Page 78 of Defy

I couldn’t stop shaking. He planned to hurt her again.

“You’ll beg plenty by the time I finish with you. And it isn’t as if you don’t enjoy performing for me.”

“That is different. Why did you invite him here? I don’t understand.”

Someone was in the house? But Mom and Father never entertained guests during the daytime.

“I have my reasons.”

“I won’t let you turn me into a whore.”

Why would she say that?

I remembered Leo laughing with Lucian about him liking whores, but they didn’t make it seem like that was a bad word. The way Mom said it, whore was a bad word.

“You don’t get to tell me what I do and don’t do.” Father’s tone grew harder, sending shivers all over my body. “I say I want to watch you suck another man’s cock. You’ll do it. If I say you have to fuck someone, you don’t get to tell me no. By all that is holy, you are my whore.”

“But you hate him. This is wrong. If anyone finds out.”

“Since you can’t take orders. We won’t do it the easy way. Take off your clothes and get on the table.”

I couldn’t listen to it anymore. Why would he make her take her clothes off? He planned to hurt her and let someone watch. What could Mom have done so wrong that he would punish her like that?

A scream tore from her, followed by the sounds of clothes ripping. Then came sobs.

I scrambled from the bed, finding my slippers and grabbing my robe. I ran to the furthest point in my closet and crouched down under my winter clothes.

No one would find me here. The noises couldn’t reach me here.

I wrapped my arms around my legs and buried my face against my knees.

I wished Lucian or Leo were here. I wanted Eva here. They kept me safe. When they were around, I wasn’t so scared.

One day, I’d protect Mom like Lucian did when he was home.

The echo of flesh on flesh vibrated through the wall my bedroom shared with the library, making me burrow deeper into the closet.

Maybe if I closed my eyes and pretended, I was back at the busy show with all those pretty dresses and music I went to with Mom and Eva, I wouldn’t hear the noises anymore. I thought of the fancy gowns in bright colors and the shiny skirts.

One day, I wanted to wear that and walk around in pointy heels like the models. Mom said I’d break my ankles if I tried it, but I knew I could do it.

All of a sudden, I realized the noises were gone.

Had Father and Mom left?

I gingerly walked over to the sliding panel connecting my room to the library. Deep down inside, I knew I shouldn’t push it to the side, but curiosity got the best of me.

Carefully, I unlatched the hook, keeping the panel closed, and, as quietly as possible, pushed it to the side.

What I saw wasn’t anything I could understand.

Was this how Father punished Mom? Was this what she begged him not to do to her?

Father had Mother naked and pinned to the pool table in the center of the room. Her head hung off one side of the table as he pushed his penis in and out of her mouth. And then, another man stood between Mom's legs with his back to me. He had one hand on her thigh and the other somewhere in front of him. He had his pants pushed down to his knees, and his hips shifted back and forth.

Father and the man stared at each other, not truly paying attention to Mom.

“Is this what you wanted?” Father asked the man.

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