Page 120 of Wicked Little Nightmare

I chewed on my lower lip, tasting blood. "I... I don't know if I can do this," I admitted, “don’t know if I want to.”

Sarah leaned forward, her eyes soft and understanding. It made me want to punch her perfect face.

"Lakey," she said gently, "we can create a safe space for the hypnotherapy. Somewhere you feel comfortable and in control. And remember, you can stop at any time if it gets too intense."

I snorted. "Safe space? What, we gonna make a pillow fort and sing camp songs?"

But Sarah didn't rise to the bait. She just smiled, patient as a fucking saint. "We'll do whatever makes you feel secure. This is about helping you, not pushing you past your limits."

I hated how her kindness was getting under my skin, making me actually consider this insanity. My eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape route, when they landed on Cam who finally came inside.

He stood silent in the corner, a looming presence of barely contained violence. But his dark eyes were fixed on me, intenseand unwavering. I could practically hear his thoughts: 'I've got your back, babe. Always.'

My heart did that stupid flutter thing it only does for him. Cam might be a sadistic bastard to the rest of the world, but with me? He was my anchor in the storm. I was still pissed he left me alone for this long, but I’d forgive him later, after he kissed me better.

I took a deep breath, the scent of Cam's cologne grounding me. Maybe I could do this. If it meant protecting what was ours, if it meant burning Chimera to the ground...

"Fine," I growled, glaring at Sarah. "But if you try any weird mind control shit, I'll carve out your eyeballs with a spoon. Got it?"

“I’ll have the spoon ready, if that makes you feel safer, Lakey.”

I nodded at Sarah, my teeth clenched so tight I thought they might crack. "Let's do this before I change my fucking mind."

Sarah's face lit up like I'd just agreed to donate a kidney instead of potentially dredging up all the fucked-up shit in my brain. "Wonderful. I promise, we'll take it slow."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Just get on with it before I decide to use you for target practice instead."

As Sarah bustled around the room, setting things up, I couldn't help but watch her. It was like seeing a butterfly flit around a slaughterhouse — so out of place it was almost comical. She dragged over the only single chair this place had, positioning it just so, then dimmed the lights to a soft glow.

"Really going for that 'womb of tranquility' vibe, huh?" I muttered, but my snarky comment fell flat. My palms were sweating, and my heart was galloping in my chest.What the fuck was I getting myself into?

Sarah arranged some throw pillows, creating a cozy nest in the chair. "There," she said, stepping back. "How does this look? Comfortable enough?"

I eyed the setup suspiciously. It looked... nice. Too nice. Like it was trying to lull me into a false sense of security before ripping my psyche wide open. But then I caught Cam's eye again, saw the slight nod he gave me. If he thought this was okay, then I should trust in that.

"It's fine," I said, my voice coming out smaller than I intended. "Just don't expect me to start sharing my feelings or some shit. We do this, we find out what Chimera did, and then we burn those fuckers to the ground. That's it."

Sarah nodded, her face serious. "Of course, Lakey. This is about uncovering the truth, nothing more."

As I settled into the chair, sinking into its softness, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was walking into a trap of my own making. But for Cam, for our fucked-up little family... I'd face whatever demons were lurking in the dark corners of my mind.

I sank into the chair, my fingers immediately finding the hem of my shirt and twisting it. The fabric bunched and wrinkled under my restless hands, mirroring the knots in my stomach. Fuck, I was nervous. Me, the girl who could gut a man without blinking, trembling like a damn chihuahua over some hypno bullshit.

"You're safe here, Lakey," Sarah's voice drifted over, all soothing and shit. "Just focus on my voice and relax. Close your eyes, just breathe."

I snorted. "Relax? Sure, no problem."

But even as the sarcasm dripped from my tongue, a part of me desperately wanted to believe her. To let go and find out what horrors were lurking in the shadows of my memory.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. Whatever nightmares were about to surface, I'd face them head-on. For Cam. For us. And for the sweet, sweet vengeance we'd rain down on Chimera when this was all over.

"Alright," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. "Let's dig up some demons."

Closing my eyes, I allowed myself to plunge into the darkness, hardly hearing Sarah as she asked everyone to leave us for the next hour and go find something to do.

“Okay, Lakey… just listen to my voice. Three… two… one…”

Forty-One: Cam

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