Page 174 of On a Fault Line

“But I don’t…”

“I will ask you again. Do you want to be a model?”

“Yes.” I do. IthinkI do.

“Well, consider this my casting couch.”

“Okay.”

Mark laughs. It’s so loud it hurts my ears.

“Prepare yourself to fuck your way there, you stupid girl. Stupid, stupid girl. So trusting. So innocent. So pathetic. You’re probably thinking you have some type of talent. Stupid girl.”

I was convinced in the past by this man that I have what it takes.

But he is a big liar.

Liar!

Stupid girl…

Stupid girl.

Stupid.

Stupid.

I shake my head.

“No.”

“No?” Mark challenges.

“I’m not those things.”

I’m not stupid.

I’m not stupid.

You’re stupid.

You’re stupid.

I’m…

“Well, you’re stupid enough to think I have anything but ulterior motives. I have a little whore factory to run.” He grabs me hard by the back of the neck, pulling me to him. “And you’d make the prettiest test victim. You know why?” Mark tilts back his head and laughs—like he might never stop. When he finally calms down, he looks me square in the eyes. “Because you are expendable. Because if something goes wrong…oh well.”

I try to pull away.

I fight.

I kick.

I push and?—

CRACK.

The sound hits my ears before the pain in my upper cheekbone registers.

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