Page 2 of Caged Bird

What I didn’t know was how many times he could do this before his brain wouldn’t. How many times could he hide from his father and his friends before it did permanent psychological damage?

I doubted we weren’t already there.

Eddie ruined everything he touched. Including our son.

“Fawn! For fuck’s sake! Get your ass down here, you dumb bitch!”

The name-calling was nothing new. It washed over me now, as regular as any other word used in general conversation. I hurried down the stairs, my heavy chains rattling and digginginto the cuffs around my ankles. I tried to smooth my hair as I went, as well as the faded dress that had never fit me properly. It hung off my too-slim frame, exposing my bony shoulders. I tugged at it, trying to make myself as presentable as possible so Eddie wasn’t embarrassed.

I stopped myself at the edge of the living room. A dozen men sat or stood around, more spilling out onto the porch and the steps beyond.

The nearest leered in my direction. “Hey there, sweetheart. You ever get sick of riding Eddie’s cock, you can come bounce on mine.”

The guy next to him gave a laugh that sounded like nails down a chalkboard. “Show us your mouth, pretty lady. We know it’s perfectly shaped for sucking.”

I said nothing, unimpressed they weren’t even brave enough to say it so Eddie could hear. Though perhaps I should have been impressed they had the smarts not to. Others had not been as clever, and pissing Eddie off was never a good idea.

For anyone.

He sat across the room, his legs spread wide, arm resting on the back of the couch. His gaze raked over me, then his lip curled with displeasure.

My heart sank. I’d already upset him.

He stood and crossed the room, grabbing me roughly by the arm and towing me into the kitchen, the door swinging shut behind us. He shoved me up against the refrigerator. “Are you trying to make a fool out of me?”

I shook my head. “I came down as quickly as I could—”

“Half your tits are hanging out of that dress. Are you trying to tempt my friends so one of them will take your scrawny ass?”

“Of course not.”

He leaned in closer, his nose running up the side of my neck. “That’s right. Because you belong to me, Peach. And only me. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes.” Despite having this conversation in one form or another on an almost daily basis, the word still scalded my tongue. Burned it until I wanted to cut the damn thing out with a rusted blade.

He rubbed himself against me. “That’s right. So go upstairs and put some decent fucking clothes on. And some lipstick. The red one. Then get your ass down here and bring us food.”

I nodded and slipped beneath his arm. “I’m sorry.”

He shook his head, staring at me. “The problem with you is you never fucking learn. It’s not your fault you’re stupid. I know that. But it doesn’t matter how many times I tell you, you still don’t do what I ask.”

“I’ll do better,” I promised.

I breathed a sigh of relief when my second attempt at escape was more successful.

But the reprieve was short-lived. My legs were heavy as I dragged them upstairs. I didn’t dare glance toward the closet where Otis hid. It wasn’t safe to check on him now Eddie’s friends were in the house. But I paused as I passed the bathroom and let myself feel the relief of not hearing a sound from Otis’s hiding place.

I rifled through my closet, but there wasn’t much to be found. Only dresses Eddie had bought me. I picked out one that fit better than the sack that apparently didn’t please him, hoping it would be what he wanted tonight. Before leaving the room, I swiped bright-red lipstick across my mouth, and for a second, thought about running a brush through my matted hair.

I hated brushing it. It had been long and blond once. Beautiful and shiny with health. But the blond had grown out long ago, leaving me with my natural brunette. And over theyears, from the lack of good food and hair products, it had become dull and thin. When it had been well kept, Eddie had liked to run his fingers through it.

I never wanted him to have that opportunity again. So I’d stopped taking care of it, letting it turn into a matted bird’s nest.

Hopefully the lipstick and the dress would be enough he wouldn’t notice my hair.

I went back downstairs and straight to the kitchen. I busied myself in there, taking whatever I could find from both the cabinets and the refrigerator.

There wasn’t much. Some potato chips found their way into bowls, half of which would be broken by the end of the night because Eddie’s friends had about as much respect for our property as they did for the police or living a good, upstanding life.

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