Page 28 of Pretty Cruel Love

He stops walking and looks over his shoulder. “Yes?”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

“I don’t believe so.” He glances at his clipboard. “Did I leave a pen?”

“No…” I rise from the table, slowly lifting my bound wrists. “You forgot to remove my cuffs. I’ve been here three nights.”

“Like I said,” he replies coolly, “I didn’t forget anything.”

“You promised.”

“I never promised you anything, Miss Pretty.”

“You said that you typically take them off your patients after three full days.” I recite his words verbatim. “You said that.”

“I said they’d come off if I felt comfortable.If.” His gaze slides over me, slow and deliberate. “And I don’t.”

“Because I made a sarcastic comment?”

“No.” He glances toward a wall camera, then walks back to me—his shoes brushing mine. “I told you on day one: everything here happens at my discretion. And after doing some digging, I found a disciplinary write-up that makes me question whether you’ve earned any extra comfort while you’re here.”

What?My heart sinks.

“I don’t have any disciplinary notes in my file.”

“Funny,” he says, voice flat. “Because a guard by the name of David Mountbatten claims you propositioned him during a cleaning shift eighteen months ago.”

I blink. “What?”

“He said you offered to suck his dick in exchange for an ice cream sandwich.”

“He’s lying. It was vice versa, and I told him no.”

“Well…” Dr. Weiss tilts his head. “Given how you and I first met—and how you looked like you were definitely willing to fuckmefor ice cream, I’m not sure what to believe.”

“You can believe the truth,” I say. “I would never turn on my morals like that.”

“Oh, I see,” he says, stepping back. “So you’re only capable of murder… not anything worse.”

“You know what?” I clench my fists, feeling rage flaring hot in my chest. “If you’re going to treat me like shit, just send me back to prison. I’d rather deal with people who’ve mastered real cruelty than play games with an amateur.”

“Are you threatening me, Miss Pretty?”

“No, Dr. Weiss.” I can’t keep the venom out of my voice. “I’m asking you to stop fucking with me…”

Silence.

He stares at me long and hard, keeping me pinned to my spot with his heated gaze. Without another word, he walks away and leaves the cabin.

The second the door slams shut behind him, I march over to our chessboard and flip it over, sending the pieces clattering to the floor like his broken promise.

11

DR. WEISS

Night Seven

Walk inside, grab the duffle bags, move into the cabin. Do not pass go for any conversations with staff…

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