Page 47 of Dark Love

Two of the heads turn on. Jackpot! Better not touch anything else.

There’s no time left to waste. I pull off his t-shirt and freeze. The adult diaper isn’t a surprise. I saw it before, but I didn’t want to process why I was wearing it…

I was roofied.

Someone drugged me.

And Barb, the doctor, obviously thought there might be a possibility that I might need it.

I was drugged.

I was almost assaulted.

Really bad things almost happened to me.

Being drugged bad enough that I’m wearing an adult diaper, barely compares to what I could have endured. I sink down onto the cold floor. Will I ever be the same?

No.

I Can’t See You

Dahlia

This is just going to have to do. Without a blow dryer and any type of hair products, there really wasn’t much choice when it came to styling my hair. A travel brush and a twisty are all I have.

The person staring back at me isn’t me.

From the tight bun to the short, fitted dress, I look nothing like myself.

You don’t have time to worry about that. There will be time enough when you’re alone. What will be will be, and this has to be good enough for now.

Vex is waiting, and I can’t see him having a lot more patience.

I wrap his coat around me, covering every inch of skin possible, and pop my bag onto my shoulder.

You can do this. Everything will be just fine. You’ll get some new clothes. Have brunch. Then go home. And all of this will be behind you… a bad dream.

Vex doesn’t look at all impatient. He turns his head towards me from where he’s sitting on the couch, staring at another tablet.

“I’m ready. Sorry, I took so long.”

“What happened to your hair?”

Um, what? “It’s in a bun.”

“I like it down. Or in that soft twisty thing on the back of your head.”

Are we really talking about my hair? “Neither of those is an option without access to a blow dryer and styling products. This is all I could do with wet hair.”

Vex taps on his tablet for a second, then stands up. “Are you cold?”

“No, not really.” Vex keeps his place a bit cooler than mine, but it’s not a big deal.

He eyes the coat I have wrapped around me like a shield. “The car is waiting downstairs.”

Am I really doing this? I’ve never been shopping with a man, let alone a complete stranger.

Vex walks over to a set of double doors. They open, revealing a private elevator. “Ready?”

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