Page 33 of Worship

His eyes searched my face, as if he were trying to figure out something. “You look familiar. Have we met?”

“No,” I replied, my heart beating in my chest as he took a step into the room. “I’m…I’m Gabriella’s daughter. I lived with my dad.”

“Right.” He clicks his fingers. “You’re the girl Elise was talking to me about. Hannah, is it?”

“Heidi,” I replied, cheeks flaming.

“I’m Scott, Elise’s boyfriend. Have you met her yet?”

“N-no.” I shook my head. “I only arrived. I was just changing.”

“Why?” His eyes skimmed my body in a way that made my stomach coil. “I think you look much better in that dress.” My head bowed to focus on the ground. I didn’t hear his footsteps on the soft carpet until I saw his shoes. Then his finger was beneath my chin, lifting my head. He licked his lips and smiled again. His eyes were so light. Soblue. “In fact, I think you look rather sexy.” My face seared. “But I suppose we don’t want the birthday girl’s new little sister showing her up. Here, let me help you get changed.”

I pulled away. “No.”

“Why?”

I couldn’t swallow, knowing this was wrong. “I should go—”

“Wait.” He grabbed my arm before I could walk away. While his grip wasn’t tight, it stopped me from leaving like I should have. “It’s okay. We’ll be family one day, and familyhelpseach other. You wouldn’t want to upset Elise after kindly inviting you tonight, would you?”

“We can’t,” I whispered, wanting to tell him it would be dangerous if he touched me. Wanting to tell him that there would be a target on his back. Consequences.

But I didn’t.

I tried hard not to think of Elise, a stranger to me, as he took my hand and pulled me out onto a balcony. I tried not to think about what I was doing as he pulled the curtain across to hide us if someone were to walk into the room. I knew what was about to happen, yet I didn’t run. Didn’t stop it.

His hands found the straps to my dress, his touch sending shivers down my spine. I was cold; the cool, nighttime breeze ghosted my skin on the secluded balcony. He took his time taking my arms out of the straps, and once they were free, pulled down the top of my dress, exposing my breasts.

He sucked in a breath. “Where did you come from?”

My shoulders trembled as he placed his hands on the tops of them. It wasn’t a nice feeling when he squeezed them, tweaking my nipples until they were solid.

He pushed me down to my knees, and I let him. Watched him as he undid his pants, eyes clouded with desperation.

Gabriella called me a whore, and this is what whores did. This is what she thought of me when she looked at me. Maybe it was time I acted like one.

“I promise I’ll tell Elise how nice you are being.” He breathed out, stroking his cock inside his boxers. He thought I was naïve. Stupid. That I didn’t know this was manipulation. He had no idea that I had surpassed any stage of being groomed. Abuse knew my body well, and as he fisted my hair and pulled me toward his tiny dick, I let him shove himself into my mouth.

As it did often, my mind melted away from the act. An expert by now.What she thought of me.Though, I didn’t have to put much effort into it, as only a minute or so later, he let out a choked sound as he came, ejaculating into the back of my throat, moaning. “Oh, fuck, yes.”

Then it was over, and as I fixed myself, the sly smile on his face only revealed the truth I knew to be true. That there were sick people even in this world. The one my mother threw me away for.

There was part of me thatwantedMilton to burst through that door and gun Scott down like some dark guardian angel. He’d call Blake, who would ride down here, only to see me on my knees with another man’s seed thick in my throat. He would spit on Scott’s dead body, but the fury he’d have for me would’ve been my main goal.

He’d put the tip of his gun against my temple, pull the trigger, and the nightmare would be over.

But none of that happened.

After tucking himself away, Scott left me on the balcony and returned to the party. I feltdirty. Disgusting. There was no Milton. No Blake about to kill me. I was just the whore they molded me to be. Theperfectvictim…and I was sick of it.

* * *

Days blend togethersince Milton left, and nothing has happened. I come to the realization then that maybe he’s not coming back at all and was just making me think he was so that I’d torturemyself.

I should be relieved, yet there’s an emptiness inside of me that’s too hard to ignore. He’s gone, and I hate him for it.

Another morning arrives, and sunlight beams inside my room. The human alarm clock next door has been wailing since seven. Every day at seven. She then woke the psychopath opposite of me, who screamed at her to shut the fuck up, or she would rip her throat out. While usually, both would irritate me, I’m distracted, my mind haunted by the man who has always been an enigma since the moment he walked into my life.

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