Page 11 of Sinful Desires

The smell of sex hung in the air and distant moans echoed around the building despite the music doing its best to drown out the sounds. My stomach curled in on itself, but the smiles that both Myles and Collin were sporting, made it worth it. To see them happy, I’d do this every night. That’s just how deep our bond ran, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

Chapter 3

Aspen

I sucked in a sharp breath, my gaze darting around my room. Well, what used to be my room anyways. Upon my arrival, the walls had been painted a faint pink color. How disappointed they must have been when they actually saw me, and realized I was nothing like the little girl they fantasized about having.

I didn’t wear dresses, wear a ton of makeup, enjoy shopping, sing, dance, read, nothing that normal girls did. If I did wear makeup, my eyes were just painted black and I’d occasionally wear a dark gloss or lipstick, depending on my mood. Same for my nails. Hell, even my hair was chopped down to my shoulders and dyed a dark purple color—with the exception of my black roots shining through.

A frown tugged at my lips as I brushed my fingers along the edge of the bed. I wasn’t sure what awaited me outside of this house. It probably wasn’t good; it was never good.

Maybe jail wouldn’t be so bad. I’d be fed every day, have a place to sleep, wouldn’t be forced to associate with a bunch of superficial fucks. No one expected anything from you when you were locked up.

Pushing those thoughts from my head, I got to work packing my things. Natalie and Charles had just bought me a new wardrobe a couple of weeks ago, tired of staring at my ripped-up jeans and stained T-shirts I suppose. I stuffed all my clothes and undergarments in a trash bag before securing it and resting it against the wall before I moved on to other items such as makeup, jewelry, and my comforter, as well as my bathing products.

Just when I was finishing up tying the third bag, the doorbell rang. I let out a sigh, and started dragging my belongings behind me into the hallway.

When I successfully made it to the living room, Natalie had already answered the door. Rebecca didn’t acknowledge me as her gaze swept over the living room. She looked the same as she had two months ago. Her olive skin was still flawless, and her chestnut-colored hair was as shiny as ever. Today she wore her hair in a thick, neat bun, and had a red trench coat hiding her thin body.

“You have a lovely home,” Rebecca said suddenly with a genuine smile.

Natalie returned the smile, before nodding. “Thank you.” When she moved forward, the tension in the room amplified. Even more so when she approached my social worker. “Can I get you anything?” she offered. “Coffee? Tea? It’s awfully chilly out there.”

Rebecca hesitated for a moment. “Coffee would actually be lovely.”

I rolled my eyes. Of course, they were going to prolong this visit. It was always awkward when Rebecca had to come get me, and this time was no exception.

Rebecca moved over to the beige sectional before plopping down. She shifted into a comfortable position and crossed one leg over the other.

Natalie disappeared, leaving me and Rebecca alone in the giant living room. I knew she was mad at me. Her gaze remained fixated on anything but me, but she couldn’t ignore me for long.

When I was first brought here, Rebecca told me how she thought this was the perfect place for me to be. Natalie and Charles didn’t want kids of their own; they wanted to help kids like me. They had taken several classes—both willingly and required—and they knew what they were getting into. But apparently, I wasn’t what they had in mind. Perhaps I was more damaged than they expected.

It didn’t take long for the lady of the house to reenter the room, in which she placed a coffee mug on a coaster right in front of Rebecca who smiled politely before reaching for the steaming beverage.

“Would you like one, Aspen?”

“I’m good,” I retorted bitterly. “I don’t want anything else from you.”

Rebecca gasped, her eyes narrowing into slits as she shot me a glare. “Aspen,” she warned. “Don’t be rude.”

I rolled my eyes in response. Rebecca might have been the only constant in my life, but that didn’t make her my mom. If she thought that I would listen to her just because she’s been around all this time, then she was sorely mistaken.

We both knew that the only reason she was here was because the money was too good to pass up. Rebecca didn’t care about me, and it was time that she stopped acting like she did.

Regardless, I decided to bite my tongue just this once. I hadn’t been getting a whole lot of sleep and my body was suffering the effects of that today.

The women immersed themselves in pointless chit chat that I didn’t care to listen to. Luckily, Rebecca was a fast drinker and in no time, her cup was empty. Natalie quickly took the glass from her before depositing it in the kitchen sink and returning.

“Finally,” I murmured, lifting my bags in preparation.

“Would you like some help with those?” Rebecca inquired, tilting her head to the side so she could see me better. Her keys were already resting between her fingers, and they jingled as she twirled them around.

I shook my head stubbornly before hauling the heavy bags over my shoulders. Before she could protest and demand that I let her help, my legs were already moving toward the door. She was quick to open it for me though, and I stumbled out onto the porch without another word.

Once we approached her red Honda, she popped the trunk for me, and I didn’t hesitate before slinging the bags inside. It took a few tries to get them all to fit properly, but eventually, they did.

Rounding the side of the car, I slipped in on the passenger side and kicked my feet up, resting them on the dashboard.

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