Page 31 of Release Me

“Brynn, are you hurt?”

He places his hands around my biceps, stilling my shaking body. I didn’t even realize I was trembling until this moment.

“N—no,” I reply.

He takes off his sport coat and wraps it around my shoulders before helping me to my feet.

“Come, let’s go to my office. You can stay there until it’s time to leave.”

I’ve never been more relieved heading into a shrink’s office than I am right now.

* * *

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Dr. Dick asks me for what feels like the hundredth time since he got me up to his office.

It’s only the second time, but I’m already sick of him asking. I don’t like feeling this way. I don’t like people making a big fuss over me. And I certainly don’t like feeling as ashamed, weak, and helpless as I do right now.

“I’m fine, Dick. I told you that.”

“Are you ready to talk about what happened?”

“Can we just…not fucking talk about things for once? Can’t you just let me wallow in my self-pity and not force me to interact with you? There will be plenty of time for that, I’m sure, at my new prison.”

I shouldn’t have snapped on him. If it weren’t for him, I have no doubt I would be dead right now. I close my eyes and take a deep breath as Dick sits in his chair across from me.

“Brynn.” Every fucking time he says my name, it’s like butter melting over the top of a warm blueberry muffin. “My estate shouldn’t feel like a prison to you. Yes, you will be “stuck” there until I can petition the judge, but it won’t be like it is here. You’re free to go outside whenever you want, and I can take you places. I can take you wherever you want to go.”

“I want to go to Paris.”

“Then I’ll take you there.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal.

I roll my eyes, unwilling to buy into this dream he’s selling. Seven months isn’t so bad. I just need to get through it and then I’ll be free.

“When is our flight?”

“I’ve asked the pilot to be gassed up and ready to go no later than six o’clock.”

“You asked the pilot,” I scoff.

Does he think he’s Dr. Phil or something?

“Yes, Jeffrey. He’s my pilot.”

I don’t have words.

“You have your own pilot?”

“Well, yes. To go along with my jet. It’s how I do all my traveling.”

“How big of an estate are we talking about here, Dick?”

“The house is almost fifteen thousand square feet, and it’s situated on one hundred acres of land.”

“I thought you were overexaggerating your living situation when you called it an estate. Guess I was wrong.”

Standing, he saunters over to me, sitting on the table between the sofa and chair. He reaches out, placing a finger gently beneath my chin and raises my gaze to his.

“I want you to be comfortable there. Think of it as your home, or a resort if you want. A place for you to get away from it all. Away from here, away from toxic people and relationships. It’s a place for you to find the Brynn you were meant to be. The girl down in that hallway, the one who has been getting fucked by that psychotic asshole? That’s not you, Brynn.”

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