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“Relax, darling. We’re doing this to help you.”
I close my eyes, my chest tightening with shame as he tugs my trousers down my legs, leaving me standing there in only the t-shirt they gave me, and the stained underwear beneath it.
The air in the bathroom is colder now, every inch of my exposed skin prickling with goosebumps.
“Eyes on me, pretty girl.” Mikhail says, as he takes a deep breath in, I listen to him, opening my eyes just in time to see him crouching low in front of me after taking the new pair of underwear from Nikolai. “Let’s get you changed now.”
He drags the soiled underwear slowly down, the sharp cool air making me gasp, as both brothers tense at the sound leaving my mouth.
I’m too tired to even fight them any more.
“Lift your leg.”
Nikolai whispers into my ear, bringing me backward so I’m pressed to his front once more.
I listen to him, lifting one leg, then the other, as he takes the dirty underwear, reaching out for some tissue as he wipes me. Once that’s been done, he pulls the clean underwear just above my knees.
My face burns, the humiliation of this all sinking deep into my bones, but I don’t think they notice—or even care.
Finally, Nikolai drops his hand from my body as he too crouches down, opening the package to take a pad out. He unwraps it carefully, his movements precise, and almost clinical. Before he does anything else, his eyes flicker up to mine.
“We’re almost done now, beauty.”
A lump appears in my throat as I force it down.
Their hands—warm and steady—fit the pad into my underwear as they pull the cotton upward, leaving it snug around my hips.
Nikolai lifts the new pair of shorts out of the bag, an eyebrow raised at me, as I nod my head at him.
Together, they help put the shorts on me.
The entire process only takes a few minutes, but it feels like an eternity.
“There we go.” Mikhail says once he’s standing up to his full height again. “All done.”
Together, they take a step back away from me, surprising me.
Their eyes are on me as I wrap my arms around my middle, unable to meet their gazes any longer.
“Why are you doing this?”
I ask again, my voice barely audible under the intensity of their eyes on me.
“Because you’re ours.”
Nikolai says.
“And we take care of what’s ours.”
Mikhail adds.
A hand reaches out—Nikolai’s—as he tilts my chin upagain,forcing me to meet his eyes.
“You are not alone.” He says, his voice low, and a little…soothing. “We’ll take care of you. Always.”
The weight of the words sink into me, heavy and unrelenting.
I have no idea what to say. I have no idea how to respond.