Page 15 of Little Psycho

Anger suddenly surges through me when she mentions them—the boys I told her never to bring up.“I don’t need them, Addy.I’ll get out of here on my fucking own.”

“Cali, I didn’t mean to upset you.I just know that they’re coming for us.They love us too much to let us rot in here.”She smiles, angering me further.

I glare at her, scoffing.“They’ve left us in here this fucking long; they’re not coming.”

“Shh, just relax,” she whispers, smoothing out my blonde hair.

I nod, feeling a bit of the numbness recede as we sit here together, the only two people in this wretched place.For the first time, I allow myself to believe that there is a chance for me to escape.With Addy by my side, even if she’s just a product of my own mind, I truly feel hopeful.

* * *

When my mothercomes in a few hours later, her entire demeanor is different than usual, especially on a party night.I keep my mouth shut, not wanting to anger her and earn myself another beating I could’ve prevented.

“Put this on and get ready.Your guests will be arriving soon, and you don’t want to keep them waiting,” she says softly, handing me a black dress—one that looks just like all the others from over the years.

A dull gleam flickers in her tired eyes, the lack of evil giving me an eerie chill.I take the dress from her hands without fighting and wait for her to unclasp the chain around my ankle before standing up.She just stares at me, at a loss for words, which isn’t like her.

“What is it, mother?”I quietly ask, biting the inside of my cheek to help calm my racing heart.

“I just can’t believe you’re already twenty-three.You’ve grown so much over the years.”A forced smile curls on her lips as she reaches out, tucking an oily strand of hair behind my ear.

“Mo-” I begin, but she cuts me off, changing the subject quickly.

“You need a shower first.You can’t go in front of your guests with dirty hair,” she adds, grabbing my wrist and leading me out of my bedroom—somewhere I haven’t left in years.

Usually, her or my father comes in and bathes me.They bring me food when they feel like it, watch me take my meds, and even change out the bucket I have for a toilet.Me getting to leave my prison to use a real shower is new and exciting to me, so I keep my mouth shut, afraid that one wrong word will make her change her mind.

The upstairs hallway looks smaller than I remember.The paintings on the walls have changed, but the same dull blue paint is still on them.The aroma of freshly cooked food wafts up here, making my stomach growl and my mouth water, showing just how hungry I really am.I haven’t had a hot meal in years.I get bread and lunchmeat or cold soup, whatever they’re feeling like feeding me.

I walk into the bathroom and stand there nervously as she starts the shower, pulling out a clean washcloth and towel for me to use.

What the fuck is going on?I wonder silently, but I still don’t open my mouth to ask.

“Okay, I’ll leave your dress and makeup on the counter for you.When you’re done, make sure you’re fully ready before you knock on the door for me to let you out.”She smiles again as she walks past me, closing the door behind her and locking it from the outside.

I strip faster than I ever have, rushing into the shower without checking to see if the water is hot enough.But I don’t care.

Tears well in my eyes as I stand under the hot water, feeling the dirt and grime wash away from my skin.I close my eyes, focusing on the sensation of warmth against my flesh, letting the water soothe my aching body.For the first time in years, I feel a sense of freedom, even if it’s short-lived.

“Don’t stay in there too long,” Addy warns out of the blue.“We don’t want her to come back angry.”

“You’re right,” I agree, shutting off the water with tears in my eyes, not knowing the next time I’ll get to use it.

Once I’m ready, I step out of the shower and dry off before putting on the black dress that she left for me.I stare at my reflection in the mirror, feeling a small flicker of hope rising within me as I run a brush through my hair, feeling like an actual person instead of a doll used to play dress-up with.

As I carefully apply my makeup, I can’t help but wonder what her game is.This sudden change in her behavior is too good to be true and extremely worrisome.When I’m finished, I knock on the door, sadly waiting for her to come get me as I was told.When she finally unlocks the door, I brace myself for whatever might be coming next.

“Come on.The guests are waiting,” she says, her voice strangely gentle.

She leads me downstairs, past the grand hall, to the basement, where the parties are always held.With the party in full swing, I feel the nerves inside me begin to act up.The sight of so many people makes my heart race, but I force myself to stay calm.As we move through the crowd, I catch sight of something that makes my blood run cold—my father, standing near the staircase with a sinister smile on his face as he talks to the boys’ fathers.

Before I can process what’s happening, I realize that not only are all the guests powerful men and women, but Dominic, Ash, and Killian are amongst them in the crowd...again.

Fuck no.I haven’t seen the boys or their fathers since a few birthdays ago when they bought me, used me, and degraded me.

As I turn my attention back to my mother, I see the coldness in her eyes—the same look that has tormented me for years.

It’s another setup.My escape plan suddenly feels further out of reach than ever.Anger and fear surge through me, but I take a deep breath and compose myself, refusing to look at them.

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