Page 55 of His to Keep

Now, it’s my only chance to talk to her. “Maisie?”

“What?” She’s combing her lengthy hair, cursing when it snags at a few knots.

“Can we talk?”

She keeps her back to me. “If this is about yesterday, don’t bother. My face hurts, and I don’t want to talk about it.”

“I’m sorry about Callum. About what he said to you—”

“Why do you defend him?” She turns to me then, cheek red and bruising from Father Aaron’s assault. “Are you in love with him or something?”

“W-What?” I blanch, face searing hot. “No! What makes you think that?”

She shrugs. “The way he looks at you, and you at him. You shouldn’t defend him. The night I came here, hehelpedthem. He restrained me when Matthew tried to force me to wear these stupid dresses, and when I refused, Callum stripped me and put it on himself. When I ran, he chased me. He’s a freak—just like they all are.”

I try to ban the image of Callum removing Maisie’s clothes, but it’s too late. I can’t get it out of my head. “They make him do those things.”

She scoffs. “If you want to believe that, then go for it. Be stupid. I don’t care.”

“Maisie,” I say, trying to stay calm, but she’s draining. “I’m not your enemy—you don’t have to be like this. I want to get out of here as much as you do.”

“But you’ve given up,” she interrupts. “You’ve given up and just accepted this.”

“I haven’t.”

“Ava,” she sighs, stepping forward. “I know we don’t know each other, but it’s obvious we both come from different worlds. People are relying on me. I’m getting out of here with or without you.”

“I want to get out too.”

She tilts her head to the side. “Why don’t I believe that?”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Aweek later, Maisie loses it again. After Father Aaron mentions the dreaded ceremony, she screams and throws her dinner across the room, sneering that he’s apervertand deserves torot in hell.

We’re all punished. The reprimand: starvation.

When we get back to the bedroom, I vomit in the bathroom after my stomach turns with anxiety. Callum’s there behind me, rubbing circles on my back, anger coming off him in waves. “I’m going to strangle her.”

“Stop it, Callum,” I groan, leaning back from the toilet bowl and wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. Tears come, falling from my eyes like an unstoppable waterfall. That’s when I spot Maisie watching us from the doorway.

“Are you happy now?” Callum snarls, seeing her too.

She shakes her head. “I’ve gone hungry before.”

“Not like this, you haven’t.”

Once again, fire enters her eyes, and she gets defensive. But then, so does Callum, and once again, I feel caught in the middle of a war. “You don’t evenknowme.”

“Thank fuck I don’t.”

She grits her teeth. “I’m not sorry for what I said, but I amsosorry for putting yourpreciousandbrokenAva through this.” I wince, every word she says syrupy with sarcasm.

“I’m not broken.”

Scoffing, she turns her back to us and returns to the bedroom. The question lingers in the air. Am I broken?

* * *

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