Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
He just waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts.
“I, uh, well, I didn’t cope well without him. And he’d stopped being around as much. I didn’t really notice until he was gone all night. And my stomach was rumbling because I wasn’t allowed to go into the kitchen and get my own food. And so I hadn’t eaten since breakfast the day before.”
“Please tell me you ate something?” he begged.
“I wanted to,” she whispered. “I stood at the entrance to the kitchen and tried to tell myself to go in and get some food. But I was also worried about the cameras and if it was some trick. He’d do that. Test my obedience and if I failed . . . well, the punishment was usually severe.”
“He would test your obedience by starving you?” he snapped.
“Well, he had never left me that long. But yeah, he’d go out and not feed me and see if I’d disobey him. So I stood at the entrance of the kitchen and knew that if it was a test, I couldn’t fail. I was shaking, scared, and so tired and hungry.”
Setting her down on the bed, he got up, and started to pace. Then he caught sight of her worried face. He remembered her ‘levels.’ Had that bastard taught her this? How to gauge how upset he was?
“Hey, I’m not upset with you. You know that, right?” Walking over, he crouched in front of her and placed his hand on her thighs. “None of this was your fault.”
“I was dumb.”
He gave her a stern look, squeezing her thighs lightly. It didn’t feel right to scold her or threaten punishment after what she’d just told him.
At the same time, he didn’t want her saying things like that about herself.
“Don’t speak about yourself like that. He groomed you into being this way. He was older, in a position of power, and a predator. So do not say that you are dumb.”
A sniffle escaped, but she held herself together. He was so proud of her.
“He didn’t get back until later on that night. And, out of the blue, he just told me to pack up my things and get out.”
“He did what?”
“I just stood there like an idiot who couldn’t understand what he was saying. Because I no longer had an opinion or mind of my own. Finally, he just started packing up my things, then drove me to the train station. He said that it would be best for me to find a new college. That he was just thinking of my feelings, because he didn’t want me to have to see him with his new girlfriend.”
“That’s when I asked him why. I . . . I’m so ashamed of this part, but I begged him not to leave me. To keep me. I don’t know why I did that, I was miserable. But I didn’t know how I was going to survive without him. And he . . . do you know what he did?”
“No. But I get the feeling I’m not going to like it.”
“He told me to get out of the car, or he’d call the police and have me removed. He said that he’d found someone better than me. Someone prettier, more obedient, a better Little.”
Corbin could barely hold onto his temper. The only thing that was helping him was knowing that she needed to get this out and that if he said anything, she might stop talking.
“After that, I just sat there for a moment. Then I got out. And I stood on the pavement so long that this nice man came up and asked me if I was all right. I told him no, and then I just broke. I collapsed. They called an ambulance for me and I ended up in the hospital for a few days. Turns out, I was dehydrated and exhausted.”
“God, baby. I’m so sorry.”
“I didn’t know how I was going to survive without him. I was practically in a catatonic state. That was one of the few times my dad actually came through for me. He answered the call from the hospital and came to get me on his own. No one knew what had happened to me. I wouldn’t tell anyone what was going on.”
She shook her head. “I’m not sure if I was protecting him or myself. But my dad figured out that I needed help. He got me home and found a therapist for me, and I slowly started to piece myself back together. Even my mother left me alone. Well, she tried to get me to reveal what had happened. But I wouldn’t tell her. No doubt she’d find a way to use it against me. I hate being this bitter and cynical, but . . .”
“I get it, baby. Have you told anyone about what this guy did?” he asked.