Page 16 of Perfect Sin

“You said group therapy is starting? Shouldn’t you show me where that is?” I need the chance to get a read on the security of the building and start planning my escape.

Dr. North turns and walks out of the room. I follow him and see a hallway lined with doors. On one end there’s a double door next to what looks like a small nurse’s station. Two guards stand next to either door. This must be the way out.

The doctor is headed in the opposite direction toward a larger room where a group sits in a circle. I drop into a seat and he takes one across the circle from me.

“This is a safe place where you can discuss the reasons that led you astray.”

Several of them begin whining about how Mommy and Daddy didn’t love them enough. A few are quiet like me, and a couple of others pepper the conversation with snide comments. Them I like.

The session is as big of a waste of time as I suspected. Instead of participating, I take stock of the room. It looks like in addition to being the meeting room, this is also the cafeteria, and where they must do some form of art therapy if I can judge by random splatters of paint on the floor.

There’s a wide open yard surrounded by woods. If there are guards on the grounds I’m looking at a fight to get to the woods, but if I can create a large enough distraction, I should be able to cut the numbers down of how many guards will be able to respond.

After the session, I’m shown back to my room. The window here shows me the other side of the property. There’s a road running in front of the property. If I can follow the woods far enough, I can stumble on a gas station where I can contact Lucien and make plans to meet.

The doctor returns for the therapy session he mentioned. I’m shown to his office, and he waits for me to unload all of my trauma.

“I’m assuming nothing I say will convince you I’m not in fact brainwashed.”

Dr. North still doesn’t seem prepared to deal with my bluntness. “You have to admit it does seem strange you’d be willing to walk away from a life of privilege for a girl. That alone seems proof enough of undue influence.”

“Only to someone who’s never been in love. Tell me, doctor, haven’t you ever read Romeo and Juliet?”

He scoffs. “Of course I have.”

“And did you think either of them were brainwashed?”

“No, they acted against their families wishes. It’s a tragedy, of course, but also an example of people acting on their own free will despite the restraints their families and society placed on them.”

“And yet you find it hard to believe I would respond the same. How about this, though? When I married Raven, I had no idea who my parents were. I was giving up nothing and gaining everything to be with her. Am I supposed to feel differently knowing I come from a wealthy family, just because our fathers are political rivals?”

“I think we should put in a call to your father. Maybe he can talk some sense into you,” he grumbles.

“How much are you being paid to convince me to give up my wife?”

Dr. North’s mouth falls open. The man can’t lie to save his life. He doesn’t deny my accusation, instead he picks up his phone and dials the number written on a Post-It on his desk. He presses the button for the speaker phone. Arthur’s voice booms from the speaker.

“Have you made any progress?”

“He’s quite resistant to signing the papers. He claims he wasn’t brainwashed and entered the marriage on his own free will.”

“I don’t care what he claims. I’m paying you a lot of money to make him see differently!”

I smirk at the doctor, and he moves his hand to cut off the speaker.

I tsk. “Don’t stop him now, doc, he’s just getting to the good part.”

“Jackson?”

“What is your goal here, Arthur? You think I’m so weak-willed I’m going to sign those papers and live happily ever after as your perfect son? Do you honestly believe when I get out of here, and I will, that I’ll have anything to do with you after this? What is Carina going to think when I cut off all contact with you both?”

“See what I mean? Blackthorne has turned him against me,” he sputters.

“No, you’ve done a great job of that all on your own. Instead of making an effort to get to know me, you’ve been trying to force me into the box you always imagined I’d fit in. I’ve told you over and over who I am, and you refuse to see it. I’m not a good enemy to have, Arthur.”

“We can’t hold him indefinitely,” Dr. North finally speaks up.

“You can and you will,” Arthur demands.

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