Page 68 of Dollhouse

Eli lays on his side, wraps me in his arms and kisses my forehead.

Such an intimate gesture. With a yawn and without a word, I let myself drift to sleep in the comfort of his arms, being held against his warm body.

* * *

“Dance with me.”Eli holds his hand out toward me as the smooth voice of Sam Cooke plays in the background.

We’d woken up from our postcoital nap about two hours ago and took a shower together. Not only is his bedroom and bathroom larger than the other bedrooms, but he has a waterfall showerhead that I fell in love with. As well as a personal shower massager that I’ll have to let him use on me once or twice in the near future.

I would’ve today if I wasn’t aching too much.

We’d eaten a late lunch and while I was cleaning the kitchen, he was in the living room playing music.

I place my hand in his open palm, and he pulls me against his taut chest, his hand going to the small of my back.

Slowly he moves us along with the rhythm of the music.

His brown eyes hold mine captive, an unreadable expression on his face as we dance.

Just like everything else he does, he’s the perfect dancer.

“You were a dancer.” It isn’t a question, but I nod anyways. He knows about my ballet background. “You are a dancer,” he corrects. “Why did you stop dancing?”

“Sebastian made me. He felt that I wasn’t spending enough time at home after we got married, so I quit dancing. The company didn’t want to let me go, so they asked me to become a teacher. He agreed to that, but he controlled everything about my work schedule. I taught because I couldn’t dance anymore,” I explain, and he silently nods, both of his hands going to my hips and grips them firmly.

I slide my hands up his arms and wrap them around his neck as we sway to the music.

“You’ve been through so much in your life. Yet here you stand in front of me, a woman who isn’t afraid to do whatever she wants and be herself. You’re incredible, Tate.”

“You’re getting soft on me,” I tease, nudging him playfully.

“Maybe. But I’m being honest with you. You’re an angel sent to me, sent to all of us, and I’m glad we’ll get to keep you for as long as you’ll have us. But tell me, how are you such a strong person after all that you’ve endured? Most people would be weak and afraid.”

I sigh, that’s something I wonder myself many times. “I was used to being pushed around by everyone my entire life. One day, I decided enough was enough. And I did not want to be the victim anymore. I took control over my life.” He brushes my hair behind my ears as he listens to everything I have to say. “Before I met you three, the only time I ever felt safe in my life was when I was in that foster home with Rowen. Despite what we were forced to do, he protected me the best he could. He took my beatings when he could, and when he couldn’t, he’d hold me while I cried and wiped my tears away. Every night he was the one who cleaned the blood off me.” My words come out in a strained whisper. I didn’t know I’d struggle this much with talking about my past, since no one ever knew about it.

As far as anyone was concerned, my parents died in car accident during my teens, and I was living with an aunt and uncle.

That’s the story I told Sebastian. It’s the furthest thing from the truth, but he had already seen me as broken and impure, and I never wanted him to see me as anything other than that. I let him think I was a virgin for crying out loud.

“I was weak and living in hell when I was with Sebastian. I was his own personal Barbie doll that he’d dress up and control. I did what he wanted, when he wanted, or else I’d have to face the consequences.” We are no longer dancing, but he continues to hold me against his chest, his fingers brushing through my hair slowly.

“I hated being that weak woman, and that’s why I killed Lee. I was tired of being weak and controlled by everyone around me.” I know that most victims of abuse develop PTSD, or they shy away from people.

I, on the other hand, have not been shy toward the male attention that I’ve received recently from my guys. I still don’t know how to describe or explain my connection toward them, since the first day I laid eyes on them inside of the VIP room, I was drawn to them like a magnet. I couldn’t see their faces at that point, only their eyes, but their eyes lured me in and provided me with a sense of comfort that I’d never once had before. Even if they did kidnap me and try to use me as a pawn.

With them, I know I’ll be okay.

I still have my doubts about Eli, but I’m certain of how I feel toward King and Rowen.

“Was it hard for you to leave your life behind?”

“No, it was actually easy for me once I got out of the victim mentality. I’d been planning it for three months before I left. His temper was getting worse, and I knew my only way out was death.” I should’ve realized the day I agreed to marry the devil himself there was never going to be a way out. I was his forever. He’d never let me go. The only way to be free was to make him believe I was dead, that he finally killed me. In a way, he did.

“I’m glad you chose death, because that led you here and you’ve changed our lives in such a short amount of time. You’ve changed us.”

I lean up on my tiptoes and press a chaste kiss to his lips. “Okay, now stop being sappy. I’m here to stay.” He chuckles deeply. His laugh is manly and speaks directly to my cunt that clenches in appreciation for the melodic sound.

The cabin door opens and in walks Rowen and King who are shoving each other and laughing. “Ah, there’s my butterfly.” King rushes toward me and wraps his arms around me from behind, shoving me further into Eli’s chest.

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