Page 49 of Petals and Strings
He blinked his eyes in horror as my words started to sink in. If he thought this was a simple rant from a disgruntled, butalready crazy patient, he was wrong. This was a factual listing of events.
“And where were you, Director? I didn’t see you once during any of it until a patient went missing. Then suddenly you’re here again and ready to keep us safe? While your own staff beats us down in their own twisted ways?”
“I was dealing with the board, there was a funding issue,” he admitted with a sigh. He ran his hands through his hair until it was sticking up. He didn’t deny the truth, and frankly he wasn’t shocked enough for me to truly trust him.
“Well, maybe you need to look more into the shit going on here before more of us go missing when we can’t fight back,” I growled, this time letting my determination bleed in. “I’ve been through hell, Director Cross. I’ve faced my share of monsters and lived. Torture. Forced matings. Bonds forged then brutally torn apart over and over again. Don’t let this be the place that ends someone who has lived through all of that.”
His scent swelled past whatever blockers he wore. The comforting scent of old books and leather hit me. It was a luxurious scent that spoke of wealth and contentment.
It didn’t call to me outside of giving me a subtle reassurance. His gray eyes were burning into me, as if he was absorbing and dissecting every truth I gave him and trying to figure out what to do with it.
Maybe this was the exact person to lose my filter with.
Or maybe I was signing off on my own punishment.
“I think we need to have a meeting.”
Then all that hope jumped off a cliff and hit the ground below with a resounding thud, leaving frustration behind. Instead of showing it, I let my numb mask take over.
“I’m already late for therapy. I was told I was to be on time or I would face consequences,” I said in defeat. “If you’ll excuse me.”
It wasn’t a question.
Director Cross sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose much like Theo had done to me last session or anytime I challenged what he said. It made me wonder how much my therapist idolized this man to mimic his movements like that. It was creepy and uncanny.
“What was the punishment?” he was almost afraid to ask. I could see fear and trepidation in his watchful gaze.
I shrugged and held up my wrist. “They never elaborate but I’d assume this, right? Otherwise, why would we wear it?”
“It’s necessary in some cases,” he argued. I could see his confidence coming back. Like this was the one tether holding him to his version of this place.
“And it’s never abused?” I demanded. That was the issue. Treatment should never be one size fits all. We’d all faced very different horrors and pain.
That left him staring at me again, as if he wasreallyseeing me. I was lifting the thin veil on everything he assumed was happening here and showing him all the shadows that had seeped in past him.
That couldn’t be an easy pill to swallow. I held no pity for him. He had been complacent for too long and now, he had to face it head on.
“Let me walk you to that session. After that, I’ll have a staff meeting and check back in with you,” he promised. “I’m not letting this go, Audrey. You have my word.”
Empty. That’s all his promises were.
I didn’t give him an answer. Instead, I turned and continued on to the meeting. Director Cross fell back several paces so it was almost like we weren’t walking together. It was an obvious attempt to observe and I was glad to have him at my back.
Theo was harmless at first, then he made me cautious. Now, he scared me. That kind of anger was unpredictable. If hethought I was slighting him, then there would be consequences this time.
He was itching to punish me.
Especially, since I was now several minutes late.
The small reception desk inside the office was empty when I walked in. Great, he’d cleared the office.
I held my breath as I approached Theo’s door. The last thing I wanted was to go in but I glanced back to see Director Cross just out of sight. Waiting. Listening.
“Sorry I’m late,” I said as I stepped inside Theo’s office.
He looked up, voice whipping out as if delivering a lashing, cutting right through my excuses with anger. I flinched on instinct, even though I’d been expecting it.
“I warned you there would be consequences. That’s four minutes, I’d say that’s four minutes you owe me back.”
