motive.

Jared had been sweet to her in the beginning but after a couple months of living with him, he had slowly started to change. She hadn’t realized it at the time because they were gradual, subtle changes, but looking back now, she saw it all.

She was saddened to realize how far she’d let him go.

"You can sit on this stool and your food is right there. Would you like chocolate milk, apple juice, or water for breakfast?" Michael asked.

Monroe had never gotten so many options in her life. People never asked what she could and could not have. Jared never wanted her to have juice or chocolate milk. Those were only for special occasions that never happened. She loved chocolate milk, but hadn't had it in many years.

"Chocolate milk," she whispered.

She didn't know if this was another one of his tests to see what she would pick and do. With Jared, she never really had to guess if it was a test or not. If he gave her a choice about something, she knew it was a test. And she knew that whatever she chose, it would be the wrong choice and he would punish her. Normally, she’d known what to do and what not to do, but with Michael it was a whole different story. She didn't know him and didn’t know what his rules were. Would he get mad if she made the wrong choice?

He hadn't gotten mad yet, but only time would tell. His next question could be a trick and she could fail and get beaten.

Her whole body froze at the thought of getting beaten again. Would Michael’s hurt more or less than Jared's? Michael looked bigger than Jared, but Jared had always made her pass out from his beatings. The pain was unbearable, and he would go on for what felt like hours until he was satisfied or she passed out.

It hadn’t started out like that. In the beginning, it was just him yelling at her and telling her to do things and it escalated to a slap here or a punch there. After a while, it got worse and worse and she found herself with broken bones, cuts, and bruises that littered her body.

Monroe couldn't remember a time when her skin wasn't marred with cuts and bruises. It had been years since she saw her skin clean, fresh, and healthy. Would she recognize herself if she looked in the mirror and saw herself with healthy skin?

"Here you go," Michael said, pulling Monroe from her thoughts.

She looked at the plate of food. She hadn't had eggs in a long time. Honestly, she couldn't remember a time when she’d had a full meal like this. Jared’d had a strict hold over what she could and couldn't eat; well, mostly what she couldn't eat. He didn't think she deserved food when she was naughty and seemed to think she was naughty all the time.

Monroe gingerly picked up her fork and scooped some eggs onto it, slowly bringing them to her mouth. What if they were poisoned? She hesitated before putting them in her mouth. He wouldn't do that…well, she didn't think he would. He had been nice to her since she met him yesterday but that didn't mean anything. He could be waiting for her guard to be down before he struck.Not poisoning her drink yesterday and hopefully not her food today, but she didn’t know him that well to put that much trust in him.

She stopped chewing and contemplated spitting the food out. She didn't want to be rude and get beaten for spitting them out, but she didn't trust he hadn’t put something in them.

Monroe looked over to her side to see Michael eating his food. She swallowed her food and waited to feel dizzy or off, but nothing happened. Maybe he had put such a small dose in it she would have to eat the whole thing to pass out?

Worry churned in her stomach. She wanted to eat the food because she was hungry, but the thought of it being poisoned made her appetite disappear. She didn't want to pass out and be at his mercy. He could do anything to her. But he could have done anything to her while she was passed out yesterday or while she slept last night, and he hadn't.

A whimper threatened to escape her lips, but she forced it back down. She couldn't think about that right now.

Pushing her food around her plate, Monroe closed her eyes for a second. She felt exhausted and knew it was from the nightmare she’d woken up from and the panic she’d had several minutes ago. They always took so much out of her, and she felt like she could barely function for a day after a full panic attack.

"Monroe, please eat," Michael softly said.

She looked at him then down at her food. Monroe continued to push her food around on her plate. She really wanted to eat, but the thought of it having something in it made her stomach turn to knots. She didn't want to get drugged again.

That was Jared's favorite way to drug her. Put stuff in her food or drink and not tell her. It was always in her mind when he gave her food, but her body didn't care because it wanted food. She was starved, and any little food he gave her she would scarf down and live with the consequences later.

"Please eat some more. You need all the food to nourish and fuel your body," he said again.

It put Monroe off that he cared so much. Quietly putting her fork down on her plate, she leaned over and placed her head on the counter. Maybe she could go back upstairs and fall asleep for a couple of hours. She remembered seeing a lock on the door, which slightly put her at ease. Who knew if Michael had keys to the room or not, but it was worth a try. He didn't bother her last night, so why would he bother her now?

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