Page 41 of Pretty Cruel Love

Her voice breaks a little. There’s a flicker of vulnerability.

“Not by choice.”

She hesitates. “Can you be honest with me? Do you really think I’ll get out?”

“Based on what I think ofyou, or based on evidence?”

“Both.”

“I’ll have to give you a raincheck on the latter.”

I step closer, right between her legs, close enough to feel her breath. Close enough that my cock stiffens and presses against her—right where it wants to be.

“But for the former… and between you and me?”

She inhales sharply.

“I think you’re a psychopath,” I whisper. “But you’re a harmless one.”

“Do you like psychopaths?”

“No,” I say, stepping back before I fuck up again.“Ilovethem.”

17.5

SADIE

Night Nine

There’s no drawing of me inside Dr. Weiss’s notebook. It’s just a series of sentences, with various letters underlined.

Letters that apparently spell out a hidden message.

I’mnot sureif you truly understandhow your mere presence is enoughto make me want tobehave unprofessionally. You’re infiltrating my thoughts in the shower,and making it very difficult to focuson what’s at stakeforyou …

If I could go back in time, you should know that I’d handle this unfortunate and complex situation with a different,smarterstrategy.

I take out my pen and decipher the first couple of lines. Then I circle all the letters until his message is clear.

I need to taste your pussy…

18

SADIE

Back “then”…

“You need to take this plea deal,” my public defender says.

“No.”

“Sadie, they’re offering you seven to fifteen years.”

“Per murder.”

“Yeah. That’s one hell of a deal,” he says. “Even if the judge makes the sentences run consecutively, you’ll have a shot at breathing free air in your sixties or seventies.”

“I prefer the alternative…”

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