Page 65 of Their Little Ghost

My stomach lurches. Cuffs and restraints are mounted to the walls, alongside shelves of stainless steel instruments. I can’t tell exactly what they are, but there appear to be speculums, blades, whips, and even cattle prods, to name a few. It’s a torture chamber.

“Welcome to the real Sunnycrest,” One says. “Now you’re here, it’s time we got to know each other better.”

Then he takes off his mask…

CHAPTER

TWENTY

ERIN

For so long,they’ve been faceless, creatures of the night. Abstract forms that aren’t human. What was I expecting to see when his mask came off? A monster underneath, or a smooth face with no features? Whatever it was, it’s not this…

“I’m Aiden,” One says.

His piercing gray eyes study my reaction. His voice matches his face, but I never thought he’d be so… beautiful. He’s a six-foot-three powerhouse with huge muscles, but his face has a boyish vulnerability because of the faded freckles splattered on his cheeks. His nose has a bump in the middle, presumably from a break or two. He has short, brown hair, a defined jaw that’s dimpled like a superhero, and a diagonal white scar on his left cheek. When he turns, I notice a tattoo on his neck. A faded zero in thick black ink, surrounded by a fresher outline of a ghost. The ghost linework has been done by single needle pokes, not a machine.

“Why show me your f-face now?” I stammer.

“Because you’re almost ready,” Aiden replies.

“Ready for what?” I ask, my voice increases a few pitches, more nervous than before.

He nods at Eli to remove his mask. Eli gives off a boy-next-door country vibe with his dirty blond hair, tanned skin, and full lips. He grins, his front silver-capped left tooth glinting off the light. His blue-eyed gaze meets mine, seeking approval. I gulp, desire stirring in my core as I spot a strand of my hair poking out of his shirt pocket.

“Ready for us to give you what you need, sweetheart,” Eli says.

Lex takes hisScreammask off next. He shakes his wavy, dark hair free, showing me the right side of his face. His amber eyes are ablaze against his pale skin. He has pixie-like features and could easily model with a face you’d stop to look twice at. When he turns fully, I gasp. The other half of his face and neck is covered in burns. There are areas where it looks like he’s had skin grafts years ago that haven’t healed well.

“What’s wrong? Never seen a monster before?” Lex raises his eyebrow and chuckles. “You’re not the only one who has been touched by the flames, Little Ghost.”

My cheeks heat, and I look at my feet. My shocked reaction doesn’t come from a place of horror, as he suspects, but from my wanting to know more about him.

Conflicting feelings rise to the surface. They’ve done sick and twisted things, but they’re also the most gorgeous men I’ve ever seen. They’re nothing like Nate and the other preppy boys at Stonybridge Academy. They’re raw and rugged with stories that leave a dark mark, not only on their faces, but on their souls. It’s hard to guess how old they are. A few years older than me, perhaps. Although, their haunting stares make them appear wise beyond their years.

“You brought me here for a reason,” I say, summoning my bravery. We don’t have a lot of time before my parents realize I’m gone. “Tell me.”

“You had to see this,” Aiden says. “We had to show you what your father is doing. This asylum doesn’t make people better. It’s his playground. He treats people like lab rats and hurts them for fun.”

I shake my head. My father has a brutal streak, but he prides himself on his professional reputation more than anything else. He wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that.

“You’ve got it wrong,” I say.

Lex smirks. “I told you she wouldn’t believe us.”

“Think about it, Erin,” Eli says. “He locked you up here. He drugged you. What else is he capable of?”

His words stir a vague memory from the depths of my subconscious. Sarah’s voice. A warning.

“You don’t know what he’s capable of.”

I shake away the recollection, unsure where it came from. Probably my imagination. Spending time with these guys is enough to send anyone mad.

“He’s not a monster,” I say, defending my father.

Aiden steps closer, and I take a step back. His jaw clenches as we continue the dance. Him forward, me back.

“Are you scared of me?” he asks. “Even after everything we’ve done? Haven’t we given you every reason to trust us?”

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