Page 46

It made me sick, it filled me with so much disgust, and my experience was no different than hers. Except I fought. I fought and I didn't stop fighting until everything went black.

And I was thankful for that.

But the memory of what happened before everything shut down, burned me from the inside out. I felt so disgusting after, so violated and ruined.

Shadowed fingers traced my shoulder, causing me to look at my arm. Flashes of that night began to pop into my head, taking me back in time, to that single moment where a monster stole my innocence.

* * * *

'You know what day itis, my sweet child?' Virgo asked, gently closing the basement door. 'It's your birthday, the day I took you in, the day I decided you belonged to me.'

'It's not my birthday, my birthday—'

Cutting me off, Virgo laughed out loud. 'When will you learn, Berlin? Your life before doesn't exist, not anymore. You were nine when you came into my hands, a small frightened girl, so lost and alone. Today you're eighteen, you're. . .' Pausing, his smile glistened with excitement as if he had been waiting for this day for years. 'A woman,' he finally said as his feet hit the basement floor.

Climbing off my cot, I kept my eyes on him as I walked backwards. 'What's your point?' I asked, trying to search around in the dimly lit room for anything I could use as protection.

He had gloated about this day for the last two years, talking about it like it was Genesis, a day of reckoning, as if a whole new world was about to open up. I guess I could thank that man, Machi, for allowing me to keep my virginity for this long.

His threat was heard, it was enforced, it was the only time I had seen Virgo show a hint of fear.

'How many times have I warned you about that attitude?' Virgo took gingerly steps in my direction, slowly unbuttoning his shirt with each stride. 'Today things change, today you start your new beginning.'

'Stop right there!' I yelled, knowing exactly what he meant. 'Stay away from me!'

'Or what?' he asked, his smile thickening as moved like a snake across the floor. He stepped with power, making it clear that what I wanted didn't matter. 'You've known this day was coming, stop acting like a fucking bitch.'

Moving against the back wall, I felt around with my hands, praying that something would jump out for me to grab. 'I'm warning you, don't come any closer!'

His chuckle sent shivers down my spine as his eyes twinkled in the shadows. 'The more you fight, the more it's going to hurt.'

'I don't care, I won't let you fucking touch me. You'll never fucking touch me. I've done what you asked. I've been quiet, I've followed the rules, but this! I won't let you!'

Stopping a few feet away, he gripped his belt and unbuckled it, pulling it out of the loops with ease. 'You're being very disrespectful right now, I don't like it.' Folding the belt over his hand, he clutched it firmly. 'Come here.'

'No!'

'I won't tell you again.'

'Fuck you!'

'I warned you about that, you sound like a cheap whore. And cheap whores get punished for talking with filthy mouths.' Throwing his arm out, he whipped me across the top of my thighs with the leather belt.

I felt the material first, then the stabbing burn that radiated over my skin. The welt began to swell instantly, but he just kept coming.

Strike after strike, Virgo slapped my bare legs. Each lashing the skin turned red and raw, and I could feel warm blood trickling down my calves.

Moving against the wall, I tried to cover my body the best I could. My eyes kept scanning, looking for anything I could use as weapon. With my back to the old brick wall, I turned around, squishing my chest into the rock as he continued to hit me.

Pressing my palms into the wall, I felt a brick as it moved loosely in place. I didn't have to think about it, my brain knew what to do instantly. Working the small stone free, I gripped it in my palm.

'Stop! Just stop!' I screamed, jerking my body around quickly and chucking the brick blindly in his direction.

'Fuck!' Virgo yelled, dropping his belt to the ground and grabbing his face.

I stood stunned, unsure if he was screwing with me to make me drop my guard, or if I had actually hit him.

Pulling his hand away, blood was spilling from a wound under his eye. 'You little fucking bitch.' Grinding his teeth, he glared at me.