Page 49 of Beautiful Fiend

I do it. It destroys the entirety of my pride, but I know I have no choice. Some people walk into this house and never come out alive. Caden broke me before, and I survived. I can do it again. He has the audacity to complain about me bullying Jade or beating up Kay when he assaulted me. Nevertheless, there’s no reasoning with him, and I want out of here. So I do it. I crawl to Jade and wait by her feet for Caden’s next order.

“Holy shit,” Jade laughs. “I’m filming this.”

“No.” Caden’s refusal is an order no one would dare to disrespect. “Go around the room, Billie. Show us how pretty you are.”

I don’t think he meant the last bit, because he chuckles to himself when there’s a short silence. Everyone must be looking at him with wide eyes, but I don’t want to lift my head and see them.

“What?” he insists. “She is fucking pretty. Go on, Billie. Crawl.”

I do it fast, my knees hurting and my wrists straining, but I don’t care. I go around as quickly as possible while they make fun of me and throw insults at me. When I’m by Caden again, he puts a foot on my back and my arms buckle. I manage to hold myself in position and I don’t say anything.

“The Kings have a new pet,” a random guy says happily. I hear two beer bottles clinking and want to die on the spot.

The nightmare is almost over. He can’t keep you here all night. You’re going to be home soon.

“For fuck’s sake, Caden.” His dad’s frustrated voice breaks through the sniggering and mockery of me. “Get her out of here. I want to enjoy my night.”

“Dad, don’t worry about it.” His drunken voice is full of feelings, so different from the emotionless monotone he usually has. “We’re just doing a little experiment to see if we should get a real pet or just keep Billie.”

“You want to use the girl for your jobs, be my guest. But don’t bring her to my house and abuse her like a stray dog when we’ve got better things to do.”

I peer up at Caden’s dad, trying to see if, against all odds, the leader of the Kings will let me out of here. But he’s up and putting his empty beer on the table. He turns around and heads toward the hallway.

“What,” Caden laughs, shouting at his dad’s retreating back. “Isn’t that what you did with Mom, though? ‘Cause I remember why she fucking left. I know why she doesn’t want to talk to any of us.”

“Stop it, Cade,” Kay intervenes in an angry hiss.

“Come on,” he keeps going. “I abuse my women because that’s what you’ve always shown me, Dad!” He keeps laughing maniacally before looking down at me. His voice drops, then. “Get the fuck out of here,” he spits at me, taking his foot off my back.

I’m up in a split second, escaping his house. But of course, he’s after me, following me outside.

“Little Scott,” he calls as I’m about to enter my car. “Didn’t I tell you you’d regret your words this morning?”

His smile is so devilish, it’s almost surreal. My jaw drops to the floor before I can get a hold of myself.

“This wasn’t about Jade or your sister,” I finally whisper as everything becomes clear.

“Aren’t you the smartest girl?”

“You just wanted to make me regret turning you down.”

He nods as he approaches me, cornering me against my car. “I just wanted you to understand something. Be nice to me, and I’ll be nice back. Refuse me anything, and you’ll pay the consequences.”

He leans down and leaves a surprisingly soft kiss against my forehead before straightening back up. “I’ll see you soon, Billie.”

God hates me, and only the devil welcomes me. His name is Caden King.

11

BILLIE

The Kid I Used To Know - Arrested Youth

On Tuesday morning, Caden texts me that he’ll need me on Wednesday and Thursday night. I’m going to have to cancel my Thursday night with Xi, so I call him right away.

“If it’s not my favorite stepsister.”

It always feels a little strange and forbidden when Xi calls me his stepsister. Lik truly sees me as family, and he dropped thestepbefore the sister a long time ago. Xi doesn’t do it because our history is different.

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