Page 8 of Under Their Watch

“Mhmm. Maybe,” Quinn says.

“So…” I start to say. I am still clutching the papers. “It’s divorce papers, Marvin releasing me from the conservatorship and the last one is me resigning for David to be my caregiver.”

“Can I see?” Emma asks. “I’m a lawyer.”

I hand her the papers and she reads over them. “I made him sign the second one,” I say. “I don’t know what to do now, but I think I’m free from that bullshit.”

“You said your dad is a sitting judge?” she asks. “Who is he?”

“Marcus Langston,” I say carefully.

“Hold on,” she says, going to the third set of papers. “He’s listed…”

“Quinn doesn’t know,” I say, interrupting her. “Jace doesn’t either.”

“Know what?” Quinn asks.

“The contract with David includes a sex agreement where she is acknowledging that she consents to sex with Marvin Miller and Marcus Langston,” Emma says.

“He’s my stepfather, if that counts for anything,” I say. Quinn grits his teeth and lays his head back, trying to stay calm.

“Rhea… I don’t give a goddamn who the fuck he is. The man fucking raised you from birth,” Quinn says as he sits up and looks at me.

“Quinn…”

“No, Rhea. When did it start?” he demands, raising his voice at me. I instinctively bow my head when I see he’s mad and tear up. “When?”

“Quinn, stop for a second. You’re scaring her,” Theo says softly. “Let her sit by herself for a bit.”

Jace moves me to sit on the ottoman. I keep my head bowed, trying to not cry. I hiccup and sniffle, trying to calm down. Quinn moves to sit in front of me. “Rhea,” he says softly. “Please look at me.”

“I’m sorry,” I say as I try to hold back my tears. Quinn lifts my chin and remorse is painted all over his face.

“I’m sorry, Rhea. I shouldn’t have raised my voice,” he says softly. “You haven’t done anything wrong, Rhea.”

“It started when I was twelve,” I whisper. “Mom doesn’t know.”

“Your mother starved you. She’s just as guilty,” Quinn says. “How often does Marcus assault you, Rhea?”

“I don’t say no, Quinny,” I say tearfully.

“How often?” he asks again.

“Uh… Every few weeks he will come to the house,” I say, wiping my tears away. “I’m sorry I keep crying.”

“You don’t have to keep apologizing,” Jace says.

Quinn looks up at Theo. “I don’t even know what to do here,” Quinn says. “How do I not trigger her?”

“You just need to be aware of her habits,” Theo says. “How old are you, Rhea?”

“Twenty-seven,” I say softly, dropping my eyes to my lap again.

“She’s spent nine years being abused by Marvin and twenty-seven by Marcus and her mother,” Theo says. “You need to find out what her habits are and go from there. She has gotten used to being abused, so she will expect it from whoever is near her. You should tell her where you live.”

Quinn nudges me and I look up at him. “Jace and I live in the basement of their house,” he says.

“We all live together and force Quinn to come up and act like he loves us,” Anika says.

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