Page 78 of Burn With Me

My breathing grows shallow, and it feels like something sharp is stabbing my heart. Breath tight, I ask, “Lenni, what are you talking about?”

She types something into her phone before handing it over to me. There, brightly lit up on the screen, is a picture of a busty, leggy blonde stepping out of Jackson’s car. Her lipstick is smeared. His face is frozen as he stares at the camera with his shirt pulled out of his pants.

‘Can’t hold Tailor down! Jackson Tailor was seen with a mysterious blonde after only a few weeks of being off-market.’The article is full of lines such as,‘Guess a leopard can’t change its spots,’and,‘Can’t keep a good dog down.’

Bile rises in my throat, and I press my hand to my mouth in an effort to keep it at bay. Tears rise and fall from the depths of my eyes, my body quaking as Lenni pulls me into her arms.

It was all a game.

A stupid game I thought I could play—but I lost.

I always do.

Everything becomes blurry as the room starts to spin.

The soothing, dulcet tones of Lenni’s meant-to-be comforting words are taken over by Chris’ voice, echoing in my head.

“Men likehimdon’t fall for women likeyou.”

“You’re nothing special, Guinevere. No man will ever want you because you’re a sickness. You worm your way into the hearts of men with your crimson hair and come fuck me eyes, and then you rot them from the inside out. It’s what you did to me.Youcaused me to turn into what I am.Youcreated the monster inside me. It’s all because ofyou.”

Wet flesh slapping on flesh. Whispered words of, “What have you done to me?”

Me, begging him to let me get off. “I’ll be good. I promise I’ll be good.”

Someone is whimpering, rocking back and forth so hard that the bed is shaking.

“Fuck, Ginny. Calm down. Calm down, babe. Ginny, you’re having a panic attack.”

Something is shoved into my hands, but my fingers don’t work, so it falls to the bed.

“Ginny, I need you to breathe. I need you to breathe and repeat after me. It’s going to be okay.”

No, it’s not.

“...Ginny!”

Whywouldanyone want me?

A freak.

A monster.

I’m disgusting.

I’m disgusting.

I’m disgusting.

Jackson

BANG! BANG! BANG!

“I’m coming up the stairs, so you better be dressed!”

BANG! BANG! BANG!

“Make it stop,” I mumble from beneath my pillow. My head is pounding, and whoever is in my house is making it worse.

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