True Control by Willow Madison Read Free Book Online Page B

But the humiliation of this man watching me as I stumble a little and take a seat is almost worse than the pain shooting out from all over my body. My head, eye, throat, arms, wrists, back, legs, pussy. The ride in the trunk, being thrown around here, being beat with his belt. I hide my tears under my hair. When I finally pee, I wince. He was very rough and it’s just another spot that hurts. I wipe carefully.
    He tugs on the rope a little and I wince louder from the pain on my throat. Tiny pinheads pushing all around my neck. I get up and he moves to stand next to me.
    I look away, despite this pulling on the collar. I hear him pee and grunt. And fart. I gag against the collar. He laughs.
    I can see myself in the mirror, just my shoulders and head. But I gasp. I don’t recognize myself. My left eye is swollen shut. The lids two angry red and blue puffy half circles meeting where my eye should be. The skin around it a deep red and purple mix spreading onto my cheek and forehead. My right eye looks oddly small in comparison. An island of pale skin and blue water. The bruise spreads to this island even.
    The collar on my neck shines in the light. A metal choke collar for a small dog. The tiny prongs pinch into my skin. My shoulders and neck are crisscrossed with belt marks. These I’m familiar with. But never above my butt. Max would never have hit me like this.
    I don’t take comfort in this thought. I run from all thoughts of Max. I yell at his voice in my head to shut up. Shut up! You’re not here and you can’t do anything about any of this!
    I can feel all the parts of my body that are broken and sore. I’m battered. That’s the word. I’ve heard it on TV. I’ve seen images from movies. I’ve seen my own body hurt, punished. But not like this.
    I think the only spot not hurt is a baby toe. I almost laugh at this. You’re getting hysterical again, baby . Yep. I know, Max. I’m going to die laughing…
    I close my eye and clutch the small vanity, shaking and choking on my tears. No. I won’t give this man my tears. I won’t as long as I can help it. I make a promise to myself to hold back as much as I can. He can beat me and take what he wants from me physically…but I can withhold my tears. I’m strong enough for that. That’s my girl.
    I take a deep breath in. And it’s familiar. My eye pops open and I see why and see him standing behind me. No expression. Just watching me.
    He tugs the rope and I move to follow him out of the bathroom.
    He stops at the bed. The black dog inches from my legs, still showing teeth. He sits on the bed and orders me to kneel. I obey, but move to be away from the dog some more.
    I know what he wants before he puts his hand to the back of my head and pushes me down towards his swelling dick. Despite the pain, I resist, “Wait.” He lets me lift my head again. “What if…What if I can guess your name right…will you…does your deal still stand?”
    He laughs. I have to stop the windows flying open in my head, letting all the sanity out at hearing his laughter again. It’s too normal, too sane to belong to this, to him. I take one shaky breath in and out before meeting his eyes again. “Sure. Why not.” Instinct. He’s arrogant. Full of himself. And he actually wants me to know who is.
    And I do know his name now. But do I save this get out of jail free card for later or use it now?
    The thought of him fucking me again turns my stomach and I know I don’t have the courage to wait.

Chapter 15 HIM
    It’s drizzling out. Everyone’s crowded under the awning of my building. Eve assures me that the address of the building won’t show on TV. The press know where I live, but that doesn’t mean I want every rubber-necked freak out there to know. The ones who can’t turn away from an accident on the side of the road. They always slow down to watch.
    It’s cold, but I left my jacket upstairs. Liz huddles next to Paul to my right side. I look at Lucy’s smiling face in my