Stay by Emily Goodwin Read Free Book Online Page B

ladies,” he announced.  
    I glared at him then glanced back at Phoebe. The screw in my back pocket poked at my butt uncomfortably. Maybe with her help we could get away.  
    “What the hell is this?” he demanded when he saw the pillow underneath Rochelle’s ankle. He snatched it up and grabbed her foot.
    She woke up crying out in pain. Phoebe shot up and Lily cowered under her blankets. “I tripped,” Rochelle mumbled, biting back tears. “But it’s fine. I can still work tonight.” She pushed herself up and moved toward Zane.  
    “Get up,” he said, his voice level.
    My stomach twisted as I watched Rochelle struggle to her feet. There was something desperate in her eyes, something more than wanting his approval so that he wouldn’t hurt her. She looked at him with admiration and awe. She wanted to please him, not for her safety, but for her happiness. Zane put his hand on her arm, steadying her. Rochelle melted into his touch.
    He looked into her eyes and slowly licked his lips. “Can you walk?”
    Her head bobbed up and down. “Mh-hm,” she quipped in high-pitched agreement. She took a step and faltered. Zane caught her, bringing her body close to his. He smiled when she thanked him but quickly cast his eyes away, the smile instantly fading.
    “Come with me,” he ordered.
    “She shouldn’t put weight on it,” I said softly, scared of Zane.  
    “Nate needs to see this,” he said in a condescending tone.
    “Then have him come here,” I spat back, surprised at the venom in my voice.  
    Zane snaked his arm around Rochelle and sneered at me. “Don’t tell me what to do, cunt.”
    “Don’t call me that, asshole,” I retorted and was again surprised at how easily the insult rolled off my tongue.  
    “Addie, stop,” Rochelle whispered. “I’m fine.” She clung onto Zane. “Come on, let’s go.” I unclenched my fists and watch them disappear up the stairs.
    “You shouldn’t make him mad,” Lily warned. “He is an asshole. A really. Big. Asshole,” she said slowly. “One who doesn’t like to get insulted.”
    I swallowed my fear. “I don’t care.”
    “You should care,” Phoebe spoke. “I used to not care. I tired of getting hurt.”
    Lily folded her blanket down. “He’s leaves you alone if you leave him alone and do what you’re told,” she said. “Most of the time, at least.”
    I ran my hands over my face, and that weird feeling of not really being in my body began to take over. I stared at a brown stain on the faded yellow quilt on my bed until my vision went blurry. I knew Lily and Phoebe had gotten up and were moving around, but I didn’t know what they were doing. I couldn’t bring myself to move to look at them. I didn’t want to acknowledge anything around me. If I didn’t see it, then maybe it wasn’t real.
    “Adeline,” Zane’s called in a deep voice, startling me. I tipped my head up and looked into his beautiful blue eyes and was immediately sucked out of my unrealistic reverie. “You’re filling in for Rochelle tonight.”
    My mouth opened but no sound came out. Suddenly I wasn’t able to breathe. My chest tightened and the peanut butter sandwich I recently ate rose in my throat. Zane laughed and walked away, leaving Rochelle to hobble to the bed unassisted.  
    “I only got one tonight,” Rochelle said as if to comfort me.
    “Sometimes you have more than one?” I somehow managed to squeak out.
    “Most of the time,” she replied casually.
    “I won’t do it,” I said definitely and shook my head. “I won’t. I won’t.”
    “You have to,” Rochelle said.
    “No, I don’t. They can’t make me. I refuse.”
    “Just do it, Addie.” Lily’s voice came from across the room. “I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
    “They won’t hurt me that much. I heard Nate say that they prefer us to look pretty.”
    Lily frowned and looked at Phoebe. “Addie,” she said slowly. “He will hurt you. He tie you down and make you