Page 21 of Don't Make Me Beg
Can’t I? You have until tomorrow afternoon. Don’t test me, Scout. I’m tired of your shit.
I don’t know what I’m going to do now. I have no money. No place to go—I can’t expect Luka to let me stay here forever, and besides, being around him doesn’t exactly elicit warm fuzzy feelings. I can’t go back to school, and any chances of transferring are out of the question. And now he’s giving me until tomorrow to come back home…and what, agree to marry Jimmy?
How is this happening right now?
I bite my trembling lip as a fresh wave of tears fall down my face. I’ve never felt more hopeless—and knowing my parents hold all the power is almost more than I can take.
Is my father really capable of doing what he says? And if he’s telling the truth, then what’s the point of fighting? Am I just making it harder for myself?
It’s absolutely terrifying knowing there’s nothing I can do to stop them. Up until yesterday, I thought I was the one in control of my life. But now it’s clear that I’m no more than a chess piece, and it’s my father who’s calling the shots.
I bury my face in the pillow and let out a blood-curdling scream, feeling my last bit of hope fly right out the window. My eyes are scratchy and swollen from crying all morning, and I can’t imagine how pathetic I must look.
Thank God, Luka’s not here to see my breakdown.
“Miss Scout… I can’t help but notice that you seem a little…upset. Is there something I can do to provide you with a little comfort? Perhaps a bubble bath or a cup of tea?”
The sound of the AI’s voice sobers me, and I sit up, trying to regain composure. How the hell could I forget about Luka’s talking house?
Goddammit. Can’t a girl have a mental breakdown in peace without having to worry about the house robot spying on her?
I use the hem of my shirt to wipe my tears and snot. “You know…maybe a cup of tea wouldn’t hurt.”
“Coming right up. I’ll have it ready for you in the kitchen momentarily.”
I make my way to the bathroom and splash my face with cold water. It does little to hide the fact that I’ve been crying all morning, but at this point, I don’t really have the energy to care about that.
I get dressed for the day and make my way into the kitchen, where I find two cups of steaming hot tea sitting on the counter.
“I didn’t know if you took honey in your tea or not, so I made one of each,” L.O.K.I. says.
“That’s very considerate of you, L.O.K.I.” I reach for the one with honey and take a small sip.
“Your preferences have been noted. Enjoy your warm beverage, Miss Scout. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you.”
“So… L.O.K.I. Uh… Exactly how much of that did you see this morning?”
“If it’s your emotional breakdown that you are referring to…then probably 90 percent,” he answers flatly. “I’m programmed to give guests their privacy but also to respond to emergencies. Your crying seemed quite upsetting, so I sent a recording to Mr. Luka for his records.”
“You…you sent a video to Lu?—”
My words break off at the sound of the door slamming against the wall, followed by Luka’s heavy footsteps as he stomps inside.
“What the fuck happened? Where is she?” I hear his voice disappear down the hall like he’s checking the guest room, before he stomps back toward the kitchen.
I blow out a sigh, feeling embarrassment heat my cheeks.
When Luka finally makes it to the kitchen and spots me, he stops in his tracks. His breathing is strained, and his fists are clenched at his side. If I didn’t know any better, I’d almost think he sounded worried about me.
I see his eyes widen before he rushes to me. “What the fuck is going on, Scout? Are you okay?” He lifts my chin to meet his eyes, and my stomach erupts into nervous flutters.
“Yeah. I’m fine,” I lie, “Sorry about that. I was just feeling a little stressed… I didn’t realize I was under surveillance.”
His eyes roam over my face, no doubt noticing my swollen eyes and splotchy skin from crying. He opens his mouth to speak, but the string of incoming texts blowing up on my phone catches his attention.
Shit, I didn’t realize I left it face up.
His eyes widen as he reads the new message, and I grab my phone to hide the screen.
