Page 20 of Dolly

I raise my gaze to meet his and nod. Talking about what they do doesn’t make it better or take away the damage.

“This is the way it is here.” I bring the satin blue sash around my middle and tie it into a perfect bow at my side.

“It doesn’t have to be. You have to believe we’ll get out of here. I will get us out of here.” Ken’s said this before, and I know he believes it. But Bossman told me at the beginning good girls get to go home, and no matter what I did, he didn’t let me go. He’s never going to let me go. Now, Ken’s stuck here too.

“Maybe we did something so awful, this is our punishment for it,” I say, smoothing the skirt of my dress down. They didn’t bring me stockings or shoes this time. The stockings are hard to get on, but they help keep the tooling from scratching my legs. “Maybe it would be better if I didn’t listen to them and made them kill me.”

“No. Don’t say that.” His voice hardens, but it doesn’t make my insides shake like when Bossman yells at me. Ken doesn’t want things from me. He still holds onto hope this is just a phase in our lives.

But he doesn’t know everything.

“Dolly, look at me. Look at me right now.” He’s back to being bossy.

He’s already upset, and I don’t want to make things worse, so I meet his gaze.

“You can’t give up hope, okay? I know it seems hopeless, but it’s not. Remember how I told you about my job? They are going to find us. We will get out of here.”

I smile. Because he seems to want a reaction, and he likes it when I smile.

“Promise me you won’t give up. You won’t leave me here all alone.” The determination in his voice warms me from the inside. It’s not angry and cold like the others. And even when he’s being bossy and making me eat cold hot dogs, I can sense the good in him. He’s not evil like the others.

A promise is a vow, and vows can never be broken.

The door opens again. Beardman’s keys jangle.

“Dolly.” Ken’s eyes are fixated on me, his jaw tense.

“I promise.” I nod quickly as Beardman comes into view.

“Good girl, all dressed up for your date.” The key grates on my senses as he slips it into the lock. A high-pitched screech of the hinges grinding together hurt my ears, but I keep my expression schooled. No emotions. Dolly’s don’t have emotions.

And no matter what Ken says, that’s what I am now.

I’m just a dolly.

Ten

KENDOLL

Dolly’s been asleep too long.

Beardman brought her back unconscious and battle worn. What if they gave her too much of whatever drug they keep forcing into us? It’s going to take her half a day to get her memories back, maybe longer. I need her mind sharp if we’re going to find a way out of here.

I’m staring at her like an obsessed fool, because I am. This shouldn’t be happening to her. She should be safe by now. Cathy should be home with her daughter.

I rub my temples. Who the hell knows what they did with Cathy after they knocked me out. Was her body found?

Did Pierce ever show up? Would they keep looking if they found nothing?

I have to shelve the questions. My stomach twists into knots. I don’t have any answers, and I can’t do a fucking thing about any of this locked in this goddamn cell.

I grip the bars again and try to rouse Dolly.

“Dolly, Dolly, you awake?”

She groans, rolling to her back. They took the dress from her this time, leaving her naked on the concrete floor. Dark purple welts cross her ass and thighs. Thin raised welts cross over her back. The fuckers broke skin. She needs to keep it clean or she could get an infection. And down here, I doubt these assholes will bother helping if she does.

Flat on her back, angry slashes covering her breasts and torso come into view.

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