“We were just finishing,” Izzy said. “She's done well today. No complaints or fuss.”
“That's what I want to hear.” I stepped inside.
The bathroom hadn't looked so good since I fired my old cleaner. I'd put her on indefinite leave with a parting stipend as soon as the shit with my family went down. Wasn't long after that when Izzy moved in, and I couldn't stand to have another living person so close to the living, breathing time bomb I'd become.
I pointed to the cleaning supplies. “Let's get this shit put away and start dinner. Izzy, let her rest. We don't have to start her in the kitchen today.”
My sister in law nodded. She slid off the counter and stepped past me, retreating deeper into the house to get cooking. I expected the bitch in her to rise up any time, but it hadn't happened yet.
Wouldn't wait forever. It was only a matter of time with her staying sober for more than twenty-four hours.
Whatever. As long as she threw her shit at me when withdrawal set in, and not the girl.
Cassie stood, gathering up the steam cleaner and the brush on the floor.
“Evan.” My name echoed on her sweet lips. “Will you tell me one thing?”
Only if it doesn't make you pitch another fucking fit, I thought. We've done too well today to watch your pretty ass get all worked up again.
“Try me,” I growled, knowing I probably wasn't going to like the question.
“Why do you want to make me your slave?” She chewed her lip, eyeing my anxiously. “You and Izzy...you both seem so normal. I thought you were until she lost it.”
I lost it. I fucking laughed, filling the bathroom with my harsh amusement, leaning on the smooth wall to get my senses back.
“You just answered your own question, babe. If you think we're normal, then you don't have a fucking clue what normal is. Normal men don't beat an asshole father to death and haul his daughter home.” The question was really preposterous, and I stepped closer to her, the frustration in my gut choking the humor. “Normal guys don't team up with their sisters in law and lock down their own frigging house like a penitentiary. And normal men certainly don't take advantage of girls from screwed up places, Cassie, just like we're doing to you.”
I was on top of her now, and she wilted like a flower that had soaked in too much sun beneath me. I backed off, turning away. My little speech was upsetting her. Enough said.
“That doesn't explain anything. I know what this is,” she said. “What I want to know is, why?”
The truth clutched at my gut, and I debated letting it out.
“We're not making you our slave. Don't need one of those. For you, this is training.” I watched her blink, taking in the news, more furious questions dancing in her eyes. “Soon as I'm satisfied with your progress, you're going off to another man. My job is to make sure you can handle him. Your job's to serve us as well as you'll serve your new master. Doesn't get any simpler than that.”
Fuck it, she'd find out sooner or later. I couldn't hold off her other training forever, and then everything would be there, clear as day.
“Another man?” The words hissed out her mouth like she didn't understand the meaning. “Who?”
“That's not your fucking problem. You'll know when the time comes. Right now, I'm gonna make sure you put your stuff away and feed your face. That's what we've got to worry about, and I only take this shit one step at a time.” I reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair lined with sweat away from her cheek. “Trust me, baby girl. Thinking about the future's enough to drive a person absolutely fucking bonkers. You do things the way I want, and focus on the now, you'll be fine.”
I'd given her plenty truth for one evening. It was time for the lie, the false promise that damned my soul to the darkest pits of hell.
Fine isn't kneeling for that depraved asshole. You're only gonna be fine with him if he lets you breathe another day.
Fuck, the truth hurts. So do the lies.
“Let's move. Not gonna ask you again.” I had to get her moving and shut down my guilty thoughts.
She followed behind me, slow and weighted down with a thousand thoughts storming through her head. I didn't care, just as long as she obeyed.
She was only beginning to get it. What she'd never know was that we were all fucked, bound to sacrifice ourselves to a world that never gave a single shit about right and wrong, and never would.
Cassie was a slave, but so was I. Ty was the only one in this who still had a chance, and I'd do whatever the hell it took to make sure he kept it.
Dinner was easy. So was escorting her back to her bedroom and listening to the door lock, and then the days that followed. Maybe the blowout fight with Izzy and the way I'd laid down the law knocked something loose in her head.