Page 33 of Wraith

Chapter Thirty-One

The basketof clothes is unsteady in my grip as I try opening the door to the laundry room. It slips from my grasp right as I get the door open and all of the clothes go tumbling to the floor. It has been seven months since my failed escape attempt and during that time I have gotten to know Steven—or his habits that is. It didn’t take me long to figure out he liked things a certain way. Neat and clean. Hated it when things were dirty, even myself. Which is why I was on strict orders to shower every day. After being able to only take baths in scummy basin water I am all too happy to oblige him in that request. “Well now, you look like you could use a hand.” Trenton's voice comes from above me as I try to gather up the spilledclothes.

“I’m fine,” I say hastening my movements. Every time he finds me alone he tries to corner me and today no different. His booted foot swipes away the clothes from the floor scattering them along the cement of the laundry room. Then he shuffles me out of the doorway enough to let it slam shut behindme.

“Get up,” he orders making a chill break out all overme.

“I’m Wrai—” His hand slaps hard across my face, making medizzy.

“You ain’t shit. That fucker ain’t laid no claim on you. You are only the help.” He lets the P pop on his lips as his body comes at mine, cadging me to the wall, much like he has done in the past. He runs his nose along my skin and gropes at my breasts that have come in over the years. Now that I’m older, I’m not lacking in the virtue department, or so he says. “So God damned sweet. Can’t believe he hasn’t fucked this pussy of yours yet,” he says dragging his hand along the juncture of my thighs. From somewhere deep down inside me I pluck out thelie.

“He has!” I say in almost a shout as if the words will repel him. They do as I hoped and he backs away just enough for me to slide past him and out the door forgoing the spilled clothes still on the floor. I run as fast as I can back to the room and slam the door shut when I get inside, as if it will shield me from theworld.

Hours later I sneak back down to the room to find the clothes still on the floor and thankfully no Trenton in sight. I get the load in and wait for them to dry before heading back to the apartment to fold them and put them away before Steven getsback.

I wake with a start when the front door to the apartment slams shut and heavy footsteps pound their way to the room he had made up for me shortly after I became his roommate. I jolt from the mattress ready to run if I need to when he comes bursting through the door. His breaths are coming fast and his face has a purple bruise growing along his jaw. I want so much to ask him what is wrong but he barks out the firm words, “Get on the bed!” Shaking, I do as he says not wanting to make him any angrier. So far, he has been almost absent to me. The only person I see is the tutor he insisted I have and Trenton whenever he catches me off guard. “Don’t move,” he growls, stalking his heavily booted feet in my direction with purpose. Its right before he reaches the mattress that he pauses. He brings his hands to the hem of his shirt and pulls it over his head tossing it to the floor. My body goes stock still at the action. It’s a declaration of why he is here. I’m frozen to the bed, my skin chilled underneath the silk nightdress I wear. Right now I’m wishing I would have dressed in layers when I went to bed. He looks down on me as if I’m already naked to his eyes, there is a hunger there that I have only seen in Trenton and it scaresme.

“What is going on?” I squeak out. My voice scratchy. “Please whatever it is, I’m sorry. Please,” I whimper. Seconds tick by then he is shaking his head silently telling me no apology is going to work before he descends on me. My thin body is trapped underneath his much bigger one. He covers me from head to toe, his knee pressing between my legs to pry them open. “Please.” I try to plead with him again but his hand goes to mymouth.

“You told him I was fucking you. This is what you want, isn’t it?” he hisses, his hand still covering my mouth not letting me answer as his free hand drifts underneath the nightgown. “Just…be quiet.” There is a pain to his words as if what he is doing hurts him as much as it hurts me, but I don’t want to notice it. As much as I want him to be my friend, I know in these next few moments he will cease to ever be anything but my tormentor. There is quick movement after he releases my mouth and starts to unclasp his jeans and pull down his zipper. The next thing I feel is his fingers stroking along my sensitive parts making me feel things I never have felt before. “Relax,” he whispers into my ear, his face brushing along the shell as his finger presses into me. I let out a gasp and try to do as he says and relax, but it doesn’t work. I’m too on edge. What he is doing to me almost tickles but feels good at the same time. It isn’t long before the tickle becomes so intense that I feel like my body explodes all over the room and my head feels light.What was that?I don’t have time to process what just happened before his hand leaves me and something bigger starts to press into me. This doesn’t tickle at all. In fact, I want to crawl away from him with each inch. Panic sets in and I start to wiggle away from him but his grip on my hips holds me tight until he surges forward and I see white. Pain rips through my body like someone has stabbed me and it doesn’t stop. It only intensifies as he pulls from me and pushes back in. I yell out for him to quit what he is doing but he doesn’t stop. He starts touching me in that spot he did before, trying to make the tickles come back. It isn’t long before they do but the explosion doesn’t happen this time because he starts grunting then finally stops and holds himself above me before collapsing. It’s only seconds until he rolls to the side, letting me regain my air once again, and he gets off the bed. Our eyes meet for a brief second then he mouths the wordsI’m sorryand turns to walk out the door. Leaving me a sticky mess on my bed wondering what justhappened.

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