Most nights Costello came for her or had her brought to his room. While it was becoming increasingly hard to hide the truth from him while they were together, too many nights she fell asleep in her own bed thinking about him. He wasn’t soft on her, no matter how she begged, but it only seemed to make her want to be with him more often. On the nights she was left in her own room, she thought of him, wondering what he was doing, where he was. She’d lain awake the past two nights waiting to be called to his room for more ‘training’.
It was getting out of hand. She needed to start focusing on getting out of the House.
Ariana concentrated on brushing the hair of her own doll, hating the life she was forced to lead. Hating the people who made her do it, and mad at the ‘Daddies’ who surrounded the room, each watching over his appointed trainee. Her secret ate at her. She had no choice but to hide it from them all, including Costello. As much as he looked out for her, protecting her from the overreach of Nanny Nancy, Ariana wasn’t convinced she could trust him not to turn her over to Uncle Frank.
He was still the bad guy.
He was still one of the monsters who’d kidnapped her and most likely all the other women in the room.
Ariana knew it was just a matter of time. Of waiting. The waiting, however, became harder with every day that passed, and she didn’t know how much longer she could last without doing or saying something that would make them realize she wasn’t one of them.
Restless, she went over to the dress up box. It had been fun to dress up when she actually was six, and she knew all the girls around her would be having a wonderful time, so she had to act in the same way. As she kicked her pink ballerina slippers off, which actually weren’t that bad in comparison to some of the other things she’d worn, she picked out a pair of plastic high heels created especially for adults who thought they were children. Walking in them as though she didn’t know how was more difficult.
At the make-up table she picked out some bright orange eye shadow, as that was the most obnoxious color there, a lipstick she knew wouldn’t go with the orange, and a blush that was so red she’d look like an apple. The eye shadow she applied all the way up to her eyebrows. She pushed aside the laugh that threatened to escape and focused on covering as much of her face with the blush as possible, making herself look more like a lobster than anything else. Nodding to herself, she put her bright red lipstick on and this time, let herself laugh as joyfully as possible, knowing that she didn’t have long before Costello came over to sort her out. She’d learned pretty quickly that he didn’t like paint on her face.
“Come on, Ariana.” He took hold of her arm. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”
“No!” She stomped her foot and pouted. She’d gotten pretty good at acting out. The girls in this room all knew how to be a brat, and Ariana was no different. “I look pretty.”
He cocked an eyebrow in her direction. “You don’t need all of that on your face to be pretty.”
She paused. He thought she was pretty?
His rough grip around her arm, pulled her out of her thoughts. Tugging her arm away sharply, she stood her ground. Some of it was an act, but mostly she was tired of always being watched, always being told what to do. At least in defiance she maintained some control…the only control possible.
Costello furrowed his brow and set his jaw firmly. Ariana knew that look.
“Ariana Marie…” He only called her that when a storm was brewing. Not even her own parents had used her middle name when she was growing up. When he used it, butterflies unleashed in her stomach. “Do you need a reminder of what happens to naughty girls?”
She could stop it right there. All she had to do was take his hand and allow him to wash off the ridiculous make-up. All she had to do was be a sweet little girl. But damn if defiance didn’t sound a hell of a lot better right about now. So, she did it. She sealed her fate and stuck her tongue out at him. The immature gesture actually felt freeing.
Without an ounce of hesitation, Costello firmly grabbed her by the arm and led her over to a pink wooden chair in the corner of the room. Ariana did her best to fight him off and drag her feet, but his strength overpowered hers. Effortlessly, and within seconds, Costello had her over his knee, face down and bottom up.