Page 45 of Daddy's Wild Girl

She listened to his footsteps as he walked away. Then she let out the breath she’d been holding in a whoosh, feeling light-headed.

Note to self.

Do not hold your breath too long.

Lying on the bed, she attempted to quiet her mind. But her brain kept playing those words over and over again.

Even worse, other words came back to her.

Strangers commenting on her size, her clothes, her attitude.

Rich brat.Doesn’t live in the real world.

Placingher hands over her eyes, she fought back the tears.

Look at her.So skinny. Obviously has an eating disorder.

Bebe bitdown on her lip.

All the moneyin the world can’t buy class. Or brains.

Crap.Crap. Crap.

You need me,Belle. I’m the only one who loves you. Who will ever love you? Because I’m the only one who understands you. That’s why you need to listen to me.

A sob broke free.She wasn’t going to calm down like this.

Deep breath in.Let it out slowly.

Draw a box in your mind. One. Two. Three. Four.

But it wasn’t working.Nothing was.

No one will ever loveyou like I do. But you need to behave to keep my affection, Belle.

Asshole.He was an asshole and none of it was true.

You’re being too sensitive.

Why wasshe letting him do this to her?

You’re being irrational.

He couldn’t hurther anymore unless she let him.

It’syour fault I did that, Belle. All. Your. Fault.

Nausea bubbled in her stomach.Damn indigestion.

If you were normal,none of this would happen. But you have needs only I can meet. Remember that. No one else would love you if they knew.

Getting up,she raced to the bathroom. Falling to her knees, she leaned over the toilet and vomited up everything in her stomach. Which wasn’t a lot.

After flushing the toilet, she managed to stand and lean against the cabinet. Shakily, she brushed her teeth as she stared at herself in the mirror.

Looking back at her was a woman she didn’t recognize. She seemed gaunt. Pale.

Haunted.

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