Page 16 of Little Psycho

I won’t give up.Not now.Not when I’m so fucking close to getting my freedom.

SIX

PRETTY EYES

A BOY BRUSHED IN RED LIVING IN BLACK AND WHITE—UNDEROATH

DOMINIC (24)

The same blonde hair and brown eyes that have haunted my dreams ever since I was a teen begin to haunt me all over again the moment I see Calista enter the elegantly dark room.Even though the lights are dim and black silk shades cover the widows, she brightens it up as she walks in.

The guys take notice, looking over at her with their jaws ajar like mine.But she looks away quickly, betrayal gleaming in her pretty eyes.

“How is it fucking possible that she looks even better every time we see her?”I ask over the brim of my glass as I gulp the old-fashioned down, hoping a buzz will help make this event bearable.“Her fucking parents keep her locked up, and yet she’s still the most beautiful girl I’ve ever fucking seen.”

“Abusers know the right places to hit—the ones unseen by the naked eye.They wouldn’t dare damage her face or any part of her body that makes them money,” Ash blurts out, hatred lacing his voice.

Killian scoffs.“He isn’t wrong,” he adds, turning his back on her, trying to hide the obvious pain in his eyes.

The darkness surrounding us seems to be closing in, suffocating me with the weight of their words.I feel the anger bubbling up inside of me, listening to them talk about Calista as if she’s just a beautiful object to be owned and controlled.But before I can respond, the door slams shut from Calista rushing out of it, leaving a trail of her addicting essence behind.

I glance at Ash and Killian, seeing the guilt and regret in their eyes.

“We need to fucking do something,” I spit firmly.“I can’t just stand by and watch her suffer at the hands of the people who are supposed to protect her.”

“We have the same fucking talk every year, Dom.There’s nothing we can do.I mean, look around the fucking room,” Killian sneers, reminding me that we are truly powerless when it comes to saving her.

Surrounded by wealthy, high-profile figures of the community—including law enforcement, judges, and senators—nobody would help us help her, not when they’re a huge part of the fucking problem.

“I’ll be right back,” I whisper as I walk off, hoping to catch her by herself; it’s a long shot, but I have to at least try.

We were so young when all of this shit began, not knowing the full extent of the hell she was going through.Every time I asked my father about her, I was punished—forced to forget about her and all of the memories that I had of us.Over time, I didn’t forget; I just stopped asking, knowing I’d never get an answer.

I didn’t want to come to any of these parties.I was tricked with the promise of being able to talk to her and see her again.My freedom was dangled over my head like a fucking carrot, and I was the fucking rabbit.I knew what my father was capable of, so I didn’t dare go against him.Seeing him murder a woman in cold blood one night, I was afraid if I said or did something to go against him, that I would be next.

My fatherliterallygot away with murder and has been for my entire life.

But I can’t ignore my conscience any longer, and I can’t stand by and watch Calista suffer.I have to do something, even if it means going against my father and risking my own safety.

As I make my way through the crowded room, I finally catch a glimpse of Calista in the hallway through the open door, standing alone near the window, right under the moonlight streaming in.

Without a second thought, I walk up to her and take her hand, speaking softly.“Calista?”

Her eyes widen in surprise, but then soften as she looks at me with a mixture of fear and hope.

“Dom, you shouldn’t be out here,” she whispers, looking around nervously.

“I know, neither should you.”I force a smile through the immense pain, hoping she’ll smile back.

She rips her hand out of mine, as if my touch burned her, and just stares at me, her eyes sweeping the length of my body.

“Look at me,Pretty Eyes,” I beg, my heart shattering even more.

“Why now, Dom?”Her brown eyes fill with tears, but not a single one falls.

“Calista, I–”

“Calista, what are you doing out here?”Elaine, her mother, hisses, her evil tone echoing around the empty halls as she walks through the doors, rushing over to us.

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