In the meantime, Daddy hugged me tightly under the lukewarm spray and kissed me on the forehead.
My butt could not handle hot water now.
I sniffled and wondered idly what Master Greer’s photo album looked like. I was guessing hundreds of photos of dogs, Archie in graceful submissive poses, Sloan, the kids, and now the bruises and marks he was giving me.
“Owww,” I cried. “Did–did I puncture the skin in many p-places, Pop?”
He hummed and kissed my butt softly. “I’m counting…eleven. Eleven little dots. And beautiful welts from my belt. It’s gonna bruise nicely overnight.”
I grinned and cried, ’cause I was a weirdo. But that made me so happy and ouchie.
“I’ll go make us some snacks before bed, Owner.”
I looked over my shoulder as Archie returned the sponge to the shelf, having finished washing his Master, and then he paused when he reached Daddy and me.
“Tonight has been…”
Yeah. I didn’t have the words for it either.
“To say the least,” Daddy agreed.
I stole a quick kiss from Archie before he stepped out and grabbed a towel.
Then I peered up at Daddy and smiled lazily. “My mind’s completely blank. No chaos.”
He returned my smile and kissed me gently. “That’s the way we want it, isn’t it?”
So, so much yes.
Maybe I could even sleep a whole night without nightmares. It sure felt like it!
CHAPTER ELEVEN
But that didn’t happen.
With my heart racing and tears falling down endlessly, I carefully climbed over Sloan and out of the bed. I swallowed repeatedly and fought the sickness, the anxiety, that’d overcome me. I was so fucking done with the nightmares, and this one had been worse than the others.
“You ungrateful piece of shit,” Marcus growled. “You don’t know how lucky you are. What the hell can you even offer them? Huh? You think they’ll put up with your bullshit in the long run? You think they’ll risk the stability of their family for you?”
I splashed water on my face in the bathroom.
The embers had burned me this time. I could still feel the heat and the intense sizzle of the fiery sparks as they landed on my arms and neck.
It was a miracle I hadn’t woken up Greer, Sloan, or Archie.
I’d felt trapped in my nightmare, more so than usual. Completely immobile, and I hadn’t been able to respond to Marcus. I’d opened my mouth with nothing coming out. I’d just stood there in the middle of the fire, swirling embers burning my skin and adding more hurt to the words Marcus had spewed at me.
“I showed you more mercy than you deserved, Corey. I showed more restraint and patience than anyone ever has before.”
That was a lie!
I flinched and screwed my eyes shut.
I had people in my life who’d always been understanding. My mom. Lane. My grandmother. My aunt and uncle. My dad—heck, he was quirky too.
Marcus was wrong. Even worse, my projections were wrong. I didn’t even know where they were coming from.
After wiping a towel over my face, I stared at my reflection in the mirror.
I didn’t look different now from a week ago, and yet everything had changed.
I hated him so much. He’d ruined my night, which should’ve consisted of heavy sleep and cuddling with my favorite people.
The sound of a door opening pulled me away from my thoughts, and I was fairly certain that’d been the front door. Someone was awake.
I left the bathroom and snuck inside the bedroom, only to grab my jammies, and then I pulled them on as I left again to investigate.
I poked my head out the front door, and it turned out to be Shay.
He glanced over at me tiredly. Very tiredly. “Hey. Did I wake you up?”
I shook my head and borrowed Greer’s fleece jacket. He always wore it when he did things in the yard. “I had a nightmare,” I admitted.
He bobbed his head. “I know the feeling.”
Before I sat down across from him at the table, I switched on the heaters because fuck this winter cold that was rolling in. It felt like it could snow at any moment. Also, Shay was only wearing a pair of sweats, and that wasn’t okay.
Owww. Okay, sitting down was something I had to do carefully.
“Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch.” I hissed and repositioned myself.
My butt cheeks were messed up!
“Oh my God,” I whimpered.
Shay laughed under his breath and…oh. Looked like he’d stolen River’s cigarettes.
“I thought you quit.” I sniffled and scrunched my nose.
Smoking was not good, and I had a weird relationship with cigarettes. It reminded me of my grandmother very, very, very much, so I was oddly fond of the smell. But at the same time, I wanted her to quit. I tried to convince her every time I visited.
“I did.” He lit one up and took a long drag.
He didn’t cough on the first inhale, so he must’ve been smoking recently. I’d learned that from bedstemor.